Putting It Straight

[handsofclay]

Yet again, in recent days, I have seen references to our club being around since 1897 on here. If we can't get a simple thing like that right then gawd help us. We must be the only club in the country, possibly the world who actually makes themselves out to be younger than they actually are. Even to the extent of displaying it on the badge!

FACT: BRISTOL CITY WERE FORMED IN 1894. Original name Bristol South End.

FACT: Bristol Rovers were formed in 1883. Original name The Black Arabs.

Bristol South End changed their name to Bristol City in 1897. The Black Arabs changed their name to Bristol Rovers a year or two after that having also been called The Purdown Poachers and Eastville Rovers along the way. Yet, Rovers, quite rightly, state that they were formed in 1883.

Loads of other clubs started with a different name than what they are known as now from Manchester United who were Newton Heath, Sheffield Wednesday who were The Wednesday to Leicester City who were Leicester Fosse up until World War 1. None of them deny their history. If you applied the logic Bristol City use that the club that existed prior to the name change no longer exists from that point on then we should be displaying 1982 on our shirts!

Bristol South End were a big club who drew thousands to watch them including matches against the top sides of the day such as Preston North End. All that changed in 1897 was their name. The stadium, players, directors, supporters etc remained the same. Jeez, our club denies this history and yet the much criticised Bristol City Council has actually named a street Bristol South End just off St John's Lane where they played, and thereafter as Bristol City. Why the heck would the council bestow such an honour on a club that only lasted for 3 years more than a century ago! It's because they have the wits to know that Bristol South End are Bristol City.

Look at any footbal reference book pre 1995 and you will see Bristol City correctly listed as having been formed in 1894. It all changed when we had a different board of directors take control in 1995. Looking for a marketing opportunity they realized that they had just missed the big one, the club's centenary in 1994, so decided to rewrite history and make it 1897 instead to give them a couple of years to exploit the so say forthcoming centenary in 1997. Unfortunately, this spin has been swallowed by loads of our fans since.

Incidentally, we can actually claim to have been formed in 1887, as the club weamalgamated with in 1900, Bedminster, whose home ground was Ashton Gate (first match played there in 1895...two years before our club acknowledges we were formed!!!) Were formed in 1887 as Southville, changing its name to Bedminster in 1890.

[spudski]

Yet again, in recent days, I have seen references to our club being around since 1897 on here. If we can't get a simple thing like that right then gawd help us. We must be the only club in the country, possibly the world who actually makes themselves out to be younger than they actually are. Even to the extent of displaying it on the badge!

FACT: BRISTOL CITY WERE FORMED IN 1894. Original name Bristol South End.

FACT: Bristol Rovers were formed in 1883. Original name The Black Arabs.

Bristol South End changed their name to Bristol City in 1897. The Black Arabs changed their name to Bristol Rovers a year or two after that having also been called The Purdown Poachers and Eastville Rovers along the way. Yet, Rovers, quite rightly, state that they were formed in 1883.

Loads of other clubs started with a different name than what they are known as now from Manchester United who were Newton Heath, Sheffield Wednesday who were The Wednesday to Leicester City who were Leicester Fosse up until World War 1. None of them deny their history. If you applied the logic Bristol City use that the club that existed prior to the name change no longer exists from that point on then we should be displaying 1982 on our shirts!

Bristol South End were a big club who drew thousands to watch them including matches against the top sides of the day such as Preston North End. All that changed in 1897 was their name. The stadium, players, directors, supporters etc remained the same. Jeez, our club denies this history and yet the much criticised Bristol City Council has actually named a street Bristol South End just off St John's Lane where they played, and thereafter as Bristol City. Why the heck would the council bestow such an honour on a club that only lasted for 3 years more than a century ago! It's because they have the wits to know that Bristol South End are Bristol City.

Look at any footbal reference book pre 1995 and you will see Bristol City correctly listed as having been formed in 1894. It all changed when we had a different board of directors take control in 1995. Looking for a marketing opportunity they realized that they had just missed the big one, the club's centenary in 1994, so decided to rewrite history and make it 1897 instead to give them a couple of years to exploit the so say forthcoming centenary in 1997. Unfortunately, this spin has been swallowed by loads of our fans since.

