Retainers AFC at present have 3 teams playing in the Bristol Downs Le
ague. Games are played every Saturday afternoon on the open fields of the Bristol Downs and all of our three teams can be spotted playing in the combination of Green and White kits.
Below is a history of the Retainers AFC, written by Brian May, one of the longest serving players and current Assistant Treasurer of the club (everything we do as a club is driven by him!)
The Retainers Football Club was founded in 1953 by ex-pupils of the St John's school at the top of Blackboy Hill, Redland.
The name Retainers derived from the fact that its members participated in a number of activities in the Bristol area.
One of the other interests associated with the club was cricket. We have had a high degree of success in the now defunct Down's Cricket League, including many notable defences of the former Evening Post H.E.R Cricket Cup.
Hence the idea of holding onto what had been accomplished, namely retaining success.
The club made progress winning the third and second divisions in successive seasons and a second team was also formed.
The first team won the Norman Hardy Cup and the Premier Downs League in following seasons - without losing a match.
The club is now looking forward with its younger players to repeat these achievements in the not too distant future.
Many notable club players in the past have achieved success in representative team:
Keith Hemmings, Jackie Pitt, Chris Honeyfield, Ian Brown, recently retired Chairman John Ponting and Brian May (current Assistant Treasurer and founder member) who incidentally 'clocked up' more than 1700 games between them.
The club played its first ever match in orange and white colours, but has since maintained its basic green and white attire over the past 45 seasons - Green & White Barmy Army!!
Finally, over the past few years, this club has seen a bit of a makeover. Obvious changes have been new kits and new sponsors, as well as various changes within the management committee. But something not so noticeable has been the change in the club badge. It was decided that the old club badge needed a makeover and therefore be brought up to date, so below on the left is the old badge and the right the current.
