Bishop's Waltham Town F.C.

Bishop's Waltham Town F.C.
Full nameBishop's Waltham Town Football Club
Founded1901
Dissolved2013
GroundPriory Park or Hoe Lane, Bishop's Waltham

Bishop's Waltham Town F.C. were an amateur football club based in Bishop's Waltham,[1] Hampshire, which ran for over a hundred years.

History

Bishop's Waltham Town F.C. were originally established in 1901 and initially played friendly matches. [2]

In 1920 they became founder members of the Meon Valley League before progressing to the Southampton League, where they held membership for many years.[3]

In 1983/84 they won promotion to the Premier Division for the first time, and two years later they won the title for what was their first serious piece of silverware.[4] The club were then elected to the Hampshire League Division 2, where they finished 3rd to win promotion to Division 1.[5] Bishop's Waltham then enjoyed success in 1992 when they beat Whitchurch United 3–1 to win the inaugural League Cup, and in 1993 when they were league runners-up to Pirelli General.[6] Fortunes declined after this, and by 1997 they were in Division 3 - but in 1999 the league was re-structured with the top-flight being renamed as the Premier Division (for clubs with fixed barriers and floodlights) and after making these requirements at Priory Park, Bishop's Waltham were included.

In 2004 the original Hampshire League was absorbed by the expanded Wessex League,[7] with the new set-up having three divisions. Bishop's Waltham were placed in the middle tier, but in 2006 they were relegated. They continued to struggle, and had to pull out midway through the following season.

The club regrouped and when the Wessex League was reduced to two divisions in 2007, the new Hampshire Premier League was subsequently formed[8] with Bishop's Waltham Town becoming founder members, along with Sporting BTC.[9] After both teams finished midtable, they then joined forces and become known as Sporting Bishop's Waltham.[10]

The club continued on in a midtable position but despite the merger, they found success hard to come by. In bid to attract more local support they changed their name back to Bishop's Waltham Town for the 2013/14 season,[11] but after a difficult start and loss of key personnel, they withdrew from the league and folded.[12]

Honours

1st Team

  • Hampshire League
    • League Cup Winners 1991/92
    • Division 1 Runners-up 1992/93
  • Southampton League [13]
    • Premier Division Champions 1985/86
  • Meon Valley League
    • Division 1 Champions 1921/22 and 1922/23
    • Pink Cup Winners 1921/22, 1922/23 and 1923/24

2nd Team

  • Southampton League
    • Senior Division 2 Champions 1989/90
  • Southampton FA [14]
    • Junior 'A' Cup Winners 1987/88
    • Junior 'B' Cup Winners 1976/77 and 2006/07

League career

Ground

Bishops Waltham Town F.C. frequently alternated between Priory Park, Elizabeth Way, Bishops Waltham, SO32 1SQ[15] and Hoe Lane Recreation Ground, Bishop's Waltham, SO32 1DU for their home games. Both venues had two pitches, one each with a fixed barrier, large changing rooms and ample parking for spectators.[16]

Notable Players

Former Burnley, Southampton and Huddersfield Town midfielder Brian O'Neil [17] played for Bishops Waltham during the eighties.[18]

Local rivalries

Bishop's Waltham Town enjoyed a healthy local rivalry with a number of neighbouring clubs from within the Meon Valley area. These mainly included Durley, Upham and Swanmore.

Successor club

Fortunately, it was not the end of football in the town. In 2012 long running youth club Bishop's Waltham Dynamoes formed a senior side, which has since risen to prominence.

After climbing the Southampton League, they won the Premier Division title in 2023 and made a successful application to join the Hampshire Premier League. In order to play in the competition's top-flight, they have to play in exile over at Romsey, using an all-weather pitch at Mountbatten School which has the required facilities.[19] Despite this, they have performed well, winning the League Cup in 2024.[20].

The club, who run many teams at various age groups, are affiliated to the Hampshire Football Association and have been awarded charter status.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Our Town - Bishops Waltham Parish Council". www.bishopswaltham-pc.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  2. ^ Association Football in Hampshire until 1914 by Norman Gannaway
  3. ^ A Century of Southampton Local Soccer 1908-2008 by John Moody
  4. ^ Hampshire Football Association Centenary History 1887-1987 by Norman Gannaway
  5. ^ A Tabulated History of the Hampshire League by Stephen Farmery
  6. ^ A History of the Hampshire League 1896-1996 by Norman Gannaway
  7. ^ https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5592690.hants-league-accept-wessex-expansion-plans-as-inevitable/
  8. ^ https://www.hpfl.co.uk/history
  9. ^ "Football Club History Database – Sporting B T C". Fchd.info. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  10. ^ "Football Club History Database - Sporting Bishops Waltham". www.fchd.info. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  11. ^ Hampshire Football Association Yearbook 2013/14
  12. ^ https://www.fchd.info/lghist/hampp2014.htm
  13. ^ Southampton Football League Handbook & Directory 2018/19
  14. ^ Southampton Divisional Football Association Handbook 2017/18
  15. ^ https://www.footballgroundmap.com/ground/priory-park/bishops-waltham-dynamos
  16. ^ "Recreation Grounds". Bishops Waltham Parish Council. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  17. ^ stats tab https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/brian-oneil/
  18. ^ In That Number A post war chronicle of Southampton F.C. by Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk p559
  19. ^ https://www.hpfl.co.uk/senior-division-clubs
  20. ^ https://www.hpfl.co.uk/league-cup-winners
  21. ^ https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/sport/23801118.bishops-waltham-dynamos-get-brand-new-kit/
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