Gloucestershire County Football Association

The Gloucestershire County Football Association, also simply known as the Gloucestershire FA or GFA, is the governing body of football in the county of Gloucestershire. It was formed in 1886.^[1]

Gloucestershire County Football Association

Formation	1886
Purpose	Football association
Headquarters	Oaklands Park Gloucester Road
Location	Almondsbury Bristol BS32 4AG
Coordinates	51°32′55″N 2°34′15″W / 51.548606°N 2.570901°W / 51.548606; -2.570901
Chief Executive	David Neale
Website	gloucestershirefa.com

History

The Gloucestershire County Football Association has developed from small beginnings in 1886 into an Association of more than 2000 affiliated teams and 20 affiliated Leagues. Key dates in the history of the Association are provided below:

1886: At a meeting in the Full Moon Hotel, Stokes Croft, Bristol on 7 September, the Gloucestershire Football Association was formed to be administered by a Management Committee. Gloucestershire’s first President was the famous cricketer Dr W.G. Grace who was also an active Referee.

1889–90: 33 Clubs had affiliated to the County, which enabled a delegate to be sent to the Football Association.

1892: The Association was running two Cup Competitions and playing five or six County matches a season with the first League commencing operations.

1898: The Association's Management Committee became the Council with representatives from 15 Clubs and a representative from each League affiliated to the Association.

1919–20: A major change in the structure of the Council occurred when Northern Council was formed from areas north of Thornbury. However all decisions still had to be sanctioned by the full Council.

1927: The County Minor (Youth) Association was formulated.

1933: The responsibilities of the County Minor Association were assumed by the Main Council.

1946: The County Youth Association was revived following its demise in 1933.

1967: Moves were made to form an entirely separate Council in the North. But at a meeting in December it was agreed that two separate Associations were impractical. The immediate result was that a joint annual meeting was introduced in addition to the A.G.M.

1976: The last independent North and South Council meetings took place and in 1977 the Council again became a unified body.

1995: Following the sudden death of the long serving Hon. Secretary E J Marsh, the County appointed Paul Britton as full- time Secretary and shortly afterwards purchased the property at Oaklands Park, Almondsbury as its first permanent Headquarters.

1999: The County took the significant step of becoming a Limited Company becoming known as Gloucestershire Football Association Ltd.

2000: The development of Oaklands Park that included the addition of a Floodlit All-Weather Pitch and new Dressing Rooms was completed. These facilities are now being extensively used for training groups from local junior clubs and disabled organisations.

2001: The development of the All-Weather Pitch and Dressing Rooms released capacity within the original building for the development of office space, a Board Room and Council Chamber.

2002: The County Youth Association ceased to be a semi- autonomous Association when it was incorporated into the main Association as the Youth Committee.

2006: David Neale was appointed Chief Executive following the death of Paul Britton in December 2005.^[2]

Oaklands Park

Oaklands Park was purchased by the Gloucestershire Football Association (GFA) for their new headquarters in 1994 after the existing owners Almondsbury Town FC was regretfully placed in the hands of the liquidator following a period of financial difficulties. Almondsbury Town FC became tenants at Oaklands Park in 1995 until May 2010, and in addition to using the pitch, the club were able to rent half of the building as a bar and skittle alley.

By 2009 the GFA established that they needed to take over this area for our their own use in order to cater for the increasing number of people employed by the Association in developing grassroots football. In addition to accommodating their staff, the GFA also needed training facilities to assist the development of clubs, coaches and referees.

The situation has eventually led to the demise of Almondsbury Town FC who in April 2011 announced that they were withdrawing from Zamaretto League's 2011–12 season and disbanding the first team citing failure to find a ground share as the main cause.^[3] In response the GFA released a statement advising that it was Almondsbury Town's decision to leave Oaklands Park, originally in April 2010, that prompted them to find new tenants and that an agreement had been struck with Winterbourne United and Roman Glass St George in October of that same year.^[4]

The situation has resulted in damaging publicity for the GFA in the local press.^[3] The Association have reiterated that their "main purpose as an organisation is to drive increased participation in football. As a direct result of the Oaklands Park refurbishment programme, (they) were able to host a team of four FA Tesco Skills Coaches". The GFA expressed disappointment that the club were unsuccessful in their discussions with other parties.^[5]

Affiliated Leagues

Men's Saturday Leagues Gloucestershire County League (1968) Bristol & Avon League (1910) Bristol & District League (1892) Bristol & Suburban League (1894) Bristol Churches League (1992) Bristol Downs League (1905) Bristol Premier Combination League (1957) Cheltenham League (1899) Cirencester & District League (1921) Cotswold Churches League (2007) Gloucestershire Northern Senior League (1922) North Gloucestershire League (1907) Stroud & District League (1902) West Dean Charity League (1966)

