The History of Keynsham Wanderers / Somerdale Wanderers / Fry Club JFC

 

Keynsham Wanderers started in the 1968-69 season as U9’s when a few fathers led by Les Stroud got together and started a team playing friendlies against mainly Cub and Scout teams, from as far away Frome.  This then continued into U10’s.

 

The first ever game was at Kelston Road School.  There was only one goal, so two bamboo sticks were placed at the other end.  We played against Fair Furlong Sports, a team from Hartcliffe, and we lost 2-5.  We didn’t have a referee for the game, but a friend of Les called Clive Marsh was in Kelston Road Barber’s having a haircut, and Les went in and asked him if he would referee.  He came out, did that, and then stayed involved for the next 15 years!  Clive became assistant to Les for the next seven years, before heading on to help another team.  That first year Keynsham Wanderers were beaten 20-0, 10-0 and other scores of a similar nature, but then the next year started to understand better, and compete and win on a more regular nature, although for Les, Frampton Rangers was the one team they could never beat.

 

1970-71 was the first entry into a League – The Bristol Junior League as U11’s.  The same year we entered as U11’s, we started another U10’s, and then progressed that every year after.  That next U10 team was managed by Ken Fry and George Hacker, and then Dave Bidgood managed the following U10’s.

 

Back in the early days, the Club owed a lot to Dick Ollis and his haulage company.  He would lend the Club a lorry to help take the players to football games.  He also gave the Club a piece of land at Pixash Lane, and the members of the Club turned it into a playing area, marking the line, putting up nets and buying a portacabin so that the Club could expand.

Pixash Lane

 

Click the Map co-ordinates for the location  51.414036, -2.475722

Pixash Lane 2011

 

Each player was put into Houses, England, Scotland, Ireland & Wales, and they would gain and lose points for clean/dirty boots, behaviour, and hanging onto the roof of the lorry on the way to games!!!

 

We entered the Umbro Cup on 1973-74, a nationally run competition for U14’s, and we reached the final of the West of England section, and played up at Cheltenham Town’s ground, and took two coaches up, only to find we faced an U17 team, and only lost 2-1.

 

The first years were played mainly at Manor Road, and then with the second team starting in 1970, and with the U11’s going into the Bristol Junior League, Les approached Fry Club Manager Jim Buckee, who gave the Club the use of two pitches at Frys, and we left Manor Road and started our association with Frys.  In 1976-77 we changed our name to Somerdale Wanderers at the behest of Fry Club as part of the terms of playing here.  With the Club growing, and Frys offering us the pitches we needed, we left Pixash Lane forever in 1990.

 

We did also once sell a player for £200.00.  A young man called Steve Strong in our U16’s was asked to go to Hereford Utd after they had approached our Club with an enquiry.  Les took Steve over to meet their manager, and he signed for them, and then about a month later, he received a cheque for £200.00 to Somerdale Wanderers, and that enabled the Club to buy a lot of kit!  Steve played for Hereford for four seasons, and between 1978 and 1981 made 16 League appearances as a defender in the old Division 4, now known as Championship 2.

We also had a 1966 World Cup referee present trophies at our Club Presentation on three occasions.  Jim Finney refereed the 1962 FA Cup Final, and the 1966 World Cup quarter final between Uruguay and West Germany, sending two Uruguayans off.

Dennis Salter (left) & Jim Finney (right)

 

Les was involved for 21 years, and could see new managers and officers coming through and elected to stand down, with new Chairman Derek Butler taking over.

For Past Committee Members, please click the link and for the Past Teams that they managed, please click that link.  For Past Managers, please click that link.  You can also find us on Find us on Facebook Facebook.