Colts celebration Club to mark 50th birthday with a big party
BISHOP’S Cleeve Colts are marking their 50th anniversary with an evening of celebrations at Kayte Lane on Saturday, October 1 from 5pm.
The senior team’s manager Paul Collicutt was part of the first ever Cleeve Colts team in 1971.
The team had started as Hester’s Way Junior Colts, but after a meeting and vote held in Cleeve School’s sixth form room, the name and home base were changed to the village.
Half a century on, there are around 450 youngsters on the books and among those to have progressed through the ranks are Tim Bayliffe, Clive Rawlings, Andy Tucker, Steve Cleal and current first team players Lewis Clayton and Jack Watts.
Everyone is welcome and anyone attending the event will be offered a commemorative programme, costing £3, which includes a photographic journey through history along with interviews from past managers, chairmen and volunteers from 1971 to the present day.
There will be a junior players’ football showcase from 5.30-6.30pm, where teams from the Under-nines, 10s and 11s and players from the newly-formed girls’ teams will play some mini matches, demonstrating the fun and learning offered.
A Hall of Fame presentation will start at 6.30pm, which will provide a chance to walk down memory lane and honour the great Len Taylor, who founded the club, as well as late former players’ legacies.
There will be bouncy castles, a sweet stall, face painting, a raffle, ice cream van and food served by the Mitres Grill, with the Mitres Well bar also open.
A live band will start from just after 7pm until 9pm, with a disco to round off the evening.
One of the organisers, Jo Burdock, said: “This event will close our 50th anniversary year by sharing with all the community what this club has achieved.
“It will also showcase what a great platform it is in giving young children the chance to enjoy and learn to play football with qualified coaches and hardworking volunteers alongside committee members.
“They all work so hard and have over the years to keep this great club going and get it to the successful grassroots club it is today.”