| Of the two football
clubs in Bristol, Bristol City has been the most successful
winning the Third Division (south) championship
three times, the Football League Trophy 02/03 and the Anglo Scottish Cup 77/78.
Beginning life as Bristol South End F.C., Bristol
City F.C. emerged in 1897 when the team turned professional.
The team then merged with another local team, Bedminster
F.C. and joined the Football League in 1901.
For most of the next 40 years the team found themselves
firmly in Division Three with a few brief spells in Division
Two, but it was not until the 1950s that Bristol City
were able to make their Division Two placing stick.
The late 1970s took the club into the top flight, when
in 1976 they were promoted to the top division.
They managed four seasons in Division One, reaching a
high of 13th place in the 78/79 season. This was to be
the rise before the fall as the club soon found themselves
in Division Four and bankrupt.
The club managed to avoid closure by a whisker and from
these depths the Bristol City rose again to Division Two,
reaching an FA Cup Final on the way. Today the
club play in Coca-Cola Football League One, the
third division in the English football league.
Bristol City’s home ground is the Ashton Gate
Stadium [map],
based on the south side of the city. The ground has the
capacity for more than 20,000 football fans. Of the four
main stands, three are reserved for home fans and one,
the Wedlock Blackthorn Stand, can hold around 5,000
away fans.
Ashton Gate has been the club’s permanent home since
1904 and has seen several important Bristol City games
as well as an international match between England and
Wales in 1913.
The stadium has two stands named after famous
players, Wedlock and Ateyo. The Wedlock Stand
at the east end of the stadium was named after William
John Wedlock, a player in the early 1900s who
played centre half for Bristol city and for England. While
the Ateyo Stand is named after John Ateyo,
a player who made around 600 League appearances for the
Bristol City between 1951 and 1966 when he retired.
If you want to see this club in action give the Bristol
City Ticket Line a ring on 0870 112 1897.
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