Page 18 - Avonmouth FC v Stoke Gifford 230324

Remembering Avonmouth Clubs from the past.

Although Avonmouth FC was formed in 1919 under the name of Avonmouth St
Andrews there have been five sides playing under the village name, Rovers,
Athletic, St Andrews and most recently Village and Rangers. We are pretty sure that
many of the Rover's side joined St Andrews after the First World War (WW1) given
that many new teams were formed with strong links to their local church, whilst
remembering those lost during the horrors of the Great War.

The Bristol & Suburban League (B&SL) centenary booklet (published in 1994) has
provided us with the first mentions we have of an Avonmouth football team gaining
success in their league by winning the Division 1 title over two seasons, 1904/5 and
1905/6, although exactly which club is not confirmed. Although it is thought to be
Avonmouth Rovers, perhaps the forerunner of the St Andrews side? Further
research is needed!
Avonmouth Athletic reserves was the next club to feature in the Suburban League
records when they won the Division 4 title in 1926/27 and then the top Division 1
title in seasons 1927/28,1928/29 and 1935/36. The Athletics star player was Ernie
Brinton who went on to play 249 games for Bristol City as a half back, finishing his
playing days at Newport County just after the Second World War. Avonmouth
Athletic had very strong sides as their reserves also won the Suburban League
Division 2 title in seasons 1924/25, 1926/27, 1929/30 and 1930/31.

After WW2 and a spell in the Bristol & District League, Avonmouth St Andrews
returned to the Suburban League winning the top Division 1 in 1953/54. Although
the junior teams won the Church of England youth leagues on several occasions,
the first and reserve teams struggled, mainly due to the growth in stature of other
local clubs, including Bristol Manor Farm, Hallen (formerly Lawrence Weston) and
Shirehampton Sports, who all attracted the best young players. Despite having our
West Town Road ground taken by the Ministry of Transport in 1967 for the M5 River
Avon motorway bridge the club continued through difficult times with the prospect
of an imminent return to the village that eventually happened in 1986. Things were
looking up with the reserves winning the Suburban League Division 4 title in
1983/84 and then Division 1 in 1991/92 and the first team again winning the
Premier Division in 2006/07.
More recently, another club was formed and known as Avonmouth Village FC. They
achieved success in the Bristol & District Leage by winning Division 2 in 2003/4,
Division 1 in 2005/6, and the Senior Division in 2006/7, and playing at the King
George's Field ground in Barracks Lane before disbanding. Finally, there was
Avonmouth Rangers who also played in the Suburban League, winning Division 5
in 2005/06 and Division 4 in 2006/07.
Dave Rowley
Avonmouth FC - Vice President and Archivist daverowleyl53@gmail.com