Dissolved 1987 | Founded 1927 | |
Full name Portals Athletic Football Club Ground Portals Ground, Batts Meadow, Laverstoke Park, Nr Whitchurch, Hampshire. | ||
Portals Athletic F.C. were a successful works football side from the Portals paper mill based in Laverstoke between the north Hampshire towns of Overton and Whitchurch.
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Club history
Portals Athletic FC were founded in 1927 as a works team and initially played in the local Basingstoke League where they had plenty of success.
In 1967 Portals were elected to Hampshire League Division 3 where they finished in a respectable mid-table final position before being placed in Division 3 West, where they finished 3rd before clinching promotion as runners-up in 1969–70. Portals quickly adapdted well to life in what was then a highly competitive Division 2 as they clinched a final position of 3rd which was enough to secure a second successive promotion.
Life in the top flight was tough for Portals and they were relegated straight back again to Division 2 where they remained until the 1983–84 season when they bounced back as champions. Portals enjoyed numerous cup successes during this period and quickly consolidated themselves in Division 1 for two seasons until in 1986 they (along with the league's top clubs with the required facilities) broke away to form the new Wessex League.
Demise
In the league's inaugural season Portals finished in a steady 12th position but at the end of the season the parent company suddenly withdrew their support forcing the club to sadly withdraw from the competition and disband just after celebrating their 60th anniversary. Another sad loss to non-league football.
Stadium
Located alongside the B3400 between Whitchurch and Overton, the venue had a superb playing surface and remains in use today. During the 1999–2000 season it was leased to the short-lived Hampshire League side AFC Basingstoke.