Bristol Downs Football League
Encyclopedia
The Bristol Downs League is an English football league based in the city of Bristol
. It is a completely standalone league system which does not feed into the English football league pyramid . The Downs League is unusual in that all matches are played on one site, namely the large open space known as Bristol Downs
. The league is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.
In the 1920s the league's top side was Union Jack FC, who won the league nine times in ten seasons and even managed to beat the much higher-ranked Cheltenham Town
6-3 away in the FA Cup
in 1925. Future Arsenal
star Eddie Hapgood
turned out for Union Jack before going on to Football League and international stardom. Another player with Union Jack was Wally Hammond
, a future England cricket captain.
In the 1930s Dockland Settlement won six championships in seven seasons. The years after the Second World War was probably when the league was at its strongest, with many players leaving the league to turn professional.
In the 1950s Clifton St Vincents won six league titles, but St Gabriels equalled Union Jack's record of seven successive titles between 1969 and 1975.
In recent years Clifton St Vincents and Sneyd Park have been the dominant sides in the league.
Today the league boasts over 50 teams in four divisions. There are also two knockout cup competitions - the Norman Hardy Cup (for teams from Divisions One and Two) and the All Saints Cup (for teams from Divisions Three and Four). BBC Bristol maintains a keen interest in the league, with news, features and even video highlights (highly unusual for a league at this level).
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. It is a completely standalone league system which does not feed into the English football league pyramid . The Downs League is unusual in that all matches are played on one site, namely the large open space known as Bristol Downs
The Downs (Bristol)
The Downs are an area of public open limestone downland in Bristol, England. They consist of Durdham Down to the northeast, and the generally more picturesque and visited Clifton Down to the southwest.- Durdham Down:...
. The league is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.
History
Organised football first began to be played in Bristol in the 1880s and football started on the Downs around the same time, helped by the introduction of a tram route from the city centre to the top of Blackboy Hill. The Downs League was formed in 1905 with 30 founder members, all of them teams who were already playing in the city and on the Downs' many pitches. Two of the founder member clubs, St Andrews and Sneyd Park, remain in the league to this day, with Sneyd Park having played in the top division of the league in every season since its foundation. Clifton St Vincents joined the league in its second season and have also clocked up 100 years of membership.In the 1920s the league's top side was Union Jack FC, who won the league nine times in ten seasons and even managed to beat the much higher-ranked Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town F.C.
Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...
6-3 away in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1925. Future Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
star Eddie Hapgood
Eddie Hapgood
Edris Albert "Eddie" Hapgood was an English footballer, who captained both Arsenal and England during the 1930s....
turned out for Union Jack before going on to Football League and international stardom. Another player with Union Jack was Wally Hammond
Wally Hammond
Walter Reginald "Wally" Hammond was an English Test cricketer who played for Gloucestershire in a career that lasted from 1920 to 1951. Beginning his career as a professional, he later became an amateur and was appointed captain of England...
, a future England cricket captain.
In the 1930s Dockland Settlement won six championships in seven seasons. The years after the Second World War was probably when the league was at its strongest, with many players leaving the league to turn professional.
In the 1950s Clifton St Vincents won six league titles, but St Gabriels equalled Union Jack's record of seven successive titles between 1969 and 1975.
In recent years Clifton St Vincents and Sneyd Park have been the dominant sides in the league.
Today the league boasts over 50 teams in four divisions. There are also two knockout cup competitions - the Norman Hardy Cup (for teams from Divisions One and Two) and the All Saints Cup (for teams from Divisions Three and Four). BBC Bristol maintains a keen interest in the league, with news, features and even video highlights (highly unusual for a league at this level).
2010-11 honours
- Division 1 Champions: Sneyd Park
- Division 1 Runner up: Torpedo
- Division 2 Champions: Sneyd Park Reserves
- Division 2 Runner up: Torpedo Reserves
- Division 3 Champions: Jersey Rangers
- Division 3 Runner up: Sporting Greyhound Reserves
- Division 4 Champions: Saints Old Boys Reserves
- Division 4 runner up: Corinthians
- BBC Charity Cup: Sneyd Park
- Norman Hardy Cup: Lawes Juniors
- All Saints Cup: Beachcroft LLP
Division One
- AFC Bohemia
- Ashley
- Clifton Rocket
- Clifton St Vincents
- Cotswool
- Evergreen
- Jamaica Bell
- Lawes Juniors
- Portland Old Boys
- Retainers
- Saints Old Boys
- Sneyd Park
- Sporting Greyhound
- Torpedo
Division Two
- Ashley Reserves
- Beachcroft LLP
- Clifton St Vincents Reserves
- Cotswool Reserves
- Easton Cowboys
- Hare-on-the-Hill
- Jersey Rangers
- Lion
- Sneyd Park Reserves
- Sporting Greyhound Reserves
- Tebby
- Torpedo Reserves
Division Three
- Bengal Tigers
- Clifton Rockets Reserves
- Clifton St Vincents 'A'
- Corinthians
- Durdham Down Adult School
- Easton Cowboys Reserves
- Greens Park Rangers
- Portland Old Boys Reserves
- Retainers Reserves
- St. Andrews
- Saints Old Boys Reserves
- Sneyd Park 'A'
- Torpedo 'A'
- Wellington Wanderers
Division Four
- Clifton St Vincents 'B'
- Conham Rangers
- Cotham Old Boys
- Helios
- Jersey Rangers Reserves
- Lion Reserves
- Luccombe Garage
- NCSF United
- Old Cliftonians
- Retainers 'A'
- Sneyd Park 'B'
- Tebby Reserves
- Torpedo 'B'
- West Town United