Brockworth AFC

Brockworth AFC was formed in 1958 by Tommy Jacks (a straight talking Liverpudlian), Les Shimmell and Jock Fearnly and entered the Cheltenham and District League Division Seven. The club finished their first season as runners-up to Blockley and when the league was reduced to six divisions the following season they were promoted to Division Five, the 1959-60 season saw Brockworth promoted again as runners-up in their division behind Blockley.

The clubs third season was very successful and brought the ‘treble’ as they won the Cheltenham League Division Four Championship, the Cheltenham Charities Junior Cup and the GFA Intermediate Cup (North) beating Blockley 3-0 at Leckhampton Sports Ground with a hat trick from Vic Thomas (a founder member of the club and a larger than life character who has been instrumental in the clubs success, firstly as a player and then as an official attracting members to the club and helping to improve the clubs status). This remained the only County Cup the club had won until 1994-95 when they won the GFA Senior Amateur Cup (North).

This success of 1960-61 led to the introduction of a reserves side which was entered into the Cheltenham League Division Six in 1961-62, whilst the first team were promoted to Division Three. The next season was again very successful with the first team winning Division Three and the reserves promoted as runners-up but this was the end of the promotions for seven seasons. During this period they reached the final of the Cheltenham Senior Charity Cup, losing 4-0 to Bishops Cleeve and the GFA Junior County Cup (North) Final where the lost 3-2 to Ruspidge Welfare at Newent in 1964-65.
The 1968-69 season saw the Reserves win the Cheltenham Minor Charity Cup and end the promotion famine as runners-up in Division Five.

The first team finally won the Cheltenham League Division Two title in 1970-71 and entered Division One which they won in both 1972-73 and 1973-74. Success at this time was largely due to skilful players like Keith Limbrick and Eric Rimmer coupled with the goals of Vic Thomas and defensive qualities of Tony Fuller (all players who could have played at a much higher level). On both occasions the club were unsuccessful in their attempts to gain election to the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League.

A third team was introduced in 1975-76 and promptly won Division Six but was run for only four years when a lack of players caused it to disband.

When Brockworth won the Cheltenham Senior Charity Cup in 1977-78, beating Brockworth United 5-2 at Whaddon Road with a hat trick from Mike Burford and further goals from Tony Fuller and Steve Northover, they became the only club to have won all six Divisions and all three Charity Cups that were up for contention in the Cheltenham League.

At this time the club experienced the retirement of Tommy Jacks the Club Secretary, a position he had held for the first 21 years of the clubs existence.

With the clubs efforts to join the Senior League proving fruitless many players left the club and in 1980-81 the first team tasted relegation for the first and only time in their history. Division Two football lasted only two seasons before they returned to the top flight. The resurgence in the clubs fortunes brought the Cheltenham Junior Charity Cup in 1981-82 and the Senior Charity Cup in 1987-88.

In 1992 the club merged with the local Rugby Club and when the Division One title was won again they were able to take advantage of the ‘Pyramid System’ and joined the Northern Senior League at last. Since then the club has won the Second Division Championship, the Forest Green Supporters Cup twice, The Northern Senior League Division One runners-up once and the Division One title all in a three year stay in the league. They also won their Second County Cup title beating Dursley Town 4-2 at Meadow Park in the GFA Senior Amateur Cup final in 1994-95, this was the clubs fourth Senior Amateur final having lost 1-0 to Hatherley Rangers whilst members of the Cheltenham League before switching to the Stroud & District League.

Brockworth first XI entered the Gloucestershire County League in 1995 after lifting the Northern Senior League title and finished fourth in their first season. The next season, 1996-97 saw Brockworth reach the semi-final of the GFA Challenge Trophy before losing 3-2 to Mangotsfield United at Shortwood Football Club, Nailsworth. In the County League they finished in seventh position that season. In the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons they finished in 15th position. 1999-2000 saw them struggle against relegation and Brockworth finished in 16th place, one position from automatic relegation back to the Northern Senior League. The club also had to survive a notice of expulsion from the County League with an appeal to the GFA. On a more positive note, Brockworth were awarded first place in the County League Programme section organised by the ‘Wirral Programme Club’ in 1997. Unfortunately after a finish of 6th place in the 2000-2001 season an administration blunder by the GFA's General Secretary enabled the County League Management Committee to succeed in expelling Brockworth from the competition due to the club “not having control of their pitch and facilities on match days”, a problem caused by sharing a ground with the local Rugby Club.

Brockworth Albion Football Club