Founded 1952 > Record Att 2300 > Nick Name > Brig

Ground: Irongate > Contact name: David Spencer

Address:
Irongate Brownedge Road Bamber Bridge Preston Lancashire PR5 6UX
Contact Details: Russ Rigby, Tel: 01772 909690 Fax: 01772 909691 Contact Details: Russ Rigby

A brief history of Bamber Bridge F.C.
Club Honours

Unibond Northern Premier League Champions 1995/96

A.T.S. Lancashire Trophy Winners 1994/95

A.T.S. Lancashire Trophy Finalists 1995/96 ,1999/00

Unibond Challenge Cup Winners 1994/95

Unibond First Division Runners Up 1994/95

Northern Premier League First Division Cup Finalists 1994/95

B.N.W.C. Division One Runners Up 1992/93

B.N.W.C. Division Two Champions 1991/92

F.A. Vase Semi-Finalists 1991/92

The origins of Bamber Bridge Football Club can be traced back to the late 1800s.However the present club was reformed in 1952, as a junior team in the Preston and District League. Progress was made into the Senior Division, but success was extremely limited.

1974 was a very significant year in the history of the club, when it amalgamated with neighbouring club. Walton-Le-Dale, and a rejuvenated club started on the road to become a prominent member of the non-league scene.The first major trophy was collected when they won the Preston League Guildhall Cup ,and furthur successes followed by winning the League title with the pinnacle being winning the Lancashire Amateur Shield in 1982.

Throughout this period, the committee had dreamt and worked towards establishing a football ground of its own, and in 1983 a piece of derelict ground was purchased with the help of South Ribble Council and The Sports Council. It took four years of dedicated work and considerable expense to change this overgrown land into a born football pitch, which was named IRONGATE after the local area. It was indeed a proud moment to actually see the team play on the club`s own ground after having played on park pitches. The first game was played in August 1987 and since then continual developments and improvements have taken place, which has enabled the club to enter and climb the Non-League Pyramid System.

In 1990 the club joined the North West Counties League and in three successful seasons, progress was made through the two divisions and the club reached the Semi-Finals of the F A Vase only one step away from the famous Wembley Stadium. During this period, floodlights were installed and further improvements allowed promotion into the Northern Premier League now known as the Unibond League.

1994/95, saw the club achieve a successful season, winning promotion to the Premier Division and both the ATS Lancashire Cup and the Unibond Challenge Cup.

At the end of the 1995/96 season against all odds, the club won the Premiership title beating off late challenges by Hyde United and Boston United, with the result depending on the final game of the season,but the club`s ground was not deemed suitable for Conference football and so further promotion was denied them.
The club then gained world wide fame when they entertained the Czech Republic in a friendly game prior to their opening game against Germany , in Euro `96.

Following the Championship winning year, the club experienced two traumatic seasons narrowly avoiding relegation on both occasions,but in1998/99 the club returned to winning ways with the return of manager Tony Greenwood and his assistant Phil Entwistle,when finishing a creditable fourth in the league.

1999/00 Bamber Bridge finally reached the F A Cup First Round Proper beating St Albans of the Ryman League Premier Division 2-0 away, with goals from Andy Whittaker and Dave Carrol.
They were finally knocked out by a late penalty away at Cambridge United of the Football League.

Season 2000/2001 saw Brig make many changes to the playing staff. They finished a creditable 12th in the League.