Gosport Borough

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Ground: Privett Park, Privett Road, Gosport.

Telephone: 023 9250 1042 (matchdays)

Alternative number: Brian Cosgrave 01329 314117

Chairman: John Stimpson

Secretary: Brian Cosgrave

Manager: Alex Pike

Directions to ground: M27 Junction 11, then A32 Fareham to Gosport, at Brockenhurst roundabout (after about 3 miles) right into Military Road past HMS Sultan, left into Privett Road at next roundabout. Ground is 300 yards on left, signed 'Privett Park Enclosure'. Nearest station Portsmouth Harbour (BR) 2 miles then take Gosport Ferry.

Club History:

Sixty years old in 2004, Gosport Borough Athletic Club was founded just two weeks after the D-Day landings in 1944 in an initiative to bring back organised football, athletics, swimming and cycling to the town after a break of several years.

In their first season (1944/45), the football section of the Club won the Portsmouth and District League Division 1 under the guidance of former Southampton player, Stan Cribb. The line-up at that time included Jimmy Scoular and Peter Harris who both went on to become full internationals.

For their second season, the Club were accepted into the Hampshire League and won the Division 1 title at their first attempt. This feat was not repeated for 31 seasons despite being a major force in Hampshire football during that period.

After winning the Hampshire League title in successive seasons (1976/77 and 1977/78), Gosport were elected to the Southern Football League. In the team's first four seasons they never finished outside the top four and when the League was restructured for the start on the 1982/83 season, Gosport were placed in the Premier Division.

Two years later Borough lost their Premier Division status and were relegated to the Southern Division. However the next season saw the team bounce straight back after an incredible run of 16 wins in the final 19 matches. In fact, Gosport needed to win the final match to be certain of promotion and in front of a home crowd in excess of 1,500 they demolished Salisbury 5-0.

In the 1987/88 season the team were once again threatened with relegation. In fact until the April of that season Boro' had looked odds-on favourites for the drop. However, a run in the Hampshire Senior Cup that took them all the way to the Final at the Dell lifted the players spirits. A thrashing of the favourites Farnborough Town in the Final was followed by a good run of results in the League lifting the team out of trouble to remain in the Premier Division.

The Club enjoyed their highest ever finish in the 1988/89 season finishing in seventh place in the Premier Division. Unfortunately for the club, a mass exodus of players and a change in the management saw the club relegated to the Southern Division and two years later (1992) they were relegated again to the Jewson Wessex League.

Following relegation the Chairman at the time, Ian Hay, appointed Roger Sherwood as manager. Although Boro' had three good seasons with Sherwood, the Jewson Wessex League Cup in 1992/93 was his only major success.

After the departure or Sherwood at the start of the 1995/96 season, the Management Committee undertook a review of the Clubs policies. It was decided to commence a period of financial consolidation and re-structuring. Three former Gosport players (John Hawes, Dave Pitt and Barry Cook) took up the running of the team with a new emphasis on forming a team of locally based players and developing an extensive youth policy.

In 1997, Boro' approached Gomer Football Club, a successful youth club to form an affiliation. Not only did it given the senior club the ability to tap into local talent as it emerges through the ranks, but it also gives boys the opportunity to aim for a higher standard of football than they might normally achieve when youth football ended.

Nevertheless, Boro's position in the Jewson Wessex League continued to deteriorate. Dave Pitt and Barry Cook resigned in October 1999 after a particularly difficult start to the season.

John Hawes became Chairman of the Club but resigned from that position after one year to return to his coaching role.

During this period, Ian Hay restructured the Club's finances and implemented a new and relatively unique Trustee Scheme which may give Gosport Borough a firm financial base for the future. Dave Taviner (another former player) took over as Caretaker Manager until former Reserve Manager Mick Marsh was appointed as the new First Team Manager in December 1999.

At the start of the 2000/01 season, Vice-Chairman John Stimpson was elected to the Chairmanship of the Club. He immediately agreed with Mick Marsh that the Club should continue to develop young local players and also look to include a mix of a few more experienced players in the First Team. The youth structure has continued to grow and now consists of teams from under 18s down to under 8s. Several members of the youth teams have gone on to play regularly for the club at a senior level and the club is having continued success in youth competitions.

GOSPORT BOROUGH HONOURS

Portsmouth League: 1944/45

Hampshire League: 1945/46, 1976/77, 1977/78

Hampshire League Division 3 (reserves): 1970/71, 1975/76

Southern League Division 1 South: runners-up 1984/85

Wessex League: runners-up 2002/03

Hampshire Senior Cup: 1987/88

Wessex League Cup: 1992/93

Wessex League Combination Cup: runners-up 1992/93, 1997/98, 1998/99

Russell Cotes Cup: 1969/70, runners-up 1993/94, 1996/97, 2002/03

Hampshire Intermediate Cup: 1970/71

South Western Counties Pratten Cup: 1977/78

Portsmouth Senior Cup: 1961/62, 1969/70, 1970/71, 1993/94, 1995/96, 2003/04

GOSPORT BOROUGH YOUTH HONOURS

Under 7s Mid Solent League: 1998

Under 8s Mid Solent League: 1999

Under 9s Mid Solent League: 2000

Under 10s Mid Solent League: 1994, 1995, runners-up 2001

Under 10s Portsmouth League: 1999, 2001

Under 11s Portsmouth League: 2000

Under 11s Mid Solent League: runners-up 1998

Under 12s Mid Solent League: 2001, runners-up 1995

Under 12s Mid Solent League 'B': 1999

Under 12s Portsmouth League: runners-up 1997

Under 12s Portsmouth League 'B': 1999

Under 13s Portsmouth League: 1998 runners-up 2000

Under 13s Portsmouth League 'B': 1998

Under 13s Portsmouth League 'C': 2001

Under 14s Portsmouth League: 1999, runners-up 2001

Under 14s Mid Solent League: runners-up 1998, 1999, 2001

Under 15s Mid Solent League: runners-up 2000, 2002

Under 15s Portsmouth League: runners-up 1999

Under 15s Portsmouth League 'C': 2002

Under 16s Mid Solent League: 1999, 2000

Under 16s Portsmouth League: runners-up 2000

Under 10s Charity Shield: 1997

Under 10s Portsmouth League Cup: 1999, runners-up 2001

Under 11s Charity Shield: 1995

Under 11s Hampshire Cup: 2000

Under 11s Mid Solent Cup: runners-up 1994

Under 11s Portsmouth League Cup: runners-up 2000

Under 13s Hampshire Cup: runners-up 2000

Under 13s Portsmouth League Cup: runners-up 1997

Under 14s Portsmouth League Cup: 1999

Under 14s Mid Solent Cup: 1998, 1999

Under 15s Mid Solent Cup: 1998

Under 15s Hampshire Cup: runners-up 2002

Sandown Challenge Shield: 1993

Funtley Challenge Shield: 1994

UK National Five-A-Side (Under 11s): 2002

IOW Junior Soccer Festival - Most sporting team 2002

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