Bristol City Fc The History

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Bristol City FC The History

The club was founded in 1897, when Bristol South End F.C. turned professional

and changed its name to Bristol City.

In 1900 the club merged with local rival Bedminster F.C., which had been founded as Southville in 1887.

The side joined the Football League in 1901. They first entered Division 1 in 1906 as Division 2 champions,

and as newcomers became known as the "Bristol Babes", a nickname that would last into the thirties.

They were runners-up in their first season in the top flight, but couldn't match this performance again,

and were relegated in 1911. They would not return for sixty-five years.

The club's genealogical tree is complex. There are two 'family lines'. One is via southville (formed in 1887)

and Bedminster (1889). The other is via Bristol south end (formed 1894) and Bristol city (formed 1897).

The present Bristol city Association Football Club resulted from the amalgamaton of Bedminster and Bristol City

at the end of the 1899-1900 season. Since bedminster's predecssor, southville, were formed in the Queen victoria's jubilee year (1887) it would seem reasonable to propose that the 1997-8 campaign should mark the centenary of the current club.

The arranged marriage of 1900, between the two south bristol clubs, probably prevented a repeat of the problems of East bristol, where both warmley and st. george had dispanded the previous seasons.

The Bedminster board, particulary chairman A.W.Francis and secatary W.H.Burland, pushed the idea of amalgamation strongly, and it was agreed on 10th april 1900 at a crowded Bristol citys shareholders meeting, held at the Temperance Hall Bedminster. During the first season home matches would be shared between citys (bristol south end) headquarters at st.johns lane and Bedminsters Ashton gate ground, which had hosted the England v Wales international in march 1899.

Victorian Bristol was a hotbed for boxing, cricket and rugby, and it was not until 1882 that an association was formed (warmley). Professionalisam was as late as 1897, when Bristol city, Bristol st george, Eastville rovers and Warmlry took the plunge. Then next year Bedminster followed suit. But by 1900, competition had reduced the numbers to two, rovers and city. And these two remained local rivals until Bristol rovers vacated Eastville stadium at the end of 1985-86 season.

The actual date of southville's formation has proved elusive. Various potted histories of the club, such as in the Bristol evening news (15 september 1894), give their birth as 1887, and no match reports appear before 15th october of that year. On 12th november, southville took part in the inaugural gloucestershire senior professional cup match. Among the clubs prominent members were the Gyles brothers. Charlie founded a local sports shop which exists today. Southville played their home games at Bedminster park, now called Greville smyth park.

Encouragement from Dr W.G.Grace, who refereed a gloucestershire cup at warmley in 1889, and active help from Dr E.H.Cook, led to a liasion with Bedminster cricket club, hence the change of name. Bedminster played in maroon and old gold shirts in greenway bush lane southville.

The next season (1890-91) Bedminster won the Gloucestershire cup, beating warmley 2-0, and in 1891 they first played in the FA Amateur cup the following season, Bedminster's popularity was such that 4,000 people watched a Gloucestershire cup semi final against st.george in 1894.

Competition arrived in the form of Bristol south End, formed in 1894 when an internal dispute in the Bedminster club coincided with the disbanding of Bristol south. The name was suggested by Mr J.A Stevens, secretary of the Bristol & district league, who was an admirer of Preston north end. The committee chose the colours of red shirts and navy blue shorts. Turned down by the Bristol and district league, they arranged an attractive list of fixtures which included Preston north end, Tottenham hot spur and Swindon town.

For six years there was rivary between Bedminster and Bristol south End, who were renamed Bristol city halfway through that period. he first local derby -- the minsters aganst the garibaldians -- was on 23rd march 1895, when 4,000 saw Bristol south end 2-0 at Green bush lane. In 1896, Bedminster moved to Ashton gate, beating staple hill 4-2 in the first match, although the official

opening was delayed until the first match of the western league season, 1-1 draw with warmley.

The 1896-97 season was also notable for the first league matches between Bedminster and Bristol south end. Warmley won the compitition that season, Bristol south end were 2nd and Bedminster 3rd.

