DETAILED HISTORY
20 May 2009

Initially known as Three Bridges and Worth FC, the club was founded in 1901 and played early games in the Mid-Sussex League, the East Grinstead Football League and the Redhill and District League. Bridges won the Mid-Sussex League Championship in 1907/08 and again in 1950/51 when they achieved the double by also winning the Mid-Sussex Charity Cup. They won the East Grinstead League title in 1924/25 and the Sussex Junior Cup in 1934/35. As league football returned after war end, Bridges finished as runners up in the Redhill and District League Division One.

Narrow misses in collecting the Mid-Sussex League Championships in the successive seasons of 1950/51 and 1951/52 eventually led to the winning of the Montgomery Cup and Senior Football status as founder members of the Sussex County League Division Two in season 1952/53.

The following season, a name change to Three Bridges United accompanied by finishing in mid-table, set Bridges up to win the single promotion place as Division Two Champions one year later in 1954/55. Unfortunately, after just one season in the top flight, they were relegated to remain in Division Two for the following twelve years with an inconsistent league form. However, Bridges collected the Division Two Invitation Cup in 1962/63 and from season 1964/65 onwards changed their name to Three Bridges FC.

Promoted as runners up in season 1968/69 on goal average over Lancing and just one point behind champions Ringmer, Bridges never really established themselves in Division One and were relegated again in season 1972/73. An immediate return to Division One came in the next season when Bridges were promoted as runners up. This time, they survived for just three seasons before being relegated for the third time. Promoted as runners up again in 1979/80, Bridges remained a Division One side for the following seventeen seasons when, in season 1996/97, they lost out on retaining their status by finishing 18th with a high total of 44 points - just one point behind four other teams with inferior goal differences. During this long spell in Division One, Bridges became the league bridesmaids, being runners up on three occasions - 1985/86, 1987/88 and 1988/89 and finishing in the top eight for twelve consecutive seasons.

Bridges had also finished in 18th position a season earlier in 1995/96 season but their Division One place was saved by the ambitious Stamco (St Leonards Stamcroft) moving up to the (Dr Martens') Southern League.

Off the field, disaster had struck during the May Bank Holiday weekend of 1993 when a fire destroyed the Clubhouse, threatening the Club’s existence. However, sheer determination and hard work by the club’s committee and members ensured that the Jubilee Field now has one of the finest Clubhouses and grounds in the Sussex County League. In recent seasons, a number of prestigious County League Finals and Semi-finals have been staged at their Jubilee Field ground.

In their first season back in Division Two, (1997/98), Bridges were nominated as the Unijet Sussex County League Division Two Team of the Month for both January and February 1998 and were worthy 2-1 winners of the Division Two Challenge Cup Final against Shinewater Association on Good Friday Bank Holiday. By finishing in the top third of the league, they consolidated their squad and blooded a number of quality youngsters ready for a promotional push in season 1998/99.

Initially the results didn’t fall totally in Bridges’ favour but by bringing in loyal club servants Barry Mealand and Keith Cook as temporary managers in November 1998, fortunes turned. An unbeaten run of 13 games from then until mid-February 1999 ensured they claimed the Division Two Runners Up position behind Sidley United with automatic promotion back to Division One.

In their first season back in the top flight, Bridges were managed by John Crumplin, the ex-Brighton and Hove Albion and Crawley Town defender. It took time for him to re-establish the team in the First Division, but from mid-season of 1999-2000 with the additional support of coach Darren Barker, Bridges clawed their way to safety. Season, 2000/01, with a joint management team of John Crumplin and Darren Barker saw Bridges settling for eighth position in Division One, their highest placing since 1991/92.

A promising start to the following season under the sole managership of Darren Barker saw Bridges making a serious challenge for runners up position. However, for the second season running, waterlogged pitches and injuries to key players saw that opportunity fade.

Various ground improvements took place in the summer of 2000 including a terraced concrete surround on all four sides of the ground, upgraded floodlights, and a pitch irrigation system (ironically, with previous problems of waterlogging, capable of rapidly transferring 5000 gallons of water from 14 high powered spray points around the pitch.) A new 100 seater stand was opened to coincide with the presentation of an illuminated scroll from the FA to celebrate our Centenary and other ground and facility improvements continued.

A change in management saw Croydon based manager Mickey Taylor bring in many new faces from the start of season 2002/03 and Bridges racked up a number of high scoring games. But at the tail end of the season when Taylor left, almost all of his front side disappeared and it was up to the well respected Sammy Donnelly to see the season out with reserve and youth players before beginning to establish a successful squad.

Sammy Donnelly’s first full season in charge saw his First Team finish in a creditable 7th position following a very disappointing start to the season, which placed us 2nd from bottom position early in October with nine games played. The team’s position did not change until early January, with 15 games played and then a run of 14 games with only one defeat took us up to the top third of the league. We won two Sussex County League trophies for team of the month for January 2005, and for progressing further in the FA Vase than any other team in Sussex when we reached the last 32, losing 2-1 away to Chertsey, following a 4-4 draw at home. We also reached the semi-final of the League Cup losing 3-0 to Whitehawk.

Last season saw a further change in managers when Ali Rennie arrived to support Sammy Donnelly for the start of this season. When Sammy resigned in October 2005 it was Ali Rennie, supported by Barry Mealand who built a new squad which unfortunately failed to win in their last sixteen outings of the 2005 -2006 campaign, finishing a lowly fifteenth in Division One. Meanwhile Three Bridges Reserves enjoyed a very successful debut season in the Suburban League South Division, finishing third and gaining promotion to the much tougher Suburban League Premier Division

First team manager Ali Rennie left the club before the start of the current campaign and former manager Darren Barker returned in a joint role with reserves manager Paul Faili to recruit a completely new squad of players.

Paul then took over mid-way through the season and took his side to win the 2008 RUR Cup and sixth place in the league in 2007-2008, fifth place in 2008-2009 and seventh in 2009-2010.

HISTORY OF ANNUAL CLUB AWARDS
18 May 2012

TOM GORRINGE MEMORIAL AWARD   

This Award is given to the "Club Member of the Year" of Three Bridges Football Club during the Season.

The Final Nomination is made from a majority of nominations from previous winners.

Tom Gorringe was a former Chairman and later Secretary of the Club, but he sadly died towards the end of the 70's.

A trophy was designated in his honour and the first winner nominated in 1979 - 80.

1979 - 80   Alan Ladd
1980 - 81


2011 - 12   Paul Faili



DAVE SHARP AWARD   

The Winner of this Award is nominated by the current First Team Assistant Manger for the "Unsung Hero or Heroine" who gives up lots of their time for the benefit of the Club.

Dave Sharp was a player with us but he was lost to us when he was still in his twenties about ten years ago.  His father Rod is a regular at our games.


2011-12 - Princess Goodwin


BOBBY NASH AWARD    

This Award is given to an Individual or Group which has made the greatest contribution to Three Bridges Football Club in the current Season.

The Club Chairman nominates the Winner of this Award.

Bobby Nash was a Player, Coach and Manager with Three Bridges FC.

He was a pro with QPR and Exeter City and joined us from Hastings Town after we had both won promotion at the end of
the 1979 - 80 season.

He died unexpectedly some fifteen years ago whilst on his way home from a Vets 5-a-sideTournament.


2011-12 - First Team Squad