Men's Sunday Leagues Bristol & District Sunday League (1966) Bristol & Wessex Sunday League (1980) Bristol Regional League (Sunday) (1963) Cheltenham Sunday League (1968) Gloucester & District Sunday League (1965) Ladies & Girls Leagues Gloucestershire County Women's League (1998) Gloucester County Girls League (2000) Bristol Girls League (2001)

Youth Leagues Gloucestershire County Youth League (1985) Avon Youth League (1981) Hanham Minor League (1978) Bristol (U18) Football Combination League (1995) Bristol Saturday Youth League (2008) Cheltenham Youth League (1998) Cotswold Youth League (2005) Gloucester Youth League (1946-2016) Mid Gloucester Mini-Soccer League (1996) Severn Valley Youth League (2016) Stroud & District Youth League (1947-2016)^[6]

Small Sided Leagues

‘Active 5aside’ – Adult Indoor Football League South Gloucestershire - Bradley Stoke - Kingswood - Thornbury - Yate Champion Soccer - Cheltenham

Clifton College Sports Club Summer 8-a-side League Goals – Bristol North Goals – Bristol South Pitch Invasion 5-a-side - Bristol - Cheltenham - Gloucester

- Stroud Prostar Leagues - Bristol – Ashton Park - Bristol – Horfield - Bristol – St George - Gloucester - Stroud - Tewkesbury^[6]

Futsal Leagues - Hanham Onside & Aspire Adult Futsal League - Gloucester

Other Leagues Bristol Casuals League (Veterans) Gloucestershire & Somerset FA Ability Counts County League (2009)^[6]

Disbanded or Amalgamated Leagues

A number of leagues that were affiliated to the Gloucestershire FA have disbanded or amalgamated including:

• Bristol Avon League (not to be confused with Bristol & Avon League)
• Bristol Church of England League (now known as Bristol & Avon League)
• Bristol Regional League (Saturday Competition)
• Bristol Wednesday League
• Dursley and District League
• Dursley and Wotton League
• Gloucester and District League
• Iron Acton and District League
• Forest of Dean League
• Mid Gloucestershire League
• Wotton and District League

Affiliated Member Clubs

Among the notable clubs that are affiliated to the Gloucestershire FA are:

Almondsbury UWE Almondsbury Town Bishop's Cleeve Bitton Brimscombe & Thrupp Bristol City Bristol Manor Farm Bristol Rovers Cadbury Heath Cheltenham Saracens Cheltenham Town

Cinderford Town Cirencester Town Fairford Town Fintan FC Forest Green Rovers Gloucester City Hardwicke Hallen Harrow Hill Longwell Green Sports Lydney Town Mangotsfield United

Newent Town Oldland Abbotonians Quedgeley Wanderers Roman Glass St George Shortwood United Slimbridge Stonehouse Town Tuffley Rovers Tytherington Rocks Winchcombe Town Winterbourne United Yate Town

Lists of Gloucestershire FA cup and trophy winners

Gloucestershire Senior Professional Cup

Main article: Gloucestershire Cup

The Senior Professional Cup, initially known as the Challenge Cup and later as the Senior Challenge Cup, was held 99 times between 1888 and 1996. Founded in 1887, it was originally a knockout tournament for all teams affiliated to the Gloucestershire County Football Association, but after a few years became dominated by Bristol City and Bristol Rovers to such an extent that the format of the competition was changed in 1907 to be an annual match between those two clubs. A list of the winners is shown in the table below.

Club	Wins	First win	Last win
Bristol City	54	1898	1996
Bristol Rovers	28	1889	1994
Warmley	4	1892	1897
Bedminster	2	1891	1900
St George	2	1894	1895
Clifton Association	2	1888	1890

Challenge Trophy

Season   Winners 1978–79 Almondsbury Greenway 1979–80 Fairford Town 1980–81 Moreton Town 1981–82 Moreton Town 1982–83 Old Georgians 1983–84 Shortwood United 1984–85 Mangotsfield United 1985–86 Moreton Town 1986–87 Mangotsfield United 1987–88 : –

Season   Winners 1988–89 Yate Town 1989–90 Lawrence Weston Hallen 1990–91 Mangotsfield United 1991–92 Shortwood United 1992–93 Hallen 1993–94 Mangotsfield United 1994–95 Shortwood United 1995–96 Cirencester United 1996–97 Mangotsfield United 1998–99 Fairford Town

