Bristol Aeroplane Company F.C.


Bristol Aeroplane Company F.C. was an English football club based in Bristol, and was the works football team of the Bristol Aeroplane Company. The team played in the Western Football League before and after World War II, but left in 1950. They also participated in the FA Cup.

League history

Joining the Western League in time for the final season of football before World War II, Bristol Aeroplane Company F.C. had a successful season, finishing as runners-up to champions Trowbridge Town. After the war they fared less well, gradually dropping down the top division before finishing bottom and being relegated to Division Two in 1947–48. Life in Division Two was equally tough, with the club finishing third bottom and second bottom in the final two seasons before leaving the league at the end of the 1949–50 season.
The club fielded a reserve side in Division Two of the Western League for two seasons, the second season being particularly unsuccessful. When the first team was relegated, the reserves were dropped.
Bristol Aeroplane Company F.C.'s six seasons of Western League football are listed below.
SeasonDivisionPositionWDLFAPts
1939–40Western League2 of 111343783330
1945–46Western League9 of 1410412628124
1946–47Western League, Division One11 of 1812314728727
1947–48Western League, Division One18 of 184129561659
1948–49Western League, Division Two16 of 1895207410923
1949–50Western League, Division Two17 of 1836254313812

Reserves

FA Cup history

Bristol Aeroplane Company F.C. entered the FA Cup for three consecutive seasons during the late 1940s, without scoring any goals. In their first Cup tie in 1947–48 they were defeated in the Preliminary Round 2–0 at Western League rivals Soundwell. They lost to local rivals again the following season, 1948–49, this time 4–0 at home to Hoffman Athletic in the Extra Preliminary Round. Their final attempt in 1949–50 resulted in a 3–0 Preliminary Round defeat at Troedyrhiw of the Welsh League.
Bristol Aeroplane Company F.C. won the Gloucestershire Senior Amateur Challenge Cup in 1937–38 and 1942–43.