RS Basingstoke F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = RS Basingstoke


fullname = RS Basingstoke Football Club
nickname = Soldiers Return
founded = 1971 (as Soldiers Return)
dissolved = 2005
ground = Whiteditch Playing Fields, Basingstoke
capacity =
chairman =
manager =
league =
season =
position = pattern_la1=_red|pattern_b1=_red|pattern_ra1=_red|leftarm1=FF0000|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FF0000|shorts1=FFFFFF|socks1=GGGGGG
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_thinbluesides|pattern_ra2=|leftarm2=FFFFFF|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FFFFFF|shorts2=0000FF|socks2=FFFFFF|

During their thirty-four year existence this football club played under several names and enjoyed plenty of success.

Foundation

Founded in 1971 as a pub side, Soldiers Return, the club originally played Sunday football before switching to Saturday's where they joined the Basingstoke League. After successfully climbing up through the divisions the side became founder members of the Chiltonian League in 1984 where they remained for two seasons before joining the North Hants League, which they won in 1986-87 resulting in their application to join Hampshire League Division 2 being successful.

R Basingstoke

Upon election the team then became known as S.R. Basingstoke and promptly proceeded to win promotion as champions in their debut season and soon established themselves in Division 1. In 1990 the club became known as D.C.A. Basingstoke and finished runners-up in 1990-91.

In 1992 the club successfully applied to move up to the Combined Counties League where they maintained a steady mid-table position but, unable to develop their basic Whiteditch Playing Fields home they dropped out of the league after four seasons to rejoin the Chiltonian League in 1996.

After some encouraging seasons the competition was absorbed by the extended Hellenic League and RS Basingstoke found themselves Division 1 East where they finished runners-up in 2000-01.

In 2003 RS Basingstoke returned to the Hampshire League where they were placed in Division 2. The side finished 3rd and like most of the leagues other clubs they moved into the extended Wessex League in 2004 where they were placed in Division 3.

Demise

2004-05 was sadly to prove the last season for the club as, despite being in a comfortable mid-table position, a player exodus resulted in the side withdrawing from the competition in January 2005 and folding.

References

(http://archive.basingstokegazette.co.uk/2005/1/28/12636.html)

(http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/RS-BASIN.HTM)

(http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/DCA-BASI.HTM)

(http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/SR-BASIN.HTM)

(http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/RS-BASI2.HTM)