Backwell United F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Backwell United


fullname = Backwell United Football Club
nickname = The Stags
founded = 1911
ground = Backwell Recreation Ground,
West Town Road, Backwell
capacity = tbc
chairman = tbc
manager = tbc
league = Somerset County League Premier Division
season=2006-07
position = Western League Division One, 19th (resigned)
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=|pattern_b2=
leftarm2=00CCFF|body2=00CCFF|rightarm2=00CCFF|shorts2=00CCFF|socks2=00CCFF

Backwell United F.C. are a football club based in Backwell, near Bristol, Somerset, England. They are currently members of the Somerset County League Premier Division.

History

The club was established in 1911 and played in various local leagues, although activities were suspended during both World Wars. They moved to their current home in 1947, the Backwell Recreation Ground, on land given by local benefactor Theodore Robinson for the benefit of the residents of Backwell, although this is now leased from the local recreation ground trust, whose land was given to the community by the Robinson family in the 1920s.

At this time they played in the Bristol Church of England League, progressing to the Bristol and Suburban League in the 1950s. The Club's true senior football aspirations got under way with their promotion to the Somerset Senior Football League in 1970 when that League formed a First Division, the club finishing in third position. It was in the late 1970s that the club really progressed, ending up League Champions for the 1977-78 season and again League Champions from 1979 to 1983, equalling a record set by Paulton Rovers of four League Championships on the trot and also setting up a new League record of five Championships in six years.

A reserve team was formed in 1981, joining Division Three of the Somerset Senior League, and an 'A' team was formed in 1986 to play in the Bristol and Avon League, subsequently moving to the Weston super Mare and District League.

The 1983-84 season saw the first team elected to the Western League Division One, where steady progress was made with the club gaining the runners-up position for the 1989-90 season which entitled them to promotion to the Premier Division. This was denied, however, owing to the local authority's refusal to grant planning permission for floodlights to be erected. The club went to appeal, which they won, and floodlights were in place for the 1993-94 season, allowing the club to progress to Premier Division football.

Performance has been steady over the years and the first team reached the 5th round of the FA Vase in the 2004-05 season. For the 2005-06 season a change of manager and an exodus of experienced players resulted in a last-place finish and thus the club was relegated to Division One.

To date the longest serving player at Backwell United is Wayne Buxton who played for many years alongside his brother Terry Buxton.

Honours

*First team honours
**1972-73: Runners Up, Somerset Senior League, 1st Division
**1979-80: Somerset Senior League Cup Finalists and League Champions
**1980-81: Somerset Senior League Champions
**1981-82: Somerset Senior League Champions, County Senior Cup Winners, South West Counties Sutton Transformer Cup Winners
**1982-83: Somerset Senior League Champions, League Knock Out Cup Winners, Promotion to Division 1, Western Football League
**1988-89: Western League, Division 1 Runners Up
**1994-95: Promotion to Western League Premier Division

*Reserve team honours
**1987-88: Somerset Senior League, promotion to Division 1
**1988-89: Somerset Senior Cup Winners
**1997-98: Somerset Senior League, promotion to Premier Division

*'A' team honours
**1986-87: Bristol & Avon League Division 1 Champions, Temple Colston Cup Finalists
**1987-88: Bristol & Avon League Runners Up, promotion to Weston-super-Mare League, Temple Colston Cup Winners
**1988-89: Weston-super-Mare League 4th Division Champions, League Cup Winners, Subsidiary Cup Winners, Bob Keys Cup Winners
**1996-97: Temple Colston Cup Runners Up
**1997-98: Somerset Senior League, promotion to Division 3

External links

* [http://www.backwellunitedfc.co.uk/ Official Site]
*fchd|name=Backwell United|id=BACKWELU