Incidentally, we can actually claim to have been formed in 1887, as the club weamalgamated with in 1900, Bedminster, whose home ground was Ashton Gate (first match played there in 1895...two years before our club acknowledges we were formed!!!) Were formed in 1887 as Southville, changing its name to Bedminster in 1890.

Why don't you send an email sighting this information to the powers that be?

[Southstandoriginal]

The club also used to state that the Williams stand was built in 1958, when in fact it was built in 1951-3. They know nothing!

[Barrs Court Red]

In all honesty...... I find the history of Warmley FC far more interesting.

 

Did you know they played in the league before both Bristol Clubs, finishing 2nd and getting promoted to the top division? Went bust just before the turn of the century.

I do wonder what would of happened if they'd kept going.

[Southstandoriginal]

In all honesty...... I find the history of Warmley FC far more interesting.

 

Did you know they played in the league before both Bristol Clubs, finishing 2nd and getting promoted to the top division? Went bust just before the turn of the century.

I do wonder what would of happened if they'd kept going.

If you mean the southern league you're absolutely correct.

[downendcity]

In all honesty...... I find the history of Warmley FC far more interesting.

 

Did you know they played in the league before both Bristol Clubs, finishing 2nd and getting promoted to the top division? Went bust just before the turn of the century.

I do wonder what would of happened if they'd kept going.

I suspect they'd desperately need a defensive midfielder a second striker and to tighten their defence!

[reddogkev]

Good read that, are you a football historian?

You did state though, that the team name Bristol City was coined in 1897, so I reckon that 1897 is still correct!

[Barrs Court Red]

If you mean the southern league you're absolutely correct.

aye that's right. A few years and my memory has made the tale more impressive in my mind than reality

[handsofclay]

Applying that logic would mean that if Hull changed their name the team we lost to at Wembley in 08 would then be defunct!

I have assisted City historian David Woods with several of his books.yWarmley were one of 5 professional clubs in Bristol in the late 1890s and attracted crowds of 9,000 to their ground at The Chequers. Unfortunately, Bristol was too small to sustain 5 pro clubs and Warmley and St George went bust, leaving the smaller of the 3 in East Bristol, Eastville Rovers as the only pro club in that area.rRather than befall a similar fate, City and Bedminster amalgamated in South Bristol in 1900. Ironically their last match as separate clubs was against each other that being the GFA final of 1900.Bedminster won two nil. Eventually the new club still called Bristol City, settled at Bedminster's former ground Ashton Gate which had superior facilities to St John's Lane.

[bristol south end]

Never heard of them!!

 

[bristol south end]

Might be wrong, been a while since i have read up on our history.  Sure we had the name Bristol South End due to the powers that be being massively impressed by Preston North End.  As above, we had a big friendly with them at St Johns lane back in the day in which many 1000's attended. Ha might shed a bit more light on out close fan links with Preston.

 

 

 

 

[Vincent Vega]

Up the South End 

[Southstandoriginal]

C'mon Bemmy!

[handsofclay]

You are quite right Bristol South End. We modelled ourselves on PNE but glad we aren't called BSE as we would be put down as mad cows.

[Ivorguy]

Interested to read the reference to Warmley FC

is this the origin of the inter war Ashton Gate chant 'Warmley, Warmley' used when City were on the back foot and needed geeing up. Apparently the chant was an invitation to the players to get stuck in and put the boot in

When did this start and when end?  Was it related to the way Warmley FC played or was it a reference to the miners up Kingswood Warmley way?

Can anyone throw some light on this?

[BigTone]

Yet again, in recent days, I have seen references to our club being around since 1897 on here. If we can't get a simple thing like that right then gawd help us. We must be the only club in the country, possibly the world who actually makes themselves out to be younger than they actually are. Even to the extent of displaying it on the badge!

FACT: BRISTOL CITY WERE FORMED IN 1894. Original name Bristol South End.

FACT: Bristol Rovers were formed in 1883. Original name The Black Arabs.

Bristol South End changed their name to Bristol City in 1897. The Black Arabs changed their name to Bristol Rovers a year or two after that having also been called The Purdown Poachers and Eastville Rovers along the way. Yet, Rovers, quite rightly, state that they were formed in 1883.

