Welcome to the latest instalment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this chapter, we headed to Almondsbury for some more Hellenic League Premier Division action as Roman Glass St George took on Westfields in what was a key match in the race for the play offs. Oaklands Park was our host for the day.
Some Notable People From Almondsbury:
Alex Kapranos-Franz Ferdinand Singer
Reginald Crompton- Actor
Some Notable Former Players
Cliff Britton
Walter Cox
William Halley
Jack Reynolds
George Seeley
James Stevenson
Reg Trotman
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Roman Glass St George was founded in 1872 as St George and was a founding member of the Bristol and District League. They also played in the Birmingham & District League and won the Gloucestershire FA Senior Challenge Cup in 1894 and 1895.
They joined the Western League in 1928, but left after a short time to re-join the Bristol & District League before becoming a founding member of the Bristol Combination. The swinging 60s brought St George much joy as they won the Bristol Premier Combination five seasons in a row.
They were founding members of the Gloucestershire County League in 1968, finishing second in the first season before winning it in 1970. They were in the league for over a decade before being kicked out in 1987 due to subpar facilities.
They moved to the County Of Avon Combination, where they won division one in 1990 and the Premier Division in 1993. They were in financial trouble and on the verge of bankruptcy when they merged with local rival Roman Glass, becoming Roman Glass St George FC.
The rebranded team joined the Gloucestershire County League in 1999 and won it within three seasons. They won it again in 2007, advancing to the Western League Division One. They are now one of the oldest clubs in the Hellenic League Premier Division.
Honours
🏆 Western League Premier Division (Runners-up: 1893–94, 1894–95, 1898–99)
🏆 Western League Division One (Runners-up: 1902–03)
🏆 Gloucestershire County League (Winners: 1969–70, 2001–02, 2006–07) (Runners-up: 1968–69, 1972–73)
🏆 Bristol Premier Combination Premier Division (also known as the County of Avon Premier Combination) (Winners: 1992–93) (Runners-up: 1990–91)
🏆 Bristol Premier Combination Division One (also known as the County of Avon Premier Combination) (Winners: 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1988–89)
🏆 Bristol and District League Premier Division (Runners-up: 1893–94, 1894–95)
🏆 Bristol and District League Division One (Winners: 1949–50) (runners-up: 1924–25, 1926–27, 1936–37, 1937–38)
🏆 Gloucestershire Senior Challenge Cup (Winners: 1893–94, 1894–95)
🏆 Gloucestershire Senior Amateur Cup (Winners: 1931–32, 1938–39, 1952–53, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68) (Runners-up: 1926–27, 1935–36, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1998)
An Interview With Roman Glass St George Player/Assistant Manager, Liam Harding:
GG: How long have you been with Roman Glass St George, and do you recall your first game?
LH: I'm in my fourth year with the see club. On my debut, I scored within 10 minutes at home against Brislington. The game ended 2-2 after being 2-0 up, and it exemplified where the club was at the time. Positive performances, but results are elusive.
GG: Can you tell us something interesting about Roman Glass St George?
LH: We are Bristol's oldest football club. It was founded in 1872.
GG: How do you feel about working for a club in the lower leagues, and how does it differ from working in the higher leagues?
LH: Football is football, in my opinion. We are fortunate to be able to play at such a beautiful facility, especially given our skill level. Naturally, the volunteers who keep things running are under a lot of strain; for example, our chairman is also our kit man. However, the small team works well together to make match days run smoothly. I haven't worked in much higher leagues, but I believe that the work of volunteers is essential and valuable at all levels.
GG: How important is the club to the community?
LH: This is a difficult one because we have moved 10 miles away from our area due to a promotion. (From St George to Almondsbury), so the community is not overly involved. Having said that, we are now in a convenient location for step 5 football, and attendance is gradually increasing.
GG: What are the clubs' long-term goals?
LH: The long-term goal is to join the Southern League. Naturally, these things take time, so the goal is to improve year after year. Since being promoted to step 5 in 2018, we have finished 17th, 16th (void), 8th (void), 10th, and now 6th. The goal for this season is to break into the top 5 and win a trophy.
GG: What is your favourite aspect of playing football?
LH: It's the camaraderie and team spirit it fosters. That's what I missed the most when I was away from the game. Since returning, I've also enjoyed giving young players a platform to grow as people and players. Football can be a short-lived career, so make the most of it both socially and competitively.
GG: Who, in your opinion, is the best footballer you've seen play at Roman Glass St George's Ground, and why?
