Stapleton target Premier Combination status as part of 70th anniversary celebrations
STAPLETON believe they are in perfect shape to start hitting the heights when local football returns in early December.
The Begbrook Green Park outfit were in imperious form when the grassroots game came to a standstill at the start of the month, as Covid-19 dug its claws into the sport for a second time this year.
Mark Linton’s men signed off with a 6-0 late-October home romp against Fry Club A to make it five wins and a draw from six undefeated outings, to pitch up second in the Bristol and District Senior Division standings behind only Highridge United Reserves.
Stapleton celebrate their 70th anniversary next year and Linton and his trusty assistant Rob Selman want to see their team performing on the higher Bristol Premier Combination stage once more to mark the passing of seven rollercoaster decades.
Stapleton’s history began in 1952 as a Bristol and Suburban League operator plying their trade at Oldbury Court in Fishponds.
“According to our long-serving clubman Pat Bessel there were no changing rooms available back then,” said Selman. “So the team used a local café called Braddy’s Café which was owned by Mrs J Bradford, the mother of Bristol Rovers legend Geoff Bradford.
“Local business was involved in forming committee members, including Mr and Mrs Purnell of the Masons Arms Pub; local baker Rodger Hartley; Mr Short, a local off-licence owner, and our vice president Arthur Faithfull. The first manager here was a guy called Frank Hoare.
“The early years were pretty successful as Stapleton were crowned Suburban Junior champions in 1954-55 and further success followed as they won three league titles from 1959 through to 1962, as well as finishing runners-up in 1962-63 to gain promotion to Bristol Premier Combination Division One, which they won the next year.
“Some of the players of this era were John Faithfull, Alan Walters, Mike Geebwin, Terry Upton, Brian Curtis, Mel Hoare, Alan Pinker, Eric Gay, Colin Herbert, Don McArthur, Tony Moulding and Gordon Bisp.”
Fast forward to 1978-79 when Stapleton were starting to become successful again, as their secondplaced status in Premier Combination Division Two, followed by a runners-up conclusion to their Division One mission the following season, exemplified.
Selman said: “During this period a lot of work went on behind the scenes to secure a piece of land at Frenchay Park Road to build our
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Stapleton AFC is more than just a football club; it’s a family affair and we have all been fortunate to be a part of it
own clubhouse with facilities fit for higher-level football.
“That hard work eventually paid off and a dream was realised as the facilities were officially opened in July 1984 when Stapleton played against a very strong Bristol Rovers team, who were kind enough to come down to play us in a friendly but not so kind in beating us 10-1!
“Without the likes of Bill Habberfield, Brian Powell, Barry Powell, Steve Catley, Trevor Lewis, Phil Rodgers, Nick Barnett and many more, the clubhouse and ground simply would not have happened.
“Bill was previously first-team manager and later became club chairman. He is still highly thought of within the club.
“Before long Stapleton were promoted to the Gloucestershire County League for the first time in our history in 1989-90 and remained there for eight seasons.”
Life wasn’t always plain sailing either, as a downturn around the turn of the millennium highlighted.
The Stapleton No 2 said: “Season 1999-2000 began a new chapter in the history of Stapleton AFC. The club was struggling financially due to the costs of the clubhouse extension and levelling of the pitch and it seemed the right decision to amalgamate with DRG as they were soon to become homeless
“The coming years proved difficult as the relationship between the two clubs became very strained and after an unsuccessful attempt by Stapleton to regain control of the club in 2009, DRG Stapleton decided to drop the Stapleton name and become DRG Frenchay for the season 2012-13. This triggered a reaction from some ex -Stapleton Juniors players who asked me and Ian Thorne to reform Stapleton AFC.
“We took up the challenge and having missed the cut-off date to enter a team into the District and Suburban leagues, we asked the Bristol and Avon League if they could take us at that late stage.
“They welcomed us in to compete in their Premier Division, a gesture we very grateful for.”
Selman continued: “We managed to acquire a pitch at Begbrook Green Park in the heart of Stapleton. We enjoyed a perfect first season with a young batch of lads, many of whom had played their early football with Stapleton Juniors.
“The team won every game while we also had the privilege of playing in the Temple Colston Cup at Yate Town FC against De Veys Reserves, which we won 1-0.
“The following season we competed in Division Three of the District League and also started a reserve team competing in Divi
sion Six. Both sides were champions that season, with our ressies also winning a GFA cup, and went on to move up through the divisions while winning more titles and cup finals.”
Stapleton weren’t prepared to sit back and savour that string of successes, as Selman noted: “It was always our aim to get the first team back to the Bristol Premier Combination top flight and this was achieved when we were promoted there in 2017-18 after finishing runners-up to a strong Seymour United team in Division One.
“We came a very respectable sixth in that first season in the Premier Division but unfortunately, due to some players retiring, longterm injuries and a few lads moving on, it was decided that we would have to fold our reserve section due to dwindling numbers and, dare I say it, an ageing team.
“That led to another big decision taken to drop out of the Bristol Premier Combination altogether and regroup in Bristol and District League for the 2019-20 season with a blend of remaining first and reserve-team players.
“We had won ten games from ten up until early March when Covid struck the league, which decided to end the season and start afresh by promoting most teams from Division One up to the Senior Division where we have made that great unbeaten start.
“In fact, over the last eight seasons our firsts have won six league titles and two cup finals, while our ressies have won one league title and a cup final to make for a very successful period in the club’s history.”
Selman added: “We’ll have been going for 70 years in 2022 and I am proud to be part of the history of the club.
“Hopefully I’ll be here for a few more years yet to enjoy the 75th anniversary milestone.
“Stapleton AFC is more than just a football club; it’s a family affair and we have all been fortunate to be a part of it.
“My own best memory, apart from all the trophies we have won, was playing for our ressies with my three sons in the last game of the 2017-18 season at Boco A. What a moment that was!
“From a club perspective we couldn’t have achieved what we have done without the backing of sponsors like SM Gauge, Imperial Developments, SW Scaffolding and Mark 2 Joinery Ltd.”
Meanwhile, sad news emerged early this week of the death of Stapleton’s dedicated chairman Brian Powell to the devastating Covid-19 disease.
“Brian was instrumental in securing the land to build our clubhouse in the 1980s, having been involved with Stapleton for over 50 years,” said Selman, who wished to thank Pat Bessel for providing “so much information” for this story about the club’s early years.
“We are due to play a GFA Intermediate Cup final from last season on December 9 and it would be great to win that and dedicate it to Brian. It goes without saying everyone’s thoughts are with his family at this very sad time.”