Then came the move to professionalism. A 10-0 home defeat by old carthusians in the first round of the FA Amateur cup helped Bristol south end think they might be suited to the professional world. Bedminster followed suit a year later, and in 1898-9 both clubs were playing in the southern league. A crowd of 10,250 saw the two teams meet at st.johns lane in december 1898. The change to professionalism had bought a change of name too - from bristol south end to Bristol city. Sam hollis came from Woolich Arsenal to manage Bristol city and two years later he moved to Bedminster. Hollis helped Bristol city win the Gloucestershire cup and the western league, and in 1898 the club received one vote in an unsuccessful bid to join the

football league. A first major honour looked to be Bristol citys 1898-9, but southampton won the last southern league match 4-3 to force city in to runners up spot. In 1900, Bedminster and Bristol city merged --Now remember Bristol south end now Bristol city played at st.johns lane and Bedminster played at Ashton gate --- They adopted the red shirts of Bristol city and, after an experimental

season using TWO GROUNDS and three seasons at st. johns lane, the Ashton gate ground of Bedminster became the permanent home of the now merged club with the name Bedminster dropped for Bristol city. Bob campell was manager, but within a year sam hollis was to take over, just as the Bristol babe entered the football league. In 1901 Bristol city were successful in an application to join the football league, finishing joint top of the poll, despite having to compete with clubs seeking re-election to the second division. The club's first second division game was on 7th september 1901 when paddy o'brien's two goals bought a 2-0 win at Blackpool. The first home game - a 3-0 win over stockport - saw a crowd of 7,000 at st.johns lane. Not untill 1904 did BRISTOL CITY MOVE TO ASHTON GATE. By then the record attendance had been raised to 17,909 on the occasion of a second round FA cup tie against sheffield united and Bristol city decided to make Ashton gate their home as THEY OUT GREW St.johns lane, so if they decided to have stayed then steve lansdown today could be looking to move from st.johns lane.

so in truth ashton gate was Bedminsters ground, St.johns lane was Bristol south end A.K.A Bristol city's Ground

all that went in the merge was the bedminster name and in the end st.ohns lane ground, so city have moved a few times in their history as even Bedminster who were part of what was to become Bristol city moved to ashton gate from another area ie: green bush lane, chuck in southville at Greville Smyth Park we have had a few venues before we settled at Ashton gate, question is who as a fan is your loyalty now? Bristol south end, Bedminster, Bristol city, Southville? as at the time the rivalry matched city and rovers.....

Bedminster park NOW Greville Smyth Park

green bush lane

ashton gate

st.johns lane

THE ASHTON GATE STORY

Ashton gate, Since 1904 the home of Bristol city football club, was first used by the Bedminster club who moved there at the start of 1896-97. On 12th september that season, staple hill became the first visitors when Bedminster

scored an entertaining 4-2 victory. On that occasion, only a portion of the ground was used to accommodate spectators. Two weeks later, for the official opening of the ground with a western league match between Bedminster and warmley, the dressing rooms and grand stand still had to be completed. The western daily press had no reservations, however, and in it's issue for 28th september, the newspaper confidently predicted that Ashton gate would 'undoubtedly rank as one of the finest athletic grounds in the west of England'. In those days the pitch was laid out as it is today, running lengthways between Ashton road and Smyth road. By the time that England met Wales on 20th March 1899, in the first full international to be played in Bristol, it appears (according to a sketch in the Bristol

Observer) there was a stand on the right hand side of the ground, looking towards the clifton

suspension bridge. This was probably the structure which was deemed unsafe in 1966.

When Bristol city made their permanent move to Ashton gate in 1904, they needed to increase the spectator accommodation and reached agreement with Bedminster Althletic ground company to take over the whole site of more than six acres. A soccer pitch measuring 120 yards by 80 yards was laid out in the centre of the site, with a ten-yard 'border' right around the playing area so that Bedminster cricket club could use the ground in the summer. The cricket ground was fenced in with 3ft 9in-high iron railings.

