THE LOFTY HEIGHTS OF BUSHMEN!
THAT fabled ‘Mush from Shepherd’s Bush’ might well be fascinated to learn of The Bushmen’s imminent reappearance in senior Non-League football. Let me explain. Amongst all the clubs applying to join our National League System for next season at Step 6, the one name that really stands out for me is Shepherd’s Bush FC.
This historic outfit resurfaced three years ago and wear the same red and white striped shirts as their forefathers who were founded in 1880. Significantly, it was the initial team based at Loftus Road – the current home of Queens Park Rangers. Affectionately nicknamed ‘The Bushmen’, they graced the Southern, Spartan and Isthmian Leagues.
The inaugural match hosted at Loftus Road was on Saturday, October 22 ,1904. It finished in a 2-2 draw between Shepherd’s Bush and Old Malvernians.
The evocative West London Observer newspaper report described some raucous crowd scenes: “The Bush partisans are not made of that wishy-washy material, and turned up in strong force to give their pets a send off.”
Shepherd’s Bush continued operating until World War I when the club found themselves short of players and sadly disbanded after six seasons of Isthmian League membership. They had also competed in the FA Cup and FA Amateur Cup. QPR subsequently took over Loftus Road in 1917.
Fast forward more than 100 years and I went to watch Shepherd’s Bush play Feltham in the Cherry Red Books Middlesex County League Premier Division last month. I was enthralled to see the red and white stripes win 2-1.
I then spoke to Shepherd’s Bush chairman/manager/player Aaron Morgan to find out more about why the club was relaunched in 2021.
“We wanted to do something which resonated within our local community,” said Morgan. “Therefore we researched if there were any teams named Shepherd’s Bush and we saw details of the original club so we decided to reform it.
“We’ve had several people come down to attend our games who’ve been attracted by the history of the early Shepherd’s Bush team. Other interested parties have been getting in touch via email. To improve our knowledge, we would love to hear from any grandchildren or maybe great-grandchildren of the past players and supporters.”
Shepherd’s Bush have made rapid strides during the last three seasons. The Bushmen immediately clinched promotion in the Middlesex League Division One South/West Division at the first attempt and are now knocking on the door of Step 6 whilst groundsharing at Harefield United.
Morgan explained: “We are in a decent position to win the Middlesex League this year and hopefully we will see it through. Step 6 participation would be fantastic for everyone involved here.
“The guys at Harefield have been very good with us. They’ve provided a great chance to move our club to the next tier.
“Ultimately we will be able to climb as high as the support our community allows. Many local businesses are helping to push us in the right direction. Our backing will grow if we keep winning football matches.
“An aim could be to regain the Isthmian League status held before the First World War. Yet I wouldn’t say it is our primary target. The first task for us is to progress into the National League System and establish ourselves. We want to enter the FA Vase and battle through to the final before we look to go beyond Step 5.”
Despite the promising footballing fortunes at Shepherd’s Bush, Morgan is determined not to stand still and shared exciting aspirations for the future.
“We need to increase our outreach. We already possess two reserve sides for under-23’s and under-18’s plus youth teams covering under-12’s and under-13’s. And we’ve been actively involved in projects concerning vulnerable youths in our area.
“Even so, it is proving extremely difficult to acquire a ground of our own in Shepherd’s Bush at the moment. It is a case of building up the necessary contacts. But we have a few volunteers coming on board who hold knowledge of how local councils work.
“We will definitely get there in the end. However right now, it is hard to even secure training facilities.
“Although it may seem crazy, the dream is to return to playing at Loftus Road on a regular basis. That would bring Shepherd’s Bush to where we can triumph on the higher stages. I believe it is a possibility. We enjoy excellent ties with QPR and we know people who work in important roles there.
“Once Shepherd’s Bush reach a level worthy of the discussion, I think a groundshare at our former home of Loftus Road could surely be attainable.”