Bath City F.C.

Bath City is a football club currently playing in the Southern League. They are nicknamed The Romans and they play their home matches at Twerton Park which has been their ground since 1932. They play in a strip of black and white shirts, black shorts and black socks with a white band. Their current manager (As at November 13th 2005) is John Relish.

History

1889-90 - Formed as Bath AFC
1908-09 - Joined Western League Division Two
1913-14 - Western League runner-up
1921-22 - Joined Southern League, English Section
1922-23 - Also rejoined Western League
1923-24 - Moved to Western Section
1929-30 - Southern League Western Section Champions. Lost play-off to Eastern Section Champions Aldershot Town 3-2
1930 - Left Western League
1932-33 - Southern League Western Section Champions. Lost play-off to Eastern Section Champions Norwich City Reserves 2-1. Also rejoined Western League Division One
1933-34 - Also played in Central Section. Western League Champions
1934-35 - Western League runner-up
1936 - Left Western League
1936-37 - Southern League Midweek Section runner-up (lost title on goal av.)
1938-39 - Rejoined Western League
1959-60 - Southern League Champions
1961-62 - Southern League runner-up
1965 - Relegated to Division One
1965-66 - Promoted to Premier Division
1967 - Relegated to Division One
1968-69 - Southern League Division One runner-up. Promoted to Premier Division
1972 - Relegated to Division One South
1973-74 - Southern League Division One South runner-up; promoted to Premier Division
1977-78 - Southern League Champions (2nd time)
1979-80 - Founder members of Alliance Premier League
1986-87 - Alliance Premier League renamed Conference
1988-89 - Rejoined Southern League
1989-90 - Southern League runner-up
1990-91 - Rejoined Conference
1997-98 - Rejoined Southern League

FA Punishment

2005 End of line....

Best league position: 7th in Conference (level 5), 1992-93
Best FA Cup performance: 3rd round replay, 1963-64 and 1993-94
Best F.A. Trophy performance: 3rd round replay, 1991-2 and 1995-96

BATH CITY FOOTBALL CLUB - THEN AND NOW'

Bath, as one of Europe’s world heritage cities has a long and distinguished history. Founded by King Bladud in 875BC it was a centre of Roman life and later, in Georgian times, became the capital of English high society.

Bath City was formed in 1889 and played at the Belvoir Ground in East Twerton until the 1st World War. After this they played at Lambridge (now the site of Bath Rugby club's training ground), returning to their roots in Twerton in 1932. The club has been at Twerton Park for the last 73 years.

Originally the Club played in local football competitions, then joined the Western League in 1908, progressing to the Southern League in 1921. City played in the Western section of the Southern League, which they won in 1929/30 and 1932/33.

During the 2nd World War City played in a number of unofficial competitions and became the only semi-professional side to win a Football League trophy, the Second Division Northern Section Championship, finishing above Liverpool, Manchester United and Everton. After the war the Club were obliged to revert back to the Southern League.

Post-war the Club won the Southern League championship in 1959/60 and again in 1977/78, when they lost only two league matches during the whole season. In the first championship-winning season, in 1960, the Club played Brighton in the FA Cup when a record 18,020 attended Twerton Park.

In 1979 the Club became founder members of the Alliance Premier League, now the Football Conference, a league in which they remained until 1986/87. Relegated in that season they bounced back to the Conference two years later. Bath continued in the Conference until relegation in the 1996/97 season. Even this was nearly avoided when the club won eight and drew three of their last thirteen games.

Off the field, dramatic events have taken place over the last few years. Despite ten years of ground sharing with Bristol Rovers and good FA Cup runs, City continued to spend more than they earned. In December 1997, matters finally came to a head when, faced with mounting debts, the club’s major shareholder negotiated for the Independent Supporters Association to take over the running of the Club. In 2002, the Supporters Society (‘Trust’) was set up with the help of ‘Supporters Direct’ and in one year raised nearly £250,000 from Trust members and private shareholders to buy back the club and regain control from the majority shareholder. The club is now run with proper financial planning and the Board works closely with the Supporters Society (now the major shareholder) and the Supporters Club.

Former City player and Wales international, Paul Bodin, managed the club for 3 seasons before making way for Alan Pridham in May 2001. The club narrowly avoided relegation by winning their final 2 matches of the 2001-02 season and improved to 14th place in 2002-3. After a poor start to 2003-4, Pridham was replaced by Gary Owers, who gradually turned things round. Scott Partridge averaged nearly a goal a game following his signing in January, and in the last 10 games, City won 6, drew 3 and lost only 1, to reach a home play-off against Dorchester. This unfortunately finished in a 4-2 defeat in front of 1250, and Dorchester went on to beat Tiverton to claim the Conference South place. In 2004-5, home form against lower-placed sides was City’s downfall and they missed out on the play-offs on goal difference. In the close season, Gary Owers moved to reprieved (again) Conference side Forest Green Rovers, and former Merthyr manager John Relish, with his assistant Adie Britton, was appointed. Chairman Steve Hall, who led the Independent Supporters Association takeover in 1997, stood down and was replaced by Geoff Todd.

City have a proud FA Cup history having reached the third round proper no fewer than six times. Wins against league clubs along the way have included Crystal Palace, Exeter City, Notts. County, Millwall, Southend United and in recent years, Cardiff City and Hereford United. In 2004-5, City beat runaway Conference leaders Barnet 2-1 in the first round at Underhill, after going behind, but lost in the 2nd round at Peterborough. ' CITY'S PAST HEROES' Stan Mortenson (played for Bath before and after the war), Tony Book (nine years at Twerton Park before going with Malcolm Allison to Manchester City), Paul Bodin (see above), Paul Randall (ex-Stoke and Bristol Rovers, record goal scorer) and Jason Dodd (former captain of Premiership team Southampton and an ex-Bath YTS).

Record Attendance:

18,020 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (1960)

Did You Know? Bath City FC are the only non-league club to win a football league trophy?

Source: Football Club History Database