Awbridge F.C.
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Awbridge FC was a village football team based near Romsey in Hampshire which had played in the county league since 1968.
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[edit] Club history
It is thought that the club, well known for their red and black playing strip, was founded by regulars at the Bush Inn, Newtown in around 1904 as Awbridge Albion and spent their early days playing friendly matches before entering various local village leagues. The 20s saw the club move to their Village Hall Field ground and begin playing in the Salisbury League where they enjoyed great success. In 1925 Awbridge began their long association with the Southampton Saturday Football League where they proceeded to climb up through the Junior ranks.
The Post-war era saw Awbridge enjoy countless successes as they climbed up into the Senior section. The 60s saw the club continue to thrive as they twice won the Southampton Premier Division, Southampton Senior Cup and Hampshire Intermediate Cup in what was undoubtably the club's golden age.
These successes led to the club deservedly gaining Hampshire League status in 1968. Here the 'Bridge initially did well as they immediately won the Division 3 West title at the first attempt. However, they promptly found life in Division 2 tough and were relegated in 1972 and within another two years had dropped into Division 4 where they struggled somewhat throughout the remainder of the decade.
The 80s saw an upturn in fortunes for Awbridge. In 1980 they won promotion to Division 3 and in August that year opened their new pavilion with a prestigious match against an AFC Bournemouth XI. Apart from one bad season in 1982 the remainder of the decade saw the club enjoy numerous good cup runs (including reaching another two finals) and an upturn in league fortunes as they won promotion back to Division 2 in 1985. Another solid campaign the following season was then enough to earn a place in the new-look Division 1 following the departure of the league's top and most ambitious clubs that had left en-bloc to form the Wessex League.
On limited resources, Awbridge did remarkably well to survive at this level. However, the early 90s saw the club struggling on and off the pitch. Eventually, in 1993 this resulted in relegation and by 1995 Awbridge were back in Division 3 but here they re-grouped and soon started pushing for promotion.
[edit] Demise and new beginning
Sadly in 2002 the club was forced to vacate their traditional Village Hall Field home after 75 years due to a number of reasons. In order to continue they joined forces with friendly local rivals Michelmersh & Timsbury of the Southampton Saturday Football League who were also experiencing problems. The side become absorbed into the M&T Sports Club and played under the banner of M&T Awbridge, making Mannyngham Way in Timsbury their new home ground with its excellent facilities.
The team continued to operate in the basement division until 2004 when the Hampshire League was controversially absorbed into the expanding Wessex League. M&T Awbridge were one of a clutch of clubs who could never meet the higher requirements, so rather than return to local football they became founder members of the Hampshire League 2004 where they have maintained a steady position ever since.
However, problems regarding their ground returned to haunt the club as they were forced to spend the 2005/06 season in exile before returning to Timsbury in the Summer of 2006. The move back saw the club become simply known as Michelmersh & Timsbury. Although the Awbridge name is no more the club lives on under a new identity and is currently thriving as it also runs three sides in the Southampton Saturday Football League (including a Veterans XI) and is now also benefiting from its links with the Youth section.
The clubs old home ground at the Village Hall Field remains in use with the pavilion being refurbished by a religious group and the two pitches being used by a local youth team.
[edit] Major honours
Hampshire League Division 3 West Champions 1968/69
Hampshire League Division 3 Runners-up 1984/85
Hampshire League Division 4 Runners-up 1979/80
Southampton League Premier Division Champions 1965/66 and 1966/67. Runners-up 1964/65 and 1967/68
Southampton League Senior Division 2 Runners-up 1954/55 and 1958/59
Southampton League Junior Division 1 Champions 1952/53
Southampton League Junior Division 3 Champions 1931/32
Southampton League Romsey Division Champions 1929/30 and 1930/31
Salisbury & District League Champions 1925/26, 1926/27 and 1929/30
Hampshire Intermediate Cup Winners 1965/66. Finalists 1966/67 and 1988/89
Southampton Senior Cup Winners 1962/63 and 1963/64. Finalists 1984/85
Southampton Junior 'A' Cup Finalists 1932/33
Andover Open Cup Finalists 2005/06
Norman Court Cup Winners 1925/26, 1926/27, 1927/28 and 1932/33
New Forest Sunday League Division 2 Champions 1965/66
[edit] Notable former players
No real superstars played for the club although in 1981 the club were managed by Tommy Harmer, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea player.
[edit] External links
Current Club Website: (http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/michelmershtimsbury/)
Picture Gallery: (http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/michelmershtimsbury/1stteam/photo_gallery.pl)
Recent League History: (http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/AWBRIDGE.HTM)
Recent League History: (http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/MT-AWBRI.HTM)
