As we approach the latter stages of the 2021/2022 season, and after ending the club’s 12-year derby day drought beating Street FC 1 – 0, thoughts turn to the progress made in this, the inaugural season so far, from Bridgwater United Football Club.

Tuesday’s excellent victory with a largely depleted squad hopefully demonstrates the vast progress made within the football club over the last 12 months. It hasn’t always been an easy journey so far, but as we approach the closing stage of this season, we have so much still to play for and so many developments to bring you. 

Before the season is out, we will definitely see at least three United squads in Cup Final action with another handful a possibility. Our Women’s First Team have reached the County Cup Final for the first time in 10 years alongside the pathways Under 21s and Under 16s being represented in their respective cup finals also. 

When our Senior Women’s play their final, it will be exactly 2,507 days since a Bridgy side won a trophy, a statistic that we will be striving to consign to the records books at Shepton Mallet this upcoming Friday!

The Women’s Under 21’s & Men’s Under 18’s dual-career programmes in partnership with Bridgwater & Taunton College have kicked on another level this year. The girls face Gateshead, a feeder for Women’s Championship side Sunderland AFC, in their FIRST EVER English College’s FA (ECFA) National Semi-Final. The boys also reached the ECFA National Semi-Final, narrowly missing out on a place the final to Bishop Burton College, who have a strong association with Hull City,

Our talented Under 18’s side have had another successful season finishing third in the very competitive South West Counties Youth League and have reached the final of their league cup (which they are defending) where they will face Torquay United. 

The men’s first team are through to the latter stages of their league cup and are pushing at the top end of the Western League Premier Division. It’s safe to say that Bridgwater is firmly on the footballing map.

We set out to achieve just that fact this time last year; to put football at the heart of the community, shine a positive spotlight on our hometown and what is achievable within it.

A remarkable Women’s FA Cup run saw BBC’s regional and national crews alongside ITV, and Sky Sports descend on Fairfax Park after knocking out Championship side Crystal Palace in an excellent display, leading Bridgy to host a club everyone knows, Manchester United. A capacity sell out of 2,500 and a new record attendance at Fairfax Park, cheered the Women on to an excellent display and, although we may have lost 2-0, that performance and desire alongside the running of a stellar event is why I truly believe Bridgwater can have a top tier football club representing the town against well-known sides – week in, week out in both men’s and women’s sides of the game.

To achieve that we must win leagues. This requires consistency, persistence, quality and perhaps a bit of luck along the way. As the season has gone on, our men’s and women’s performances have grown in consistency and quality, albeit not perfect, and are by no means the finished article, our persistence has been key in continuing to build big basics done exceptionally well. This has centred around our targets to master possession on the pitch and to look after our health off it, with such support as physio’s, dietitians with freshly cooked dinners after training for our players and staff.

To continue to provide an ever-improving environment we need facilities to match. Following months of ongoing talks with our appointed engineering consultants, a slightly revised north stand will be submitted shortly to provide a community facility that all in the town and wider Sedgemoor area can enjoy. But most importantly this will support our Community Sports Trust in a headquarters for administration and delivery.

Currently seeking charitable status, our Community Sports Trust, established in early 2021 and headed up by Oli Moore, has grown to having now, 3 full time members of staff, and several part time staff, multiple participation centres for children and young people across Sedgemoor, its own walking football team, and a number of vital community outreach programmes, all working closely with the local authorities.

Their delivery will be aided by the acquiring of Bristol Road, subject to the current public consultation period which ends at the end of March, following numerous meetings with Sedgemoor District Council and Bridgwater Town Council who have been of immense support, The Trust will be able to begin to provide delivery at the heart of Bridgwater at its own facility. This is a landmark project, not just for Bridgwater but nationally.

We are thoroughly looking forward to this season’s run in and what can be achieved across the club before the season break, where we expect to break more ground on projects that will propel us forward and support our vision for a sustainable club within the local community that performs at the highest level possible.

I would also like to express my sincere thanks to all our staff, volunteers, sponsors and fans for supporting our club and hope to report back to you all shortly, with some great news and results before the season is up.

Adam Murry