Season   Winners 1999–00 Mangotsfield United 2000–01 Yate Town 2001–02 Cirencester Academy 2002–03 Fairford Town 2003–04 Slimbridge 2004–05 Harrow Hill 2005–06 Slimbridge 2006–07 Slimbridge 2007–08 Bitton 2008–09 Bitton

Season   Winners 2009–10 Almondsbury Town 2010–11 Shortwood United 2011–12 Bristol Manor Farm 2012–13 Bristol Academy 2013–14 Hallen 2014–15 Bristol Manor Farm 2015–16 Bristol Manor Farm

Source^[7]

Senior Amateur Challenge Cup (South)

Season   Winners 1907–08 Kingswood Rovers 1908–09 Dominicans 1909–10 Hanham 1910–11 Hanham 1911–12 Hanham 1912–13 St. Michael's 1913–14 Packers 1915–19 No competition due to World War I 1919–20 Douglas 1920–21 Hanham Athletic 1921–22 St Philip's Marsh Adult School 1922–23 Victoria Albion 1923–24 Hanham Athletic 1924–25 Kingswood 1925–26 Brecknell Mun.& Rgrs. 1926–27 Kingswood 1927–28 Victoria Albion 1928–29 Barton Hill Sports 1929–30 Victoria Albion 1930–31 St. Phillip's Athletic 1931–32 Bristol St. George 1932–33 Victoria Albion 1933–34 1934–35 Mount Hill Enterprise 1935–36 Dockland Settlement 1936–37 St. Pancras (Knowle) 1937–38 Bristol Aeroplane Co.

Season   Winners 1938–39 Bristol St. George 1939–40 B.C.E.D. 1940–41 No competition due to World War II 1941–42 R.A.F. Filton 1942–43 Bristol Aeroplane Co. 1943–44 Bristol City "A" 1944–45 R.E.M.E. 1945–46 Douglas (Kingswood) 1946–47 St. Andrew's 1947–48 Hambrook 1948–49 Soundwell 1949–50 Bishopsworth Utd. 1950–51 Bristol St. George 1951–52 Victoria Athletic 1952–53 Bristol St. George 1953–54 St Philip's Marsh Adult School 1954–55 St Philip's Marsh Adult School 1955–56 Exeter United 1956–57 Southmead Sports 1957–58 Pucklechurch 1958–59 Clifton St. Vincent's 1959–60 Bristol Rovers 1960–61 Bristol St. George 1961–62 Clifton St. Vincent's 1962–63 Hambrook 1963–64 Bristol St. George 1964–65 Cadbury Heath

Season   Winners 1965–66 Bristol St. George 1966–67 Bristol St. George 1967–68 Bristol St. George 1968–69 Mangotsfield United 1969–70 Greenway Sports 1970–71 Greenway Sports 1971–72 Old Georgians 1972–73 Cadbury Heath 1973–74 Cadbury Heath 1974–75 Cadbury Heath 1975–76 Mangotsfield United 1976–77 Oldland 1977–78 Yate Town 1978–79 Hillfields O.B. 1979–80 P & W United 1980–81 Avon St. Phillips Ath. 1981–82 Henbury Athletic 1982–83 Henbury Athletic 1983–84 Henbury O.Bs. 1984–85 Eden Grove 1985–86 RWP 1986–87 Stokeside Sports 1987–88 Almondsbury Picksons 1988–89 St Philip's Marsh Adult School 1989–90 Bristol Manor Farm 1990–91 Glenside Hospital S.C. 1991–92 Yate Town

Season   Winners 1992–93 Yate Town 1993–94 Pucklechurch 1994–95 Bitton 1995–96 St. Aldhelms 1996–97 Winterbourne United 1997–98 Ridings High 1998–99 Bristol 5 O.B. 1999–2000 Bitton Reserves 2000–01 Bristol Union F.C. 2001–02 Nicholas Wanderers 2002–03 Hanham Athletic 2003–04 Shirehampton 2004–05 Glenside Five OB 2005–06 Glenside Five OB 2006–07 Bitton Reserves 2007–08 B & W Avonside 2008–09 Hallen Reserves 2009–10 Southmead Athletic 2010–11 Mendip United 2011–12 Highridge United 2012–13 Highridge United 2013–14 AEC Boko 2014–15 Totterdown United 2015–16 Bitton Reserves

Sources^[8][9]

Senior Amateur Challenge Cup (North)