Loads of other clubs started with a different name than what they are known as now from Manchester United who were Newton Heath, Sheffield Wednesday who were The Wednesday to Leicester City who were Leicester Fosse up until World War 1. None of them deny their history. If you applied the logic Bristol City use that the club that existed prior to the name change no longer exists from that point on then we should be displaying 1982 on our shirts!

Bristol South End were a big club who drew thousands to watch them including matches against the top sides of the day such as Preston North End. All that changed in 1897 was their name. The stadium, players, directors, supporters etc remained the same. Jeez, our club denies this history and yet the much criticised Bristol City Council has actually named a street Bristol South End just off St John's Lane where they played, and thereafter as Bristol City. Why the heck would the council bestow such an honour on a club that only lasted for 3 years more than a century ago! It's because they have the wits to know that Bristol South End are Bristol City.

Look at any footbal reference book pre 1995 and you will see Bristol City correctly listed as having been formed in 1894. It all changed when we had a different board of directors take control in 1995. Looking for a marketing opportunity they realized that they had just missed the big one, the club's centenary in 1994, so decided to rewrite history and make it 1897 instead to give them a couple of years to exploit the so say forthcoming centenary in 1997. Unfortunately, this spin has been swallowed by loads of our fans since.

Incidentally, we can actually claim to have been formed in 1887, as the club weamalgamated with in 1900, Bedminster, whose home ground was Ashton Gate (first match played there in 1895...two years before our club acknowledges we were formed!!!) Were formed in 1887 as Southville, changing its name to Bedminster in 1890.

 

Condensed Version

 

Rovers are 11 years older than us and still utter shite

 

 

 

[T R]

In all honesty...... I find the history of Warmley FC far more interesting.

 

Did you know they played in the league before both Bristol Clubs, finishing 2nd and getting promoted to the top division? Went bust just before the turn of the century.

I do wonder what would of happened if they'd kept going.

Didn't warmley have a game abandoned vs millwall due to a violent incident? No idea what though. 

[Red-Robbo]

Up the South End 

BSE is not a good acronym. 

[Vincent Vega]

BSE is not a good acronym. 

I beg to differ.

[Red-Robbo]

I beg to differ.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovine_spongiform_encephalopathy

 

"Infected animals use the ability to stand..."

Could explain results...

 

[T R]

I just came across this article, thought it was interesting. http://www.sistonparishcouncil.org.uk/Sistonpc/1884_-_1913.html

 

1898

 

The Warmley Football Club was founded in 1882 and is recorded as taking part in the very first organised match in the Bristol region against St. George. The following year three more clubs joined the League, Wotton-under-Edge, Clifton and the Black Arabs.
In 1886 the Gloucestershire Football Association was founded. The first four clubs being Clifton,
St. George, Warmley and Eastville Rovers. The last club was originally known as the Black Arabs who then changed their name again to Bristol Rovers. (Bristol City Football Club had yet to be formed.)
Warmley, who played in white shirts and blue shorts, are still, even one hundred years later, remembered with some pride in the East Bristol region and quite rightly so. In the season of 1897/8 they actually won the Southern League title against some remarkable opposition. Until this time their home ground was behind the Tennis Court Inn at the bottom of Warmley Hill but with their new found fame they moved to the Chequer’s ground behind the public house in Ingleside Road.
This move saw a drastic change of fortune for Warmley and that season they incurred debts of £900 and were losing £22 each playing week. Any hope of saving Warmley F.C. vanished following an F.A. meeting at the Royal Hotel, Bristol, banning the club from using its own ground for four weeks due to an incident against Millwall on 7th January 1899. The last match of this great side was on 21st January that year when the club was disbanded.
A fascinating score list exists of their final season 1898/99, which includes:

Tottenham Hotspurs Home Lost 5-1; Oxford Cyguets Away Won 2-9;
F.A.C., 1st qualifying round Swindon Town Home Won 1-0; F.A.C.,
3rd qualifying round Bristol City Away Lost 4-2 (5,000 crowd);
Southampton Home Won 1-0; Millwall Home Athletic Away Lost 1-0;
Reading Away Draw 1-1 (9,000 crowd).

