Bridlington Town

Bridlington Town FC was founded in 1918 as Bridlington Central United. They played their football in local leagues, gradually gaining success until they changed their name to their current title in 1959 and joined the Yorkshire League.

They has several seasons of close rivalry with Bridlington Trinity, with whom they shared Queensgate, going on to lift the Yorkshire League title with Trinity finishing runners up. Town became founder members of the Northern Counties East League in 1982.

When I first visited Queensgate (or Queensgate Stadium as they like to call it these days), it was to visit as a young Scarborough fan to watch us play the premier club in the East Coast town. That was Bridlington Trinity. 

Trinity held that title until the late 1980's when a man called Ken Richardson rode into town to become the President of Bridlington Town. In a lesson that should be heeded by any smallish town with two clubs that ground share, he bought the lease of the ground, made improvements and then put Trinity's rent up so high that they were forced to disband. 

Town meanwhile, were making great strides. They reached the FA Vase final in 1989-90 at Wembley before losing to Yeading in a replay at Elland Road. They were to return to Wembley in 1992-93 to lift the Vase by beating Tiverton Town while winning the Northern Counties East title to complete the double.

The clubs success created its own problems as the ground graders at the FA decided that Queensgate was not up to scratch so Richardson moved the clubs home games to Belle Vue, Doncaster (where he just happened to be Chairman) which is nearly 50 miles away.

This move proved to be disastrous. A mate and Sunday league team mate of mine, Jamie McDermott was playing for the club at the time. His mate Shaun Mollon decided to go along for the ride to watch and ended up playing! 

The move was a disaster as Richardson had severe issues of his own and support and cash for Town was very low. They folded at the end of the 1992-93 season. Richardson had a dubious reputation already, but he really surpassed himself in 1995, which can be read about here.

My ticket from the Bridlinton Town v Yeading FA Vase Final at Wembley

A local pub team The Greyhound, approached the lease-holders of Bridlington Town's former stadium Queensgate, looking for it to become their base. A deal was struck under the condition that the team would change their name to Bridlington Town AFC, essentially bringing the old club back to the town.

The Greyhound club agreed and a new club crest was designed and a new motto "Pergere et Eniti", which means "Onwards and Upwards". The club returned on 10 September 1994. They had to begin life in the Driffield and District League but they progressed gradually and eventually reached as high as the Unibond (Northern Premier) League in 2003.

Money was spent on players contracts that the club couldn't really afford by a chairman who then resigned as his own business hit financial troubles.

New Chairman Pete Smurthwaite came in and kept the club on an even keel, not least with the very generous ground share agreement with Scarborough Athletic FC, who were looking to find a suitable venue in their home town in the meantime, where they initially paid £100 a game, with Town keep all catering and bar receipts. 

With gates averaging nearly 500, compared to Town's usual 180, both clubs were onto a winner! Smurthwaite once again showed his business acumen at the end of the 2009-10 season as The Seasiders were crowned champions of the Northern Counties East League. 

The club refused promotion owing to the increased travel expenses that Northern Premier League Football would incur. He was not prepared to plunge the club into the mess he inherited. 

The team under the impressive Gary Allanson also went close to the title the following season, before he left to concentrate on his youth development job with Hull City, to be replaced in the hot seat by Mitch Cook. Cook led the team to a runners up position in his first season in charge.

The following season Town ended in third place. Cook moved on to be replaced by the returning Allanson in June 2013. Chairman Smurthwaite cut the budget as Allanson looked to produce a young squad capable of challenging for honours.

In September 2016 Allanson stepped down for personal reasons with champion boxer and former top flight footballer Curtis Woodhouse taking over the job; taking Town to third place in 2016-17.

Woodhouse was replaced by Brett Agnew in September 2018. The Seasiders ended the 2018-19 season in third position.

Bridlington Town FC will play in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division in the 2019-20 season.

My visits

To read about my first three visits to Queensgate to see Bridlington Trinity in action, please click here.

Bridlington Town 3 Scarborough 1 (Sunday 28th July 1992) Pre Season Friendly

It was very different to how I had remembered it and I was most impressed, not least by the clubhouse which served beer at a time when everywhere else was shut on a Sunday!

My first visit for a Town home game, was at a time when Richardson's influence had taken real affect on and off the park. I was there for a pre season friendly against a Scarborough team who'd come straight from their fans open day to receive a 3-1 walloping. 

Manager Ray McHale and his assistant Billy McEwan told the players exactly what they thought as they conducted the half time team talk on the pitch in front of some pretty irate Seadogs. 

The ground now had an excellent clubhouse with a new Main stand containing 500 seats with standing for 300. The rest of the ground was open to the elements, mainly consisting of shallow grass banking.

Queensgate in 2007

I returned as a "home" fan in 2007 owing to Scarborough Athletic becoming tenants in Brid. The ground had improved since my previous visit. At the far Gasworks End a low red cover was constructed towards the Main Stand side. 

Along the Rugby Club Side a small cover for about 200 fans, which resembles a clear bus shelter had been erected along with additional turnstiles. I was most impressed with the surroundings. 

The Brid Town officials are always welcoming and the bar staff very efficient. It is always a pleasure to go to a game as a "home fan" at Queensgate, but without being disrespectful, I hope it's not for too much longer!

