Club History
A Brief History of the Bridgers 1 of 4

1. Club History


Wadebridge Town Football Club was founded in 1894 and during the early years played four or five games a season. The big match of each campaign was against the Devon and Cornwall Light Infantry stationed in Bodmin. Mr Rea, a local Barclays Bank official, was the first secretary of the club and served for many years until moving to another part of the country with the bank.

The club first played football in the Trevanion area of the town and later moved a pitch at Whiterock. They moved to their current home Bodieve Park in the 1920’s and won the Cornwall Charity Cup for the first time during the 1926/27 season. During the Second World War, with most of the players away on war service, a team known as Wadebridge United played friendlies against local teams.

They played their games on Egloshayle playing field because Bodieve Park was being used to grow corn and wheat and the grandstand was being used as a barn during the war years. The club bought Bodieve Park in 1949, when big crowds were attending Cornwall Senior League matches, and they joined the South Western League in 1953, a year after it was formed.

The club has had its share of success over the years, but one title that has eluded them is the South Western League Championship, although they came close in 1968/69, 78/79 and 79/80 when they finished runners up. They won the Cornwall Senior Cup in 1979/80, and have won the Cornwall Charity Cup on eight occasions in 1926/27, 33/34, 51/52, 63/64, 72/73, 75/76, 81/82 and 84/85.

Wadebridge were also founder members of the East Cornwall Premier League in 1960. In season 1980/81 the Reserve side won the League Championship and also did the double by winning the League Cup as well. Wadebridge have also lifted the Supplementary Cup two seasons in a row, 1978/79 and 1979/80.

Wadebridge have always had successful minor teams and today run youth teams from under 8s to under 16s, and also an under 12s girls team. They have a successful Mini Soccer School as well for boys and girls 5 to 11 years old. Soccer Tots for Boys and Girls aged 4 to 6 years gives them their first real taste of football.

Wadebridge also have a 3rd team who play Junior football in the Duchy League Division Four. Over the last five years Bodieve Park has been transformed into a fantastic stadium with a level playing surface and the superb Ron Williams Stand behind the goal, giving spectators excellent viewing of the game.