By Harry Mottram: The young guns of Axbridge United’s first team have put the town back on the footballing map with a run of wins this season that’s seen them hit top spot in Division 2 of Weston Super Mare and District League. They’ve been involved in a season long battle with Haywood Village for dominance with the red and white players with the Lamb and Flag badge edging out their rivals together with the powerhouses of Berrow and St George Easton in Gordano Reserves.
Axbridge United FC News: Axbridge United have made history by becoming the champions of Division 2 of the Weston and District League. The Darren Draper from the club said: “Well we did it, first league title won for the club. Another piece of silverware for the BRIDGE!”
For football fans the lads have one final game on Tuesday 21st May at the Draycott Memorial Ground with a 6.30pm kick off. Darren said: “It would be great to see some local support to cheer them past the final game.”
The team’s coach Kev Attwood said: “It’s been an honour to manage Axbridge United this season and I would like to thank everyone connected to the club for your hard work, After a long season we definitely deserve to be champions and I’m already thinking of next season in Division 1.”
Axbridge United FC rounded off a brilliant season as champions of Division 2 in the WSM League with a nervy 1-0 win over Berrow at Draycott on a rain swept pitch on 21 May 2024. A fair sized crowd turned out in blustery conditions to see the young guns of The Bridge hold out for three points after an early goal against a Berrow side who are in 3rd place in the league and were determined to make a game of it.
Darren Draper, the Chairman of Axbridge United FC said: “What an amazing season this has been for Axbridge United FC. The club has grown from strength to strength since we began in 2019. Since then, we’ve gone from just one senior side to a reserve team as well as an U18’s side – and have around 50 players registered for the BRIDGE.
“This season was my first as club chairman, having started as a player back in 2019. And with the 1st team being the very first Axbridge side to reach Division 1 of the district league, the club is striving forward. I want to say a massive thank you to Kev Attwood who has taken his team to another level this season, scoring 100 goals on the way to winning the title – a record in it’s own right.
“I also want to mention Freddie Simmonds, who had probably the hardest job in his 1st season as Reserves manager at the club. He is a credit to this club, and with the U18’s players coming through along with the now more experienced senior players, I can see another promotion push for next season.
“It has been a pleasure watching this club grow, but this season has been the best so far. Thank you to all the players and club committee members who continue to work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep this club pushing forward.”
Axbridge also has the Axbridge Saxons Junior Football Club with more than 100 young players appearing in teams based on ages from the under 6s to the under 18s along with a girls’ team. Previously the town featured Axbridge Town FC who also played in red and white – the town’s colours – who inherited the name from a successful team that represented the town from the 1950s to the 1980s. The Axbridge Saxons were formed in the late 1990s which was initially a veterans team playing in the Bristol Casuals’ League and prompted the creation of the junior and girls’ teams. The Saxons still play five a side in Wedmore – with many of the squad drawn from the original team from the 1990s. That team were to represent the town in a series of fixtures with Houlgate in France along with friendly tours in Europe over the years.
On a personal level I played for the Saxons in 1997-98 in goal (mainly due to being rubbish as an outfield player) which inspired my acclaimed play Dodgy Keeper – which I plan to revive later this year. The current Axbridge United team has the advantage of youth with some highly talented players who have out played and out footballed their opponents this season. When I moved to the town in 1997 from Bristol, I had played for Henleaze Corinthians previously and together with Chris Carter of Bedminster Red Star founded the Casuals League (now the Bristol Corinthian League) with five teams in an era that has seen men stay fit for longer and able to continue to turn out for teams into their 50s, 60s and even early 70s.
The last 30 years has also seen the rise of the women’s game – once banned for decades by the male dominated FA. Female football is now seeing a popularity that has rivalled the male game in recent years with the game and its history celebrated in a number of plays, TV documentaries and books. In short the game has come of age with Axbridge very much a hotbed for football.
For more information on the Axbridge Saxons Junior Football Club visit http://www.axbridgesaxons.co.uk/index.html
For more on the United side visit https://www.facebook.com/p/Axbridge-United-FC-100057415330683/
There are some notes on the original Axbridge Saxon FC at https://football.fandom.com/wiki/Axbridge_Saxon_F.C.
For details of the Bristol Corinthian League see https://bristolcorinthiansleague.co.uk/
For more on the Weston Super Mare And District Football League see https://fulltime.thefa.com/index.html?league=8928175&selectedSeason=918749378&selectedDivision=353412235&selectedCompetition=0&selectedFixtureGroupKey=1_180359372
For more on the Weston Super Mare And District Football League see https://fulltime.thefa.com/index.html?league=8928175&selectedSeason=918749378&selectedDivision=353412235&selectedCompetition=0&selectedFixtureGroupKey=1_180359372
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