Bridlington Town Football Club celebrates centenary year
Bridlington Town FC has been presented with a plaque from the county FA
Bridlington Town football club is celebrating its centenary year.
It has been delayed because of the pandemic but the club has been presented with a plaque from the county FA.
Chairman Pete Smurthwaite has owned the club since 2001 and said:
"This is a big milestone and when you consider it was started in 1920 by a group of discharged soldiers and sailors who'd been involved in the First World War, it was quite nice really that they set up a football club and the Council got involved and the Lord Mayor.
"They were quite successful in the early days when we were in the East Riding Senior Cup, which we've continued to win on a regular basis. I suppose the most successful period was the two trips to Wembley, one in 1990 which we lost after a replay, and then in 1993 in the FA Vase final when we beat Tiverton Town.
"The Football Association has recognised the club's anniversary, obviously it was delayed for a year by Covid but Adam Lowthorpe, Chief Executive of the County Football Association presented us with a nice plaque before last Saturday's game so that will be going up in a pride of place in the clubhouse."
Bridlington Town FC background - past and present
On the 11th June 1920 a public announcement was placed in 2 local newspapers a meeting had been held and it was agreed to form the football team Bridlington Town AFC and that Bridlington Discharged Sailors and Soldiers Football Club was to be managed into it
A ground was established at the end of Moorfield Road very close to the existing ground.
1986 saw the start of the clubs most successful era when Ken Richardson joined the club. He improved the ground installing floodlights, built the main stand and changing rooms and also the original clubhouse. The team went to Wembley in 1990 for the FA Vase Final which was a draw with the replay at Leeds which they were beaten by YEADING AFC. They were back at Wembley again in 1993 and beat Tiverton Town in the FA Vase Final. In 1994 Ken Richardson took the team to play from Doncaster Rovers ground and unfortunately the club went out of business at the end of the season.
The team reformed in 1994/1995 season as Greyhound AFC playing in the Driffield League. The club changed names back to Bridlington Town AFC and progressed where we are today about to start in the Northern Premier League Division One East. Peter Smurthwaite arrived at the club in 2001 and later became the owner of the Club and is still in charge today having overseen the construction of the brand new Town Bar and Clubhouse along with other improvements.
The anniversary has been recognised by the Football Association who after the delay caused by Covid, Adam Lowthorpe, Chief Executive of the ERCFA presented a plaque from the FA at last Saturday's game.