Ground Capacity 2,500 Founded 1951 | Chairman Mike Richardson Manager David Mehew | |
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Nickname(s) 'The Field', 'The Mangos' League Southern Football League Division One South and West | ||
Mangotsfield United Football Club is an English football club based in Mangotsfield, in Bristol, that currently plays in the Southern Football League Division One South and West. The club is affiliated with the Gloucestershire County FA and Somerset County FA. The club's traditional nickname is The Field, although in recent times they have been referred to as The Mangos given to them by local Radio Bristol presenter and ex-Bristol Rovers defender Geoff Twentyman. The home strip is Maroon and Sky Blue, while their away kit is White and Black. Mangotsfield United play their home games at Cossham Street, also known as the Doug Hillard Sports Ltd. Stadium.
Contents
History
Mangotsfield United Football Club roots lay in the original football club that was formed 125 years ago. Mangotsfield F.C. was founded at a meeting in The Crown Hotel, St. James Street when Edward Alway Young of Rodway Manor House was appointed as Chairman and Jonathan Pendock of Dibden Farm as the Secretary. Initially the club played friendly matches against local opponents. At that time their ground was situated on St. James Street, Mangotsfield, it is currently a Council playing field. They later moved to some land on Pomphrey Hill near Shortwood and Mangotsfield North Railway station and as a consequence they were given the nickname of 'The Railway Men' by the local press. In 1892 Mangotsfield F.C. was one of the founding members of the Bristol & District League which three years later became the Western Football League. Within one year of playing in the competition the club was relegated to Division 1 of the B&D League. Since its formation Mangotsfield F.C. experienced nothing but constant struggle and it came as no surprise that they finally folded after finishing bottom of the Western League Amateur Division 1 in season 1897–1898. Numerous attempts were made to reform the club over the next half century but due to financial difficulties it was to eventually fold once and for all in the early years of 1950.
By the end of the 1950–1951 season it had dispensed with the Reserve XI and as a consequence many local men found themselves without a club to play for so they decided to form a club of their own and thus Mangotsfield United F.C. came into existence. For the 1951–1952 season, the recently formed club was placed on the bottom rung of local football – the Bristol & District League, Division VII which they won at a canter only losing one of their games whilst amassing 144 goals for and just 21 against during their 34 matches. They were equally successful in 1952–1953 by winning the Bristol & District League VI and scoring a club record 172 goals. With the formation of the Bristol & District League Premier Combination Division 1 in the 1953–1954 season all of the divisions below this were subsequently renumbered upward; therefore that season Mangotsfield United started not in Division V but in Division IV which they also went on to win as they did in Division III and Division II. Season 1956–57 saw Mangotsfield United have something of a setback in their title winning run when finishing in fourth spot in Division I.
Nonetheless in 1957–58 the club continued its upward climb by gaining promotion to the Bristol & District League Premier Combination, Division 1; with the higher level competition the club could only finish in 15th place. The next three seasons saw the club finish just above the relegation zone although season 1961–1962 saw a significant improvement in form by climbing to 7th place. For the next five campaigns Mangotsfield United did not finish outside of the top eight in the Premier Combination, with season 1964–1965 being notable for seeing them finish in runner-up spot. From 1965–1968 the team remained in the top eight but 1968–1969 proved to the most successful yet by completing the League and Cup 'double'. In addition to winning the Premier Combination, Division 1 the club also defeated Hanham Athletic 4–1 at Eastville Stadium to win the Gloucestershire F.A. (South) Senior Amateur Cup for the first time.
Under the guidance of Chairman Bert Hill, Mangotsfield United remained in the forefront of the local Bristol football scene and being an ambitious club applied for membership of the Western Football League in 1972 which was subsequently accepted by the League's management committee. Former Bristol Rovers full back and Taunton Town boss Doug Hillard was appointed the club's manager in preparation for its first season in the Western League. The club's first match was at Avon (Bradford); by the end of the 1972–1973 season Mangotsfield United finished in a creditable third spot, missing out on the runner-up place on goal difference to Taunton Town. The following season the club went on to win the Western League Challenge Cup and also install floodlights together with a start on a large clubhouse at their Cossham Street ground.
Youth set-up
The club has an under 18's Youth Team who play in the Somerset Youth Floodlight League Premier Division which they have won for a record eleven times and the Somerset Youth Floodlight League Cup on five occasions. There are also various junior teams for both boys and girls ranging from Mini Mangos Under 6's, and over twenty four teams ranging from Under 7's to Under 16's plus three other Under 18's teams playing under the auspices of Mangotsfield United Juniors.
Several of the Youth Team have gone on to become full-time professional Football League players:
Club records
Honours
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Managers
Former players
1. Players that have played/managed in the Football League or any foreign equivalent to this level (i.e. fully professional league).
2. Players with full international caps.
3. Players that hold a club record or have captained the club.