Bridlington Town 3 Scarborough Athletic 1 (Monday 26th December 2011) Northern Counties East League (att: 802)

I had seen the 'new' Boro play Brid on several previous occasions, but this was the first time I'd attended when as tenants we were officially the away side. Plans for attending the game had been put in place several weeks previously though.

Bunner and Dave Morgan had collared me at the Retford away game and announced their intention of walking to the match from Scarborough, a total of over eighteen miles. I added my name to the list along with Andy Crossland. Mick Ramm and Chris Brown also volunteered in the following weeks so that we had a team of six. 

We didn't want any more than that in case the police or health and safety brigade took a keen interest. I sorted sponsor forms out as others added their assistance. We wanted to help Boro, but also a local charity, so St Catherine's Hospice was selected. 

We approached our board after some consideration and it was agreed that all kids would be allowed free admission for the home match with Maltby Main the following February in return for any money we handed over, to encourage the next generation of Seadogs to catch the bug.

The big day came, with the weather thankfully around ten degrees, albeit with a strong wind. We were in good spirits as it looked likely that the final fund could approach £2,000 depending on late pledges.

Mick was so determined to succeed and mindful that he may struggle that he got up at 5am and set off over an hour in front of us. We were waiting for his arrival in the dark outside the Athletic Ground when Bunner’s mobile went from Mick in Cayton! The rest of us then set off at 7am. 

Richard Oldale kindly got out of bed to go to the old ground to take a photo and hand out some B2B t shirts, for which Nick Finch kindly covered the cost. St Catherine’s also provided Santa suits. Some fitted into theirs better than others!

The pace set by David was incredible. For any of you who are unaware Mr Morgan was once the owner of the proud title of being the youngest man ever to swim the English Channel. I believed he was in training to do something similar, and from what I saw he’d be sure to manage it. 

I wouldn’t have believed the pace he set if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. Bunner and Chris tried to stay with him, while Andy and I brought up the rear. We are both pretty experienced walkers, but we tended to enjoy steady long walks rather than Olympic qualifying times! 

We kept with them as best as we could, using every shortcut available, but as we left Cayton we let them go. We left the far side of that village ahead of schedule, so we could relax a little. I did my best to update through my mobile phone when I could, but to be honest it was a test to keep going, let alone tweet or post on Facebook. 

I know someone commented at Queensgate that they were worried as I didn’t update for a long while! Andy and I didn’t go all the way to the garage at Lebberston, nipping through the village instead and joining he main road after Gristhorpe. Our plan was to catch the others up. Some hope!

We were on the outskirts of Filey by 9am and then the Dotterrel by 10. My Dad had driven along to drop drinks off, but the lads had already bolted from the pub (no beer stop, which was a first for many of us). He drove down the road and handed out the isotonic while the final two of us walked along the busying main road. 

Many passing motorists and fans offered encouragement,  although I didn’t know whether to collapse with shock or exhaustion. It stopped been fun but it had turned into a duty after the pub, for me anyway. I felt every pebble on the road and even the slightest inclines were like mountain trails. Andy deserved a medal the size of a dustbin lid for listening to me by then!

The plan originally was to all meet at the garage by the entrance to walk into Brid and walk in together, but I rung the others and told them to get to the ground for a well earned drink and rest. Andy used google maps and we got off the main road, which was a massive relief to take the back roads and lanes to the outskirts of town before sneaking through a few streets to the ground. Meeting up with the rest of the blokes and being congratulated was a genuinely warming feeling.

David Morgan did his walk in 3hrs 40 minutes, which I find pretty amazing. I had huge respect big fella. The others did it in about twenty minutes later. Andy and I did five hours exactly, which we were very pleased with.

We had time to sit down and enjoy a drink before joining the large queues to get into the ground. I was looking forward to the match, but I wasn't as up for it as I have been for that derby in the past, probably because I was in such a good but mellow mood after my endurance's.

The atmosphere seemed to be muted. I think it could have been down to nerves, the early kick off and anxiety that the game went off without incident as the FA were watching closely. There was sporadic noise from The Shed, but that was overshadowed by some Boro fans, who were embarasing with their loud comments to be frank. 

The match was pretty even until Brid's players decided to shoot on site. They went in two goals to the good through ex Seadog Craig Hogg and Ash Allanson. The probable forthcoming suspension of Boro's star striker Ryan Blott seemed to affect his performance.
Brid went through up as Hogg broke through a one paced defence before Boro boss Rudy Funk sent skipper Tony Hackworth forward. 

Immediately he caused problems as the tempo increased. He came close a couple of times and then notched with five minutes remaining, but it was too little too late. Boro had played the long ball too often when they looked better when passing to feet and getting it wide, if a little too predictably.

I had stood with my Dad in the second half. He'd expected us to lose so he wasn't too perturbed. We made as quick a get away as possible as I limped after him across the car park. I had the most welcome of baths and a lovely meal once back home before going out and enjoying a few pints like never before.

I had now travelled to watch Boro in both guises by tube, train, car, steam train, foot and plane. I was running out of options, but surely there were more to come? I certainly hoped so!