Portland United

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Ground: New Grove Corner, Grove Road, Portland, Dorset, DT5 1DP

Telephone: 01305 861489

Chairman: Pete Turrell

Secretary: Tony Greaves

Manager: Andy Mason

Directions to ground: To follow

Club History:

The Blues, as they are more popularly known, were formed in 1921. From 1921 to 1939 they were a very successful amateur club, winning the Dorset Senior Cup in 1928-29, 1929-30, 1932-33 and 1935-36. They were also Western League Division Two Champions in 1930-31 and 1931-32, as well as winning the Dorset Amateur Cup in 1924-25, 1926-27 and 1937-38. They had great success in winning the A"Court Shield on four occasions, 1931-32, 1932-33, 1935-36, 1938-39 and the Hospital Cup in 1931-32, 1932-33 and 1935-36.

Portland United Reserves had their own success, being champions of the Dorset League in 1927-28, 1928-29, 1929-30 and 1931-32.

During the 1920's and 1930's The Blues regularly played in front of crowds of two and three thousand and were virtually unbeatable at Grove Corner, and anywhere else for that matter.

After the second World War, they became a semi-professional club and joined the Western League. Success continued, winning the Dorset Senior Cup on another six occasions, 1948-49, 1956-57, 1959-60, 1961-62, 1965-66 and 1966-67.

The attendance record at Grove Corner was set on January 27th, 1949 when 4,127 saw The Blues defeat Weymouth 4-1 in a Western League Division One match.

The most successful season in the club's history was in 1965-66 when they finished runner's-up in the Western League Division One and progressed to the 4th qualifying round of the FA Cup when on Saturday 16th October they held those famous cup giant-killers, Yeovil Town, to a 1-1 draw at Grove Corner in front of a crowd of 3,069. They went down bravely 3-1 at Huish the following Wednesday in front of a 6,005 crowd. Yeovil went on to play Brentford in the 1st round proper.

At the end of the 1969-70 season The Blues sadly withdrew from the Western League to join the Dorset Combination League the following season, winning the Combination League at the first attempt in 1970-71. In the following few years appearing in the Dorset Senior Cup and on three occasions the final of the Combination League Cup.

The 1993-94 season marked a watershed in the history of Portland United Football Club, for it was to be the last season that The Blues were to play on their infamous sloping pitch at Grove Corner. The Crown required the ground for mineral extraction, and so The Blues were provided with a new ground a couple of hundred yards along Grove Road. The old ground was formally closed on 9th May with a celebratory game against their old rivals Weymouth F.C. in front of a crowd in excess of 500, with The Blues taking possession of their new ground in June 1994.

The new 1997-98 season saw The Blues finish second in the Dorset Combination League and and win the Combination Cup for the first time. It was also the second year running that Portland United were awarded the Trevor Williams Fair Play Trophy.

1998-99 and The Blues went one better, achieving the double, winning the Dorset Combination League and the Combination Cup at Swannage by 3 goals to 0 against Parley Sports.

Season 1999-2000 was another landmark in the club's history, marking the introduction of floodlights. On the pitch The Blues continued where they left off last season, again achieving the double, winning the Dorset Combination League and the Combination Cup at Day's Park, Swannage and this time defeating Gillingham Town in a thrilling final, 4-3 after extra time!

Season 2000-2001 saw The Blues lose only one match in the League, score over 100 goals, but having to be content with second place behind Hamworthy United, going out of the Combination Cup in the semi-finals to Hamworthy United at the County Ground.

2001-2002 saw The Blues promoted from the Dorset Combination League to the Wessex Jewson League, and in their first season finish a very respecatable 14th place. It also saw us reach the 2nd round proper of the FA Vase, losing to Moneyfields 2-1 after extra time. The Blues also finished the season heading the attendance chart with an average gate of 160 and this coming season will see Portland United enter the AXA FA Cup for the first time in over 30 years.

Season 2002-2003 and United finish 8th in the Jewson Wessex League. Also this season is our first venture back in the FA Cup after an absence of 30 years. We are rewarded with a home game against Welton Rovers from the Screwfix Western League Division One and in front of a crowd of 270 we progress into the next round with a great 6-2 victory. In the next round we are drawn away to another Screwfix Western League Division One side, Corsham Town, and on a day when nothing seemed to go right we lose the tie by 3 goals to 1. In the FA Vase we go out at the first hurdle, losing at home to Ilfracombe Town by 1 goal to 0.

2003-2004 and we start this season with what our manager, Nick Preston, describes as the biggest signing in the club's 82 year history, David Laws from Dr. Martens Premier League side, Weymouth.

The middle of October 2003 saw The Blues part company with manager Nick Preston. He was replaced by Peter Conning who previously managed Bridport from the Screwfix Western Premier League. His assistant is Barry Lawley who was with Peter at Bridport, Barry being no stranger to management at Grove Corner, as he and Pete Turrell managed The Blues in the glory days of the Dorset Combination League in the late 1990's.

January 11th 2004 and Pete Conning quites The Blues to take up an appointment as assistant manageer at Tiverton Town who play in the Dr. Martens Southern League Premier Division. Pete Turrell, Andy Mason (ex Weymouth manager) and Barry Lawley will take up the running of the Wessex League side until a decision is made as to who the new manager will be.