Alternative History - Bristol City

In 1894, Bristol South End formed, but lasted only three years before taking on the name of the city and jumping in with Bedminster in 1901. A year later they joined the League in the Second Division, playing at St. Johns Lane for three years then moving into Bedminster's old ground - Ashton Gate. The ground was so named as it was situated at the entrance to the old Ashton estate, a rambling swathe of Gloucestershire owned by the football mad Lord Ashton of Southville. Although he could no longer play football after a particularly nasty injury, when he received a hefty kick in the groin, he regularly threw open the gates to all the locals to play on his two acres.

City's first success came in 1906 by taking the Second Division championship and this was quickly followed by finishing second in the First the next season. The club also reached the FA Cup final in 1909, but lost to Manchester United. Bristol City then fell down the leagues and despite winning the Division 3 (South) title three times, they had to wait nearly fifty years for a return to the First Division in 1975. They remained there for only three seasons, before plummeting to the Fourth Division in the next three seasons. By 1982, the club escaped going out of business by minutes, when a consortium baled them out to form Bristol City (1982).

Although the club has been at the wrong end of the League for a while, they did enjoy a spell in the old 2nd and new 1st Divisions between 1991 and 1995, finally returning to the First in 1997-8 after finishing runners-up to Watford. Other honours the club have achieved are the Welsh Cup (crossing the border to do a spot of "ram raiding") in 1934 and the Freight Rover Trophy in 1986.
The battle to be top dog in Bristol is quite fierce and has spilled over into crowd violence, but City have generally had the upper hand. Nicknamed "The Robins" they have bobbed up and down the divisions, but usually always above their neighbours. The club's name is Cockney rhyming slang and this caused a rash of female exhibitionists at their ground during the mid-80's. There was certainly some bobbing up and down then.

A series of good Cup results has epitomised City's history for a number of years - reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup in 1971, when they lost to Spurs, through to the win at Anfield in 1994.

Bristol City has become quite a cosmopolitan club over the last few years, signing players from Australia, Wales, Sweden, Barbados and Bermuda. They even signed Gary Owers from Sunderland.

A quick turn over of managers - five in three years - has left the Robins unsettled and despite flirting with promotion to the top flight under Gary Johnson, the club underwent another period of instability, with managers coming and going, as City flirted with relegation on more than one occasion.

FAMOUS PLAYERS : - John Atyeo, Billy Wedlock, Gary Marriage, Joe Jordan, Brian Tinnion, Don Clark.

FAMOUS FANS : - Scott Davidson (Chairman - ex keyboard player with Bros and Pet Shop Boys), Tony Robinson (Actor - "Baldrick" in "Blackadder"), Elliot Kidner (Live TV's News Bunny), Jeffrey Archer (MP) and Jonathan Pearce (Sports commentator - Capital Radio and Channel 5), Marcus Trescothick (Cricketer - Somerset and England)

Formed	1894
Turned Professional	1897
Became a Limited Company	1897
Previous names	Bristol South End 1894-1897
Previous grounds	St. John's Lane 1894-1904
Nickname	"The ROBINS"
Club Colours	HOME : Shirts - Red Shorts - Red Socks - White AWAY : All White
Record Football League Win	9-0 v Aldershot Div 3 (S) 28.12.1946
Record Football League Defeat	0-9 v Coventry City Div 3 (S) 28.4.1934
Record Cup Win	11-0 v Chichester FAC R1 5.11.1960
Record Fee Paid	£1.2 million to Gillingham for Ade AKINBIYI (July 1998)
Record Fee Received	£3 million from Wolverhampton Wanderers for Ade AKINBIYI (September 1999)
Record Football League Appearances	597 - John ATYEO (1951-66)
Record goalscorer in a season	36 - Don CLARK (Division 3 (S) 1946-47)
Record all-time goalscorer	314 - John ATYEO (1951-66)
Most goals in a match	6 - Tommy "Tot WALSH v Gillingham Division 3 (South) 15.1.1927
Record Attendance (all-time)	43,335 v Preston North End FAC R5 16.1.1933
Record match receipts	£251,612 v Everton FAC R4 23.1.1999
Record total of goals in a League season	104 Division 3(S), 1926-27
Record League points total	3 points for a win : 91 Division 3 1989-90 2 points for a win : 70 Division 3 (South) 1954-55
Most Capped player while at club	Billy WEDLOCK - 26 (England)

Telephone : 0117 963 0630
(Box Office)
0117 963 0637 (Club shop)
09068 121 176 (News)
Fax : 0117 963 0700

Capacity : 12,479
Away Allocation : 2,000 - 6,000
Pitch size : 115 yards x 75 yards