LH: There haven't been many occasions when we've faced significantly higher-ranked opponents in my time with the club. In games against us, Joe Tumelty (Yate, now Swindon Supermarine) and Jake Gosling (Bristol Manor Farm) looked a class above. With a slight twist, our Manager Andy Gurney has appeared this season in the Hellenic Premier League at 48 and Shayne Bradley started against us last week for Tuffley Rovers at 43. They both had fantastic football league careers, and it shows how good they were when they can still play at this level!! We also have some very talented players on our team, so it will be interesting to see where they progress over the next few seasons.
GG: Finally, tell us why people should come to Roman Glass St George.
LH: We are a club that is progressing in the right direction. We have a young and hungry team that plays appealing attacking football. You will be made very welcome, and any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Matchday: Roman Glass St George 0-1 Westfields
We drove to Almondsbury on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, though it wasn't an easy journey. We ended up in the middle of Bristol after entering Roman Glass St George FC into the satnav, and unless they were playing a game in the grounds of a Care Home, we were not in the right place. We then entered the postcode, which directed us to a pub. As they say, third time lucky, we typed in Oaklands Park and arrived safely. When we arrived, there was a game going on between Torquay U16s and South Gloucestershire. It was 1-1 when I arrived, and it finished 3-2, so not bad at all.
We then went to the club house, where the early kickoff (Coventry City vs Norwich City) was being shown on the big screen. The aforementioned Liam Harding then came over to say hello, which was a nice touch. The clubhouse serves a variety of drinks, but those who still carry cash should be aware that it is card only. However, I was told that because the club does not own the bar, they require cash when purchasing pin badges. Because I don't carry cash, they kindly let me have it for free, which was a thoughtful gesture. Unfortunately, there was no hot food available, which was disappointing.
We took our usual circuit of the ground. To tell the truth, there wasn't much to see. There was one stand that could hold around 300 people, and the rest of the complex was an assortment of buildings. The positioning of the turnstile, in my opinion, is the fatal flaw for the ground. It is very simple for fans to drive right up to the pitch, park (as I did), and pretend they paid (I did pay). I believe there would be less reliance on trust if the turnstile was moved closer to the clubhouse.
The fans around the ground were lovely. They were eager to talk football and all things non-league. As previously stated, the staff at Roman Glass St George are friendly and easy to talk to. They were extremely friendly and helpful.
This was by far the coldest game I have ever seen. Dropping temperatures, an open area, and the nearby River Severn make this location the epicentre of Baltic weather. As a result, there was a distinct lack of atmosphere. With people doing shuttle runs from the clubhouse to stay warm, their priorities were understandably not with the atmosphere, and at this level of football, you don't really expect to hear chants for 90 minutes anyway.
Teamsheet
Roman Glass St George
Manager: Andy Gurney
Seth Locke
Ben Courtier
Loui Ward
Aidan Sanfelice
Ollie Woodhouse (C)
Jack Spark
Shacquille Smith
Mike Bryant
Laurent Davis-Wilson
Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist
Josh Brace
Substitutes
Josh Williams
Josh Jenkins
Jonathan Walker
Rhys Sarson
Liam Harding
Westfields
Manager: Phil Glover
Ian Havard
Sam Rawlings (C)
Sean Powell
Ben Vine
Dale Richards
Harry Pitman
Steve Davies
Matt McDonald
Josh Hunt
Adam Wakely
Archie Muirhead
Substitutes
Joe Davies
Kyle Cassell
Sam Griffiths
Zac Johnston
Cameron Davies
The first half was uneventful for both teams, as the game began fairly evenly. Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist swept a chance wide of the goal for Roman Glass St George's first chance of the game. It is not an exaggeration to say that was the best action of the half, as the game was scoreless at the break.
Thankfully, the second half was far more exciting. Ben Vine picked up the ball in midfield and unleashed a 35-yard shot into the top right hand corner to score the game's only goal halfway through the second half. When the ball fell for Mike Bryant, who could only fire over the goal, Roman Glass St George had chances of their own. Laurent Davis-Wilson then fired a shot straight at Westfields goalkeeper as Roman Glass St George struggled to find the cutting edge required to get back into the game. Westfields won 1-0, strengthening their claim for a place in the play-offs in a tight league table.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 2/10
Food and Drink: 2/10
Stadium: 4.5/10
Welcome: 9/10
Overall Experience: 6/10
GG
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