Bath City publish strategy document and report (31/5/12)
City have published a document and report setting out the club’s strategy for the forthcoming 2012-13 season and beyond, up until 2015, the thinking behind it and operational plans to make it a reality. The document covers all areas of the club, including the football operation and structure, the development squad and academy, bars, the Community Sports Foundations and Supporters groups. To download the document click here.
City add second Championship opponent to pre-season campaign (29/5/12)
City will be playing another Championship side in a pre-season friendly. Burnley are the visitors on Tuesday 31 July (ko 7.30pm) and for this game they will be charging £10 adults, £5 concessions. The Clarets recent history has been chequered, including a short stay in the Premiership until they lost their manager Owen Coyle. Last season they finished in 13th place but will hope to push for a play-off place under the leadership of 34-year old Eddie Howe.
Highly-rated keeper Mellor flies Seagull’s nest for Twerton Park (28/5/12)
City have announed their first new signing of the summer with the arrival of highly-rated goalkeeper Jason Mellor from Clevedon Town. The former Nailsea shot-stopper captained the Southern League club to cup success last season, lifting the Red Insure Southern League Cup, and he impressed in the recent development squad match against Kidderminster Harriers. Jason commented, “I am delighted to join Bath City, they are a club with ambition and I look forward to working with Adie and the rest of the squad”. Manager Adie Britton added, “I have followed Jason’s career for a while now and am very pleased to have captured his signature, he is certainly a talented keeper and shows a lot of promise for the future”.
The club has also confirmed that owing to the prevailing financial environment they have had to make both Communications and Enterprise Manager Ned Vaught and Commercial Manager Ian Jones redundant. We wish both Ian and Ned all the best in their future careers. For any commercial or communications queries, please contact info@bathcityfootballclub.co.uk and, in the short term, this website will be where all official announcements are posted.
Provisional 2012-13 Blue Square Bet South line-up announced (18/5/12)
City are set to face three clubs for the first time next season, plus a number of more familiar opponents, after the provisional line-up for the Conference South was announced today. AFC Hornchurch, Boreham Wood and Billericay Town are the new league rivals, although City have played at the latter’s New Lodge home when Chelmsford City were tenants during the early 2000s. The full 2012-13 line-up is as follows:
As ever, though, this set-up is subject to change at the Football Conference AGM on June 9.
Rollo and Canham first to commit to City for 2012-13 season (18/5/12)
Jim Rollo and Marc Canham have become the first players to agree terms for the 2012-13 season. It will be Rollo’s tenth full season at Twerton Park having originally joined in May 2002 following two previous loan spells. And he could become just the fourth Roman to reach 500 appearances for the club having already notched up 464 games. By contrast it will just be Canham’s third year in the black and white stripes but as one of City’s most consistent performers during last season’s disappointing campaign his signing is a real boost as the club looks to bounce back from relegation.
City celebrate Diamond Jubilee year with visit from the Palace (17/5/12)
City have announced that they will face Championship side Crystal Palace at Twerton Park on Friday 20 July (ko 7pm). The Eagles, who finished 17th in the Championship last season, will stop off in Bath on their return from a pre-season trip to Devon. The clubs have met once before in a friendly when a youthful Palace side was beaten 5-0 in a testimonial match for Keith Brown prior to the 1993-94 season.
Although City have yet to publish which players are to be released, striker Lee Phillips has confirmed that he has not been offered a new contract, joining the retiring Scott Murray as two who definitely won’t be with the club next season.
Twerton Park to host Internet Football Association event on Sunday (17/5/12)
Twerton Park will be the venue for a feast of football this Sunday (20 May) when supporters’ sides from Coventry City, Kidderminster Harriers, Oxford United, Preston North End and Redditch United join City’s side for an Internet Football Association event. City will open the day when they take on the U’s at 9.45am with two matches to follow before a second City side race Redditch at 6pm. Admission is free and the TR Hayes Premier Lounge will be open all day, serving food and drink, with the club offering a £5 meal and pint deal. All funds raised will go to Adie Britton’s playing budget for the 2012-13 season.
Stalwart Simpson named top player in end of season awards (5/5/12)
Sekani Simpson was named City’s 2011-12 supporters player of the year at last night’s end of season presentation evening. The 28-year old former Forest Green Rover defender passed the milestone of 250 games for the club during the campaign and as one of City’s more consistent performers was fully deserving of the award. The evening at Twerton Park, attended by the Mayor of Bath, Brian Chalker, around 100 City fans plus the majority of the playing squad and management team, also saw Scott Murray named players’ player of the season, Joe Burnell pick up the managers award and Sean Canham the Golden Boot. Shane Morgan was awarded supporter of the season, Louis Mancini young supporter and Gill Rixson the volunteer of the season title.
Ken Loach launches Bath City FC Community Sports Foundation (5/5/12)
World remowned film director and former City board member Ken Loach officially launched the Bath City FC Community Sports Foundation last week at Twerton Park. The foundation has been a great success since being set up 18 months ago by members of the Bath City Supporters Society, gaining charitable status which it plans to use to bring more projects to local people, including soccer schools, five-a-side leagues and youth coaching programmes. It already runs a series of successful educational events in primary schools called Attacking Skills, in which pupils get to meet City players and then produce a project about the experience. Other aims for the foundation are to increase the number of girls playing football and provide opportunities for those with learning or physical disabilities to participate in team sports. Links are also being strengthened with the University of Bath, with a 12-month placement being offered to a third-year student to help promote five-a-side football in schools, youth centres, colleges and local support groups. The driving force behind the foundation is chairman Pete Sellwood, who Loach is full of admiration for. “It’s practically become a full-time job for Pete and is an extraordinary achievement, it’s a bright spark in dark times.” Among the foundation’s partners are B&NES Youth Services, B&NES Sport & Active Lifestyles Group, Somerset FA, The Prince’s Trust, St John’s Hospital Trust, DHI (Developing Health and Independence), MENCAP – Bath Gateway Group, The Brandon Trust, Bath & Somerset Police, Touchstone and Somer Housing.