On 5th march 1904, the western daily press reproduced a sketch of how it was hoped the ground would eventually look. It was an ambitious plan, for it showed all four sides under cover which was only achieved in the mid 1990's.

On 27th August 1904, when the first team beat possibles 9-0 in the first public practice game on the ground, a western daily press report described Ashton gate as having two grand stands (number one and two), each of which seated 1,200 people. Admission to number one stand was a shilling; for number two stand it was ninepence. There was covered accommodation for approximately 8,000 at one end, and the other (park end) was open.

In 1916, the covered end (eastend) was badly damaged by gales and in December the following year the roof was demolished after being declared unsafe. It was not untill 1928 that the roof was replaced, paid for by the money which city had recived from the transfers of Albert keating and Clarrie bourton, who were both sold to Blackburn rovers for a combined fee of £3,650. The structure that went up in the wake of their departure is still there today, known to home fans as the EastEnd, Covered end or winterstoke road end. Originally, it was affectionately referred

to as the ''Keating Stand''. During the 1986-87 season the roof again was renewd and sheeted in red.

The number one grand stand was an imposing building and it was unfortunate that when the luftwaffe dropped bombs on Bristol during the night of 16th january 1941, they destroyed the 'number one stand' and did not rid the club of what had become known as 'the cow shed' on the opposite side of the ground which later became the dolman stand.

Building restrictions in post-war Britain meant that it was 1951 before permit was issued fot the club to build a new grand stand. Work began in the summer of that year when the first half of the new stand, nearest the covered end, was completed. A steel shortage and lack of funds delayed the completion of the stand until 1953, when the supporters club made a £3,000 donation towards the cost. The city directors, in return, leased the supporters club space beneath the stand for it's first permanent home. This was, incidentally, city's third supporters club and was formed in 1949. The first was founded in the clubs st.johns lane days but did not survive long, after opposition from some board members. The second was founded in April 1919, but how long it lasted is unclear; certainly, by the start of league football again in 1946, no such orgainisation was operating.

Bristol city became the pioneers in floodlit football in 1950's and it was club chairman Harry dolman

who designed and produced the first lights at Ashton gate. By modern-day standards it was an antiquated

system, consisting of a series of 40ft high metal pylons at intervals of about 45ft around the pitch.

Each pylon had a cluster of three lamps. On 27th january 1953, wolves were the first visitors for a floodlit

match at Ashton gate. The game had been postponed for a week earlier becuse of fog, but 24,008 people turned

up to see the First division club win 4-2. Floodlit football league and Fa Cup matches were not permitted

at the time, so the first competitive match under city's lights was a Football combination game against

Swansea town reserves on 24th febuary 1953, when 4,315 saw city's second-string win 2-1.

These lights remained in operation until the end of 1964-65, when they were sold to southern league club,

Burton albion, for £2,000. City then invested £27,000 in the system of 160ft pylons, at one each of the

corner of the ground but becuse of problems with shadows when the dolman stand was built, additional lighting

was added to the dolman and williams stand, these pylons were last used at Ashton in november 1991, they

were then removed in june 1992 and given to wigan athletic.

At the time of of install the 160ft pylons had 48 lamps, and wolves again were the visitors to 'switch-on'

the lights. This time, however, it was a second division game and 36,183 spectators saw the midlands club win 1-0.

The number two grandstand was condemned as unsafe in the close season of 1966 and demolished, although it was four years before the Dolman stand was built. In the meantime, the appearance of Ashton gate had hardly enhanced, Open for the 1970-71 season, the dolman stand incorporates greens for indoor-bowls, later to be revamped in to a supporters club room and function hire.

