Cirencester Town F.C.

Cirencester Town Football Club is a football club based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England. Affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA, the club are currently members of the Southern League Division One South and play at the Corinium Stadium.

Cirencester Town
Full nameCirencester Town Football Club
Nickname(s)The Centurions
Founded1889
GroundCorinium Stadium, Cirencester
Capacity4,500 (550 seated)[1]
ChairmanSteve Abbley
ManagerJohn Brough
LeagueSouthern League Division One South
2019–20Southern League Division One South (season abandoned)

History
See also: List of Cirencester Town F.C. seasons

The club was established in October 1889. They played in the Cheltenham League, winning the Division One title in 1927–28 and again in 1929–30.[2] They joined the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League in 1935, but left after two season.[3] Returning to the Cheltenham League, they were Division One champions again in 1948–49, before winning back-to-back titles in 1954–55 and 1955–56.[2] In 1957 they rejoined the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League, but left again after finishing second-from-bottom in 1960–61.[4] However, they returned for the 1962–63 season.[4] They left the league again at the end of the 1963–64 season, but returned in 1965 and were runners-up in 1965–66, before going on to win back-to-back titles in 1966–67 and 1967–68.[4]

In 1968 Cirencester were founder members of the Gloucestershire County League, but after a single season in the new league they moved up to the Premier Division of the Hellenic League.[5] They were relegated to Division One at the end of the 1971–72 season, but were promoted back to the Premier Division after winning Division One in 1973–74.[5] The club returned to Division One after finishing bottom of the Premier Division in the 1977–78 season.[5]

The 1990–91 season saw the club finish as Division One runners-up, earning promotion to the Premier Division. They were Premier Division runners-up the following season, and won the league in 1995–96, earning promotion to Division One South of the Southern League.[5] The season also saw them win the Gloucestershire Senior Cup, beating Endsleigh 2–1 in the final.[6] The division was renamed Division One West in 1999, and after finishing third in 2003–04, the club were promoted to the Premier Division.[5]

The next few years saw Cirencester becoming a yo-yo club as they were relegated in 2007–08 and then promoted in 2009–10 after finishing fifth and winning the promotion play-offs, beating AFC Totton 3–2 in the semi-final and Bridgwater Town 4–3 in the final.[7] They were relegated again at the end of the 2011–12 season after finishing bottom of the Premier Division, but returned to the division after winning Division One South & West in 2013–14.[5] They won the Gloucestershire Senior Cup again in 2014–15, beating Shortwood United 2–0 in the final.[8]

Reserves

In the 2009–10 season the club's reserve team joined the Reserve Division Two West of the Hellenic League the Hellenic League reserves divisions made up mainly of youth players as practice for the first team squad. In their debut season, the reserves won the division. In 2011 the team moved out of the reserves into Division One West.[9] However, they withdrew at the end of the season and were replaced with a development team in Division Two West. In 2013–14 the team won Division Two West, and were promoted to Division One West.[10]

Ground

The club has played at the Corinium Stadium since moving from the Smithfield ground in 2002.[11] The ground has also been used by Gloucester City (2008–2010) and Wootton Bassett Town. It has a capacity of 4,500, of which 550 is seated and 1,250 covered.[1]

Honours
  • Southern League
    • Division One South & West champions 2013–14
  • Hellenic League
    • Premier Division champions 1995–96
    • Division One champions 1973–74
  • Gloucestershire Northern Senior League
    • Champions 1966–67, 1967–68
  • Cheltenham League
    • Division One champions 1927–28, 1929–30, 1948–49, 1954–55, 1955–56
    • Senior Charities Cup winners 1948–49, 1949–50, 1955–56[12]
  • Gloucestershire Senior Cup
    • Winners 1995–96, 2015–16

Records
  • Highest league position: 7th in the Southern League Premier Division, 2004–05[5]
  • Best FA Cup performance: Fourth qualifying round, 2001–02, 2003–04[5]
  • Best FA Trophy performance: Third round, 2002–03[5]
  • Best FA Vase performance: Third round: 1975–76, 1976–77[5]
  • Record attendance: 2,600 vs Fareham Town, 1969[1]
  • Record transfer fee paid: £4,000 to Gloucester City for Lee Smith
gollark: I'm entirely serious about that `Wants` and don't want the red.
gollark: Can't accept it, you're locked.
gollark: Odd.
gollark: Hmm. Someone seriously offered a 9G lyrical tinsel hatchling.
gollark: I can breed a 2G one, possibly.

See also
  • Cirencester Town F.C. players
  • Cirencester Town F.C. managers

References
  1. Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) Non-League Club Directory 2013, p510 ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0
  2. Division 1 winners Cheltenham League
  3. Gloucestershire Northern Senior League 1919-1939 Non-League Matters
  4. Gloucestershire Northern Senior League 1946-1968 Non-League Matters
  5. Cirencester Town at the Football Club History Database
  6. Gloucestershire Football Club History Database
  7. 2009-10 Southern League Football Club History Database
  8. Ugly scenes as Shortwood United are beaten in cup final The Citizen, 28 April 2015
  9. Cirencester Town Reserves at the Football Club History Database
  10. Cirencester Town Development at the Football Club History Database
  11. The Standard talks to Cirencester Town boss Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, 21 August 2006
  12. Senior Charities Cup winners Cheltenham League

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