Season   Winners 1925–26 Broadwell Amateurs 1926–27 Forest Green Rovers 1927–28 Sharpness 1928–29 Sharpness 1929–30 Cheltenham Town 1930–31 Cheltenham Town 1931–32 Gloucester City 1932–33 Cheltenham Town 1933–34 Cheltenham Town 1934–35 Cheltenham Town 1935–36 Stonehouse 1936–37 Chalford 1937–38 Charlton Kings 1938–39 Dursley 1939–40 Brimscombe 1940–45 No competition due to World War II 1945–46 Forest Green Rovers 1946–47 Charlton Kings 1947–48 Charlton Kings 1948–49 Charlton Kings 1949–50 Cinderford Town 1950–51 Stonehouse

Season   Winners 1951–52 Hoffman's Athletic 1952–53 Lydbrook 1953–54 Hoffman's Athletic 1954–55 Cinderford Town 1955–56 Cinderford Town 1956–57 Lydbrook Athletic 1957–58 Sharpness 1958–59 Lydbrook Athletic 1959–60 Lydbrook Athletic 1960–61 Lydbrook Athletic 1961–62 Sharpness 1962–63 Newent Town 1963–64 Gloucester City 1964–65 Bishop's Cleeve 1965–66 Sharpness 1966–67 Sharpness 1967–68 Brimscombe 1968–69 Bishop's Cleeve 1969–70 Cinderford Town 1970–71 Cinderford Town 1971–72 Forest Green Rovers 1972–73 Stonehouse

Season   Winners 1973–74 Moreton Town 1974–75 Matson Athletic 1975–76 Forest Green Rovers 1976–77 Cinderford Town 1977–78 Forest Green Rovers 1978–79 Hilldene Athletic 1979–80 Tewkesbury Y.M.C.A. 1980–81 Cirencester Town 1981–82 Badminton Picksons 1982–83 Wotton Rovers 1983–84 Viney St. Swithins 1984–85 Campden Town 1985–86 Shortwood United 1986–87 Bishop's Cleeve 1987–88 Tuffley Rovers 1988–89 Tewkesbury Y.M.C.A. 1989–90 Cirencester Town 1990–91 Tewkesbury Y.M.C.A. 1991–92 Cheltenham Saracens 1992–93 Endsleigh 1993–94 Shortwood United 1994–95 Brockworth

Season   Winners 1995–96 Endsleigh 1996–97 Endsleigh 1997–98 Cirencester Academy 1998–99 Whitminster 1999–2000 Shortwood United Res. 2000–01 Longlevens 2001–02 Taverners 2002–03 Kings Stanley 2003–04 Warden Hill 2004–05 Lydney Town 2005–06 Dursley Town 2006–07 Tuffley Rovers 2007–08 Sharpness 2008–09 Broadwell Amateurs 2009–10 Sharpness 2010–11 Harrow Hill 2011–12 Brockworth Albion 2012–13 Minsterworth 2013–14 Cheltenham Civil Service 2014–15 2015–16 Stonehouse Town

Source^[9]

Lower tier County Cup (South)

Season	Junior (South) Winners	Intermediate (South) Winners	Minor (South) Winners	Primary (South) Winners
2000–01	Totterdown United	Langton Court Rangers	Brimsham Green Res.	Mendip Gate
2001–02	Longshore	Longwell Green Sports Res.	Alveston Rangers	Winterbourne United ‘A’
2002–03	Lawrence Rovers	Sea Mills Park Res.	Soundwell Victoria	Ridings High 'A'
2003–04	TC Sports	Cadbury Heath ‘A’	Shaftesbury Crusade Res.	Lawrence Rovers Res.
2004–05	Patchway Town Res.	Soundwell Victoria	AXA ‘A’	Eden Grove
2005–06	Talbot Knowle	Southmead Athletic	Shirehampton ‘A’	Bristol Sanctuary
2006–07	Lawrence Rovers	AFC Bohemia	Brislington Cricketers	Inter The Bloomfield
2007–08	Wessex Wanderers	Winterbourne United ‘A’	Bristol Sanctuary XI	Broad Walk FC Res.
2008–09	Lawrence Rovers	Hanham Athletic ‘A’	Broadwalk Reserves	Southmead CS (Saturday)
2009–10	Ashley	Eden Grove	St Georges Rangers	Real Thornbury
2010–11	Brislington Cricketers	Bradley Stoke Town	St Philip & Jacob (Pip n Jay)	Carmel
2011–12	Crosscourt United	Portville Warriors	Real Thornbury	Broadlands
2012–13	Stockwood Wanderers	Real Thornbury	Old Cliftonians	Sartan United (Saturday)
2013–14	Real Thornbury	Bristol Bilbao	Thornbury Baptist Church	Stapleton Reserves
2014–15	Talbot Knowle United	North Bristol United	Woodlands Rangers	Winford PH Reserves
2015–16	Stapleton	Hillfields Old Boys	Thornbury Baptist Church	De Veys Reserves