The park end which was open terrace changed little over the years and it was not untill 1994 it was demolished to make way for the Atyeo stand (named after john atyeo) which was built to co-incide with the taylor report that clubs had to make stadiums all seater, this was the case after the hillsborogh disater where liverpool fans were crushed to death at a fa cup game staged there. The open parkend was last used on 5th march 1994 when a goaless draw was played out with Derby county, preparation work started for the erection of the Atyeo stand started 9 days later. The Atyeo stand cost £1.5 million to build and was built in the summer of 1994, seating 4,100 spectators in a single tier, maximum height 33ft by 259ft wide. The Ateyo stand was then given to home supporters and it also incorporated the dressing rooms which used to be located in the williams stand. It was officially opened on 8th October 1994 by sir Bert millichip, chairman of the Fottball Association, before a home game with Millwall when the players ran out of the behined the goal tunnel for the first time.

Bristol city held only a short lease at st.johns lane and during 1903-04, they approached the Ashton court estate trustees for an extension of the lease for another ten years. Mr napier, of the trustees, held out no hope and suggested that City instead moved to Ashton gate, where 14 home games had been played in 1900-01, following the amalgamation with Bedminster FC. The directors were in an impossible position becuse there was also a clause whereby the trustees could, upon giving six months notice, take one-third of the ground, such area including where the grandstand was sited. City therefore reached agreement with Bedminster Athletic ground company to take up possesion of Ashton gate at the end of 1903-04; and the trustees were happy for city to vacate St.johns lane at the same time. City's last match at St.johns lane was on April 30th 1904, when the first team beat the reserves -- who had just won the Bristol charity league and the western league division two titles -- 3-2. That did not, however, see the end of St.johns lane as a sporting venue. Bristol RUFC held two trial matches there at the start of 1904-05, and the ground was then called the Dickenson robinson sports ground and staged matches from the Somerset senior league.

When Bristol south ebd and Bristol city used St.johns lane there was a rifle range, as well as facilities for lawn tennis and bowls. On 12th August 1899, the football club held what they styled their first annual athletics meeting, but there was no obvious record of any further meetings being held.

The record of the 274 Bristol south end / City first team matches being played at St.johns lane is; 187 won, 31 drawn and 56 lost, with 784 goals for and 392 goals against. There was one other first team home game played in that time, in 1894-95 when street won 3-2 on Waverleys ground behined the Talbot public house on Wells road in the district of knowle, Bristol.

Other grounds used by Bristol city and their predecessors.

Bedminster park (southville FC 1887-1889)

Southville's home was a public park and today is known as Greville smyth park.

It is on Ashton road and is directly opposite the present Ashton gate stadium.

Other names by wich this ground has been known over the years include ''peoples park''

and ''Ashton park''.

Greenway bush lane (Bedminster FC 1889-1896)

When Southville FC became the football section of Bedminster cricket club in 1889,

they changed their name and moved to the cricket clubs ground in Greenway bush lane,

Southville. Also known as coronation road ground, it was situated on the left hand side of

the lane when approached from coronation road, on an area of land between Greenway bush lane

and Raleigh road, and on which was later built a factory for the tobacco firm, Messrs W.D. & H.O Wills.

The move allowed footballers to take gate money, but there was a considerable drawback. Each febuary,

Bedminster FC had to vacate the best playing area so that it could be made ready for the cricket season.

Whilst the cricket square was being prepared, the club had to use the far end of the ground where the

field sloped considerably. Other facilities on Greenway Bush lane included tennis courts, and for

important matches, a temporary grand stand was erected.

St.johns lane (Bristol south end FC & Bristol city FC 1894-1904)

This ground, which leased from trustees Of Ashton gate estate, was little more than an enclosed

field in it's early days. Gradually, however, it was developed and by the 1897-98 season, it

boasted a grandstand which held 500 spectators. There was also banking at both ends of the pitch.

During the following season, further improvements were made, including the enclosing of the pitch

with white painted wooden railings. In the 1899 close season, the bankings at the ends were increased,

and the ends of thew grandstand fitted with glass to protect patrons from the wind. A flag-pole was

erected on a corner of the stand so that the clubs new silk-flag colours could be flown. Hot baths

were also installed in the dressing rooms. In the early days of St.johns lane, revenue was lost to

the club when spectators climed what was known as Mutton hill at one end of the ground and enjoyed

the game for free..