Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic F.C.
| Full name | Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Gasmen, The Lights |
| Founded | 1899 (as Bournemouth Gasworks) |
| Dissolved | 1973 |
| Ground | Alder Road, Poole |
Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic F.C. were an English amateur football team from Bournemouth, Hampshire, who were successful in both county and national competitions, reaching the final of the FA Amateur Cup in 1930. They became defunct in 1973.
Founded in 1899 as a works side the club joined the Hampshire League West Division in 1904. In 1921 Bournemouth Gasworks were placed in the County Division (later to become Division One) and this marked the start of a very successful period for 'the Lights' as they were crowned champions in 1922–23. The club added the Athletic suffix to their name at this time.
The late Twenties saw the side record some fine runs in the FA Amateur Cup, most notably in 1929–30 when they reached the final, which was played at West Ham United's Upton Park stadium where a crowd of 21,800 saw them hold Ilford 1–1 at the break before they eventually lost by a 1–5 scoreline.
The Gasworks remained a strong force in county football and were Hampshire League Division One champions a further four times during the Thirties with the reserve side also winning the Division Two title.
The post war era saw Bournemouth Gasworks remain a prominent force in the Hampshire League and the cups. During this time they were regular entrants in the FA Cup qualifying rounds and they won the Hampshire Senior Cup in 1952–53 and 1953–54. In 1956–57 the Gasworks were relegated after finishing bottom and after a mid-table finish in Division Two the club left the Hampshire League to play in local Dorset football. They would go on to win the Dorset League nine times, as well as winning the Dorset Senior Cup ten times and the Dorset Amateur Cup nine times.
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