Portals Athletic were an amateur football team based between the north Hampshire towns of Overton and Whitchurch. The club ran for 60 years until the loss of the sudden loss of their financial backing in 1987.
History
Portals Athletic FC were founded in 1927 as the works side of the Laverstoke Paper Mill, taking their name from the owners Portals Limited, and initially played in the local Basingstoke LeagueBasingstoