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What's the future of the football league aged 120

The Bristol Downs League is looking at what it needs to do to continue for the next generation

A football league dating back almost 120 years is looking at how it can survive for future generations.

The Bristol Downs League is unique in that all four divisions play on the same set of pitches at 14:00 every Saturday afternoon. Every game is a home game.

But, its future is looking uncertain with fewer people coming to play and the committee facing rising costs.

With the league in its second century, what does it need to do to make it to a third?

Two opposing football teams playing on the downs. One is going for the ball. It is a sunny day.
Players and members of the Downs committee said there were various ways the league could be improved including representation

The sprawling 442-acre open parkland of the Clifton Downs on top of the city’s Avon Gorge hosts 41 teams, more than 1,500 players, and over 400 matches a season.

Graham Hibbard, chairman of Saints Old Boys FC, who play on the Downs, said: "Our outgoings for this season for five teams is £16,000.

"Somehow that’s got to be addressed – we’re pricing people on fairly low incomes out of the game."

A gup of players, who are wearing red, white and black, football kits, are celebrating a win. They are all huddled together jumping in celebration. One player is holding a cup up in the air.
The Bristol Downs League is unique in that all four divisions play on the same set of pitches every Saturday afternoon

Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol's Joe Sims for the podcast Always At Home: Bristol's Beautiful Game, players and members of the Downs committee said there were various ways the league could be improved.

Starting with the changing rooms, which have been owned partly by Bristol City Council and The Society of Merchant Venturers (SMV), since 1930.

Labour councillor and committee member Kye Dudd said: "They're like prison cells - they don't meet any modern specifications these days. We can't go on like this."

Mike Bothamley, master of SMV, added: "If we’re going to refurbish the changing rooms, or redevelop or rebuild them in any way, the moment we stray off the existing footprint, we’ve actually got to get a new act of parliament – it's a very complicated, time consuming and expensive endeavour."

Not only would that cost the Bristol City Council, the decision would also have to include the UK parliament.

"The biggest issue is trying to find the money. We've got a proposal that will probably cost about £1.2 to £3m and that's a refurbishment, rather than a demolition and rebuild," said Mr Dudd.

"It's very difficult to identify where we get that money," added Mr Dudd.

Players walking through the corridor of the changing rooms. A player at the front has brown curly hair and is wearing a blue football kit. The ceiling of the changing rooms has flaking paint.
The changing room block on the Downs has not been updated in a long time

The pitches, often described by players as a "great leveller" is another issue for the league.

It's varying, undulating quality has been part of it's charm for some but proves a difficulty for head ranger Ben Scuse.

He said: “If football was the only thing we had to do here, and the only thing we could devote our resources to, things would be a little bit better.

"We do our best but this is the Downs," he said.

"This couldn’t be a private sports ground," he added.

A photo of the pitch on a sunny day. A group of players can be seen out of focus in the background. A purple football flag is centre of the photo in focus.
The pitches have often been described as an issue for the league

For the league, the final development area is representation.

Despite there being more than 1,500 footballers, nearly 30 referees and a large committee, they are all men.

"I’d love to see women’s divisions up there," said Claire Bullock, whose husband plays for NCSF.

"Both my girls, they’re eleven and fourteen, both played football. I’d love to see the Downs becoming more inclusive and I think that will help to keep it current, up to date and keep more people involved in supporting it," she added.

“We played football following in our father’s footsteps but Ace and I have two daughters each who won’t currently have that opportunity as currently stands," said Ben Hibbard, captain of Saints Old Boys FC first team.

But there are some who are trying to tackle the problem.

“There’s no way public money will be able to do it, so I had a program of a summer festival competition which involved limited size football for youngsters – women’s downs league getting private money back into the facility," said Graham Edgell, club manager of Saints Old Boys.

'Best league in the world'

But for Gareth Browning, chairman of Sneyd Park AFC, it's also about making it easier and cheaper for people to be involved.

"Can we get some sponsorship in, can we get some money into the league," he said.

"It is all linked back to broadcasting what we have as a league," he added.

"It's all things we need to build on and work on to get the league out there and get more people involved in the best football league in the world."

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