Formation | 1886 |
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Purpose | Football association |
Headquarters | Oaklands Park Gloucester Road |
Location |
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Coordinates | 51°32′55″N 2°34′15″W / 51.548606°N 2.570901°WCoordinates: 51°32′55″N 2°34′15″W / 51.548606°N 2.570901°W |
David Neale | |
Website | gloucestershirefa.com |
The Gloucestershire County Football Association, also simply known as the Gloucestershire FA or GFA, is the governing body of football in the county of Gloucestershire. It was formed in 1886.
The Gloucestershire County Football Association has developed from small beginnings in 1886 into an Association of more than 2000 affiliated teams and 20 affiliated Leagues. Key dates in the history of the Association are provided below:
1886: At a meeting in the Full Moon Hotel, Stokes Croft, Bristol on 7 September, the Gloucestershire Football Association was formed to be administered by a Management Committee. Gloucestershire’s first President was the famous cricketer Dr W.G. Grace who was also an active Referee.
1889–90: 33 Clubs had affiliated to the County, which enabled a delegate to be sent to the Football Association.
1892: The Association was running two Cup Competitions and playing five or six County matches a season with the first League commencing operations.
1898: The Association's Management Committee became the Council with representatives from 15 Clubs and a representative from each League affiliated to the Association.
1919–20: A major change in the structure of the Council occurred when Northern Council was formed from areas north of Thornbury. However all decisions still had to be sanctioned by the full Council.
1927: The County Minor (Youth) Association was formulated.
1933: The responsibilities of the County Minor Association were assumed by the Main Council.
1946: The County Youth Association was revived following its demise in 1933.
1967: Moves were made to form an entirely separate Council in the North. But at a meeting in December it was agreed that two separate Associations were impractical. The immediate result was that a joint annual meeting was introduced in addition to the A.G.M.
1976: The last independent North and South Council meetings took place and in 1977 the Council again became a unified body.
1995: Following the sudden death of the long serving Hon. Secretary E J Marsh, the County appointed Paul Britton as full- time Secretary and shortly afterwards purchased the property at Oaklands Park, Almondsbury as its first permanent Headquarters.