Larkhall Athletic F.C.

Larkhall Athletic Football Club is a football club based in the Larkhall area of Bath, Somerset, England. Affiliated to the Somerset County FA, they are currently members of the Southern League Division One South and play at the Plain Ham ground.

Larkhall Athletic
Full nameLarkhall Athletic Football Club
Nickname(s)The Larks
Founded1914
GroundPlain Ham, Bath
Capacity1,000 (50 seated)[1]
ChairmanPaul Rankin
ManagerPhil Bater
LeagueSouthern League Division One South
2019–20Southern League Division One South (season abandoned)

History

The club was founded in 1914.[2] They were in abeyance during the 1940s after losing use of the Plain Ham ground, but returned to footballing activity in 1951.[2] The club won the Somerset Junior Cup in 1962–63,[3] and joined the Somerset Senior League in the 1970s. The club won the League Cup in 1974–75 and the Somerset Senior Cup the following season.[4] In 1976 the Western League formed a new Division One, which Larkhall becoming founder members.[5] In 1988–89 they were Division One champions, but were unable to take promotion. They won the Somerset Senior Cup for a second time in 2003–04,[6] and after winning Division One again in 2008–09 the club were promoted to the Premier Division.[5]

In 2010–11 Larkhall were Premier Division champions, but were denied promotion to the Southern League due to ground grading requirements. In 2013–14 they won both the Premier Division and the league's Les Phillips Cup, and were able to take promotion to Division One South & West of the Southern League. In their first season in the Southern League the club finished fifth, qualifying for the promotion play-offs; after beating Evesham United 3–0 in the semi-finals, they lost 3–2 to Stratford Town in the final.[5]

Ground

The club has played at the Plain Ham ground since their formation, initially renting it on a match-by-match basis.[2] A longer lease was secured from Bath City Council in 1962 and a clubhouse built in 1965.[2] Floodlights were installed in 2004 and the club bought the freehold of the site the following year.[2] In 2008 55 seats were installed, with the amount of covered standing tripled.[2]

Honours
  • Western League
    • Premier Division champions 2010–11, 2013–14
    • Les Phillips Cup winners 2013–14
    • Division One champions 1988–89, 2008–09
  • Somerset Senior League
    • League Cup winners 1974–75
  • Somerset Senior Cup
    • Winners 1975–76, 2003–04
  • Somerset Junior Cup
    • Winners 1962–63

Records
  • Best FA Cup performance: Second qualifying round, 2014–15, 2015–16[5]
  • Best FA Trophy performance: Second qualifying round, 2017—18[5]
  • Best FA Vase performance: Fifth round, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14[5]
  • Record attendance: 625 vs Hereford, Southern League Division One South & West, 18 February 2017[7]
  • Biggest win: 8–1 vs Oldland Abbotonians, 2007[1]
  • Heaviest defeat: 6–1 vs Exmouth Town, 2001[1]
  • Most appearances: Luke Scott[1]
gollark: What?
gollark: Yes, I'm not *that* significant.
gollark: I mean, even before the rule changes, I even advertised potatOS *with* a disclaimer!
gollark: "Had" to?
gollark: Yes, which is now fixed, which is good.

See also
  • Larkhall Athletic F.C. players
  • Larkhall Athletic F.C. managers

References
  1. Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2016) Non-League Club Directory 2017, Tony Williams Publications, p297 ISBN 978-1869833695
  2. Larkhall Football Club Western League
  3. Junior Cup Somerset FA
  4. Honours Larkhall Athletic F.C.
  5. Larkhall Athletic at the Football Club History Database
  6. Senior Cup Somerset FA
  7. "Larkhall Ath 2 Hereford 2", The Non-League Paper, 19 February 2017

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