This should have been Warmley’s Home match but they accepted payment to change venue. Brighton United Away Lost 3-2 (3,000 crowd).

 

A 1910 view of Mill Lane now completely built over with modern housing development

[Vincent Vega]

I just came across this article, thought it was interesting. http://www.sistonparishcouncil.org.uk/Sistonpc/1884_-_1913.html

 

1898

 

The Warmley Football Club was founded in 1882 and is recorded as taking part in the very first organised match in the Bristol region against St. George. The following year three more clubs joined the League, Wotton-under-Edge, Clifton and the Black Arabs.
In 1886 the Gloucestershire Football Association was founded. The first four clubs being Clifton,
St. George, Warmley and Eastville Rovers. The last club was originally known as the Black Arabs who then changed their name again to Bristol Rovers. (Bristol City Football Club had yet to be formed.)
Warmley, who played in white shirts and blue shorts, are still, even one hundred years later, remembered with some pride in the East Bristol region and quite rightly so. In the season of 1897/8 they actually won the Southern League title against some remarkable opposition. Until this time their home ground was behind the Tennis Court Inn at the bottom of Warmley Hill but with their new found fame they moved to the Chequer’s ground behind the public house in Ingleside Road.
This move saw a drastic change of fortune for Warmley and that season they incurred debts of £900 and were losing £22 each playing week. Any hope of saving Warmley F.C. vanished following an F.A. meeting at the Royal Hotel, Bristol, banning the club from using its own ground for four weeks due to an incident against Millwall on 7th January 1899. The last match of this great side was on 21st January that year when the club was disbanded.
A fascinating score list exists of their final season 1898/99, which includes:

Tottenham Hotspurs Home Lost 5-1; Oxford Cyguets Away Won 2-9;
F.A.C., 1st qualifying round Swindon Town Home Won 1-0; F.A.C.,
3rd qualifying round Bristol City Away Lost 4-2 (5,000 crowd);
Southampton Home Won 1-0; Millwall Home Athletic Away Lost 1-0;
Reading Away Draw 1-1 (9,000 crowd).

This should have been Warmley’s Home match but they accepted payment to change venue. Brighton United Away Lost 3-2 (3,000 crowd).

 

A 1910 view of Mill Lane now completely built over with modern housing development

Millwall at it even back then....

[Welcome To The Jungle]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Bristol South End merge with Bedminster FC to form Bristol City in 1897. If that is the case then Bristol City was formed in 1897 from two clubs, not name changed from one. 

[Southstandoriginal]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Bristol South End merge with Bedminster FC to form Bristol City in 1897. If that is the case then Bristol City was formed in 1897 from two clubs, not name changed from one. 

Bristol South End changed their name to Bristol City upon entering the Southern League and adopting professionalism in 1897. The merger with Bedminster wasn't until 1900 when the City name, colours and ground (st john's lane) were retained making it more of a takeover than a merger.I think that's about right.

[T R]

We were born as a football club in 1894. Changed name in 1897 to Bristol city. I think Bedminster merged with us in 1900. We played at two grounds, Southend and Ashton gate. Then decided to move to Ashton Gate permanently after kicking the cricket lot out. I also believe that the Wedlock family played for Bristol city and Bedminster at one stage, so I don't know if that has something to do with the merge, I expect Bedminster were crap. 

I also found lot's of good information of this website. I did notice Cardiff were on top of the league division 1, how did the bloody welsh get in our league back then. Mind Cardiff was founded by a Bristol bloke so no surprise there. 

http://www.cliftonrfchistory.co.uk/sports/football/football.htm

 

[WTFiGO!?!]

So let me get this straight:  

Southville 1887 became Bedminster 1890.

Bristol South End 1894 became Bristol City 1897.

Bristol City then took over Bedminster 1900 and moved from St. John's Lane to Ashton Gate (where Bemmy had been playing).

1995 - history was re-written in order to cash in on a 'centenary' shirt as the opportunity had been missed in 1994.

2015 - handsofclay1909 gets vexed about it all

2094 .......????? History re-written again to cash in three years early on the double centenary celebrations?