Bristol football mourns loss of Lebeq legend Clifford

TRIBUTES have been paid to the founder of local Bristol side Lebeq United.

Clifford Goulbourn passed away last month, aged 51, and many players around the city and surrounding areas will remember someone who loved the game and was everything from manager to kit man with the Easton-based club.

Based at Oaklands Park, Almondsbury, Lebeq United were formed in 2008 and entered the Bristol and Suburban League Division Five that season.

In 2008-09 they were promoted to Division Three and were named champions in 2009-10, before winning Division Two in 2011-12 and Division One in 2015-16, being promoted to the Gloucestershire County League.

A run of success and climbing of the football pyramid continued as the team became runners-up in 2017-18 before being promoted to the Toolstation Western League

First Division, with Clifford a major part of the success.

“He was a massive part of the Lebeq football team for the last 25 years,” explained Dominic Holver, one of Clifford’s best friends and a former work colleague and player of his. He started and founded the first Saturday team, which went on to go where it is now, a high standard of football. “Clifford was anything from one day being the linesman, to one day the water man to kitman to whatever. He was what we like to call a Lebeq legend.

“He was one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.” Clifford, pictured, was a big part of the hugley successful Sunday teams, too, and his brother-in-laws were involved with setting up the club in the first place, while Clifford’s daughter played for the ladies side. He passed away a few weeks ago after kidney problems and surgery, with his funeral later this month (23rd), when he would have been 52.

Holver added: “He loved it (football). There are many stories about Clifford at Lebeq. He maybe at times wasn’t the best manager but what he did was get a group of players together and the team managed itself.

“They won leagues and cups. He was a massive part of Lebeq and also grassroots football.

“There are a lot of teams across Bristol who have asked about him and would have known him. Everyone across the scene in Bristol knew Clifford.”

As a coach, Clifford worked across all the age ranges and was renowned for giving any player a chance ‘from young to old.’

He was a Manchester United fan and followed Bristol Rovers closer to home, getting involved with supporting the Gas when they were at Eastville.

“He just wanted everyone to play football and any team he could get going, Cliff did it, and any tournament he could get us in, he did it,” said Holver, who played at Lebeq for more than 20 years himself.

“He was a really good friend and we didn’t expect him to go so soon.”