Backwell United F.C.
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Backwell United F.C. are a football club based in Somerset, England and was established in 1911. The Club played in various local leagues, although activities were suspended during both World Wars.
They moved to their current home in 1947, on land given by local benefactor Theodore Robinson for the purpose of playing football, 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. Nonetheless, the Club predates all but three of the many dwellings adjacent to the ground.
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 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 the Third Division 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 League.
The 1983-84 season saw the First team elected to the Western Football League, 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 authorities 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. Considerable improvements have been made, season by season, to the Club's facilities, for the benefit of Club members, visitors and neighbours alike.
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 has resulted in a last-place finish and thus the club was relegated to Division One.
'''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 Transfomer Cup Winners; 1982-83 Somerset Senior League Champions, League Knock Out Cup Winners, Promotion to Division 1, Western (Great Mills) Football League; 1988-89 Great Mills Western League, Division 1 Runners Up 1994-95 Promotion to Great Mills 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 Promotion to 3rd Division, Somerset Senior League'''
The current season, 2006 - 2007, sees them relegated to the First Division of the Western League under new manager Andy Mathius, who played for the Club in the 1980s.
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