Nickname(s) The Robins Chairman Kayne Steinborn-Busse Founded 1896 | Ground Capacity 2,500 (150 seated) Manager Mark Tallentire Grounds Larges Lane, Bracknell | |
 | ||
Full name Bracknell Town Football Club 2015–16 Hellenic League Premier Division, 14th League Hellenic Football League Premier Division | ||
Bracknell Town Football Club is a football club based in Bracknell, Berkshire, England. Affiliatied to the Berks & Bucks Football Association, they are currently members of the Hellenic League Premier Division and play at Larges Lane. Their nickname is the Robins.
Contents
History
The club was established in 1896 as Old Bracknell Wanderers. They joined the Ascot & District League in 1904, and were runners-up in the league in 1907–08. The following season the club won the League Cup, and in 1911–12 they were league champions. Two seasons later they won Division Two. They were league champions again in 1932–33.
In 1949 the club switched to the Reading & District League and were renamed Bracknell Football Club. They remained in the league until joining the Great Western Combination in 1958. In 1962 the club adopted its current name, and a year later joined the Surrey Senior League. They finished bottom of the league in 1965–66, but went on to win the League Cup in 1968–69 and the double of the title and League Cup in 1969–70.
After winning the league the club joined the Spartan League. They won the League Cup in 1974–75, and when the league merged with the Metropolitan–London League to become the London Spartan League at the end of the season, Bracknell were placed in Division One. They finished as runners-up in the new league's first season, losing the title to Farnborough Town on goal average, as well as losing the League Cup final. In 1977 Division One was renamed the Premier Division, and despite finishing fourth in 1978–79, the club were relegated to the Senior Division. They won the Senior Division in 1980–81, earning promotion back to the Premier Division, and the following season saw them finish as runners-up and win the League Cup. They went on to win the Premier Division and the League Cup in 1982–83.
After being rejected by the Athenian League, Bracknell joined Division Two South of the Isthmian League in 1984. They finished as runners-up in 1985–86 and were promoted to Division One. However, they were relegated back to Division Two South at the end of the 1988–89 season. League reorganisation saw them placed in Division Three in 1991, but after winning the division in 1993–94, they were promoted to Division Two, where they remained until relegation back to Division Three at the end of the 1988–89 season. In 2000–01 the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, eventually losing 4–0 at Lincoln City.
Further league reorganisation in 2002 saw Bracknell placed in Division One South, and two seasons later they were transferred to Division One West of the Southern League; this became Division One South and West in 2006. After finishing bottom of the division in 2009–10, they were relegated to the Premier Division of the Hellenic League. They were relegated again, this time to Division One East, at the end of the 2011–12 season after finishing bottom of the Premier Division. Despite finishing only fifth in Division One East the following season, the club was promoted back to the Premier Division.
Ground
The club originally played on a field near the Downshire Arms, before moving to Station Field, a site that later became Ranelagh School. In 1933 they moved to Larges Lane, where the pitch featured a significant slope for the first 20 years of use. After being left money by Raymond Brown, the club was able to build a new clubhouse, which was opened by Stanley Rous.
A seated stand was built behind the dugouts in 1988, with another seated stand and a covered terrace on same touchline. A covered terrace is located behind one goal. The ground currently has a capacity of 2,500, of which 150 is seated and 500 covered.