CLUB HISTORY
22 Jun 2011

BRIDGHAM UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
A BRIEF HISTORY

The earliest evidence of an official Bridgham football team is a photograph of the 1922-23 seasons players. This comprises not one, but two teams of homegrown talent. The 1st XI goalkeeper, Bertie Roper Reeve, recalled fifty years later:

Football had rarely been organised in an official pattern in small villages before the First World War, but it started when the lads were demobbed after many of them had played in the forces. Bridgham formed a club for the first time and were loaned a meadow (Bridge meadow) on Bridgham Hall Farm. One of the handicaps was sharing the pitch with a herd of milking cows, so we always had the pre-match job of removing the large amount of cowslips from the pitch, until new tenant farmers took over the farm. They were the Nicholson family. Mr Herbert Nicholson, the father, was a keen cricketer and his four sons: Herbert, Dick, Alan and Gordon were also good players. We soon discovered that they were good footballers and were keen to form a league club. We had no more trouble with the cows and had plenty of help with fund-raising events. During some of our games the Bridgham team consisted of four Nicholson brothers, four Reeve brothers and three Holmes. Alan Nicholson soon graduated to senior football, playing for Thetford and was a regular member of the Norfolk County side. I joined him later at Thetford and also, at times, in the Norfolk team, but my senior career was cut short through employment difficulties and an injury received at Cambridge in a county match.

As well as Bridge Meadow and the present playing venue, other fields have also been used for the football pitch: 1) off Trickle Lane opposite the Forestry Cottages, and 2) beyond The Paddocks houses at the west end of the village on the other side of the road (both in the 1930s); 3) the Croft from 1946 to 1975 (opposite The Grove where cow-pats were still being removed in the 1970s!); 4) the old Playing Field glebe land (opposite the church, until 1990); and at Hockham, Shropham, Coney Weston and Thetford Sports Centre in the 1990s for a few seasons, whilst the present pitch was prepared (1990-3) and then re-done (i.e. ploughed up, levelled, new topsoil, de-stoned & re-seeded) between 1998 & 2000. Raymond Sonny Chapman, probably the oldest surviving Bridgham player, not only played on the first four pitches, but also recalls one Christmas-time watching a special match arranged in which the racing driver, Bentley Boy Sir HenryTim Birkin played.

Official records of the village team date from the 1933-34 season. In that year, the clubs accounts show outgoings amounting to just over 16 which included a bill of 10 13s 9d for bus travel, whilst socks and laces cost 4s 6d (22p). Income, including money from a sweep and members subs, amounted to just over 19. The team played 11 fixtures, but there is no record of how they fared.

Reformed after the war in 1946, one of the Clubs first priorities was for new playing strip with navy blue shirts and red socks so an appeal was made for clothing coupons. New goal posts were also needed and records show that Shropham FC was approached to buy theirs; failing this it was suggested that the Forestry Commission be asked if they might supply suitable fallen timber. The outcome of these enquiries is uncertain.

What is in no doubt is that BUFC continued to play with distinction for over 60 years, without missing a season. Bridgham United previously played in the South Norfolk league and the Bury & District League before joining the Central & South Norfolk league in 1978 in which they have always played in either Division 1 or 2. The teams last honours were in 2011 when the league and cup double was achieved by winning the Division One league Championship and the Benevolent Cup for the first time in their long history.

The present club is run by a group of dedicated and long-serving people including Tom Marlow, president since 1984; and the current secretary, Simon Bell, who has filled this position as well as being the clubs player-manager since 1993. Simon is also the current longest-serving player with 25 years of service. He is also a member of a select group which includes Reg Bezants, Rod Forder, Brian Odey, Fred Norris and Dick Rutterford who have all played over 500 games for the club.