Sources^[10][9]

Lower tier County Cup (North)

Season	Junior (North) Winners	Intermediate (North) Winners	Minor (North) Winners	Primary (North) Winners
2000–01	Tetbury Town	Cam Bulldogs	Phoenix United	Hillesley Utd.
2001–02	Charfield	Taverners Res.	Down Ampney	Aylburton Res.
2002–03	Berkeley Town	Patriots	Aylburton	Marshall Langston
2003–04	Longlevens	G.A.L.A. Wilton	Adlestrop D & O	Ramblers Res.
2004–05	G.A.L.A. Wilton	Moreton Town	Woodmancote	Worral Hill
2005–06	Ramblers	Lydbrook Athletic	Stratton Wanderers	AC Olympia
2006–07	Barnwood Utd	AFC Bohemia	Tewkesbury Dynamos	Newnham Utd
2007–08	FC Barometrics	Kingswood Res.	Tewkesbury Rovers	Didmarton
2008–09	Frampton United	Bibury	Charlton Rovers Res.	C & G
2009–10	Marshall Langston	FC Barometrics	C & G	Bush
2010–11	Minsterworth	Whitecroft	Whaddon Utd	F C Lakeside
2011–12	Bibury	Huntley	Upton St Leonards Reserves	Vinney St Swithins Reserves
2012–13	Avonvale United	FC Lakeside	Tuffley Rovers 'A'	The Village
2013–14	Southside	Charfield	Alkerton Rangers	Levkhampton Rovers Reserves
2014–15	Longlevens	Ellwood Reserves	Northway	Fintan Reserves
2015–16	Stroud Harriers	Chalford Reserves	Mushet & Coalway	South Cerney Reserves

Sources^[10][9]

Women's competitions

Season	GFA Women's Trophy		GFA Women's Challenge Cup
	Winners	Runners-up	Winners	Runners-up
2018–19	Cheltenham Town	Frampton Rangers	Cirencester Town	Cheltenham Town Under-18s
2017-18	St Nicholas	Cheltenham Town	Cotswold Rangers	Mitcheldean
2016-17	Cheltenham Town	St Nicholas Reserves	Frampton Rangers	Stoke Lane Athletic
2015-16	Forest Green Rovers	Cheltenham Town	Abbeymead Rovers	Mangotsfield United
2014-15	Forest Green Rovers	Bristol Ladies Union	Bristol Ladies Union Development	Abbeymead Rovers
2013-14	Forest Green Rovers	Bristol Ladies Union	St Nicholas	Cheltenham Town Development
2012-13	Bristol Academy	Downend Flyers
2011-12	Stroud & South Gloucestershire College Filton	Gloucester City
2010-11	Stroud & South Gloucestershire College Filton	Downend Flyers
2009-10	Stroud & South Gloucestershire College Filton	Forest Green Rovers
2008-09	Forest Green Rovers	Cheltenham Town
2007-08	Filton College Academy	Forest Green Rovers

Directors & Officials

Board of directors

• Roy Schafer (Chairman)
• Graham Papworth (Finance Director)
• David Neale (Chief Executive)
• Sue Henson-Green
• Nigel Newport-Black
• Mohamed Patel
• Clive Rawlings
• Suzette Davenport
• Errol Thompson

Key Officials

• David Neale (Chief Executive)
• Matthew Boucher (Football Development Manager)
• Chris Lucker (Football Services Manager)^[11]
• Roger Vaughan (Referee Development and Equality Officer)

References

1. "A Brief Summary of the Association's History". Gloucestershire County Football Association. from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2009.
2. "Gloucestershire County FA – About Us". Gloucestershire FA. from the original on 16 April 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
3. "Almondsbury Town set to fold". Gloucestershire Gazette. 7 April 2011. from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
4. "Winterbourne United secure home ground in new deal". Frome Valley Voice. 7 December 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
5. Iles, Rob (14 April 2011). "Gloucestershire FA release statement with Almondsbury Town set to withdraw from Southern League". Gazette. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
6. "Gloucestershire FA Handbook – Season 2010/11" (PDF). Gloucestershire FA. (PDF) from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
7. "Gloucestershire County Football Association – GFA Cup Competition Winners" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
8. "Gloucestershire County Football Association – GFA Cup Competition Winners" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
9. Gloucestershire Football Association. "Gloucestershire County Football Association Cups". from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
10. "Gloucestershire County Football Association – GFA Cup Competition Winners" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
11. "Gloucestershire FA – About Us – Contacts". Gloucestershire County Football Association. from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2009.

External links

• Gloucestershire FA's official site
• 5aside football's official site