Welcome to Bristol Bilbao F.C.

09/05/2014

Bristol Bilbao sweep to Suburban title success with 100 per cent victory streak

UNSTOPPABLE Bristol Bilbao have become the first-ever team to complete a Bristol and Suburban League campaign with a 100 per cent winning record – in only their second season in existence.

League secretary Derek Cumner revealed that he had pored through all league handbooks dating back to the 1920s and couldn’t find a side in any division that had won every game, although “a number of teams” had remained unbeaten over the years.

In their first season, in 2012-13, Bristol Bilbao won the Division Six championship and the Len Bartlett Trophy, beating Broadwalk 3-1, before losing to Sartan United in the GFA Primary Cup final.

The league’s management committee promoted Bilbao to Division Three for this season, and to cap-off their amazing winning streak, they clinched the GFA Intermediate Cup by beating Sneyd Park Reserves 4-2 in the final. Their only defeat came at the hands of old foes Sartan, in the Len Bartlett final.

The team is made up of a group of friends managed by Ben Lewis and secretary Cory Clark. Four players reached double figures, with strikers Clark and Nick Joyce scoring over 40 goals apiece, while Nathan Stokes weighed in with 23 and Shaun Blake notched ten times.

A jubilant Lewis said: “To win the league in the manner we did is a great achievement and it shows great character, especially at the end of a hard season. It’s a credit to all the lads and to win the GFA Cup was a big highlight too.”

Secretary and goal-ace Clark added: “We’ve perhaps surprised ourselves achieving what we have and our aim now is to try and play at as high a level we can, with the Suburban Premier being the main goal.

“If we could compete well in that then who knows, the County league may not be beyond our reach, but there’s a lot to consider if it came to that. We’ve played our home games at Dundridge Farm in Hanham for the past two years and ideally we’d like to find a better pitch in time for the new season.

“Everyone’s been extremely supportive and I’d like to thank all supporters, family and friends who turn up week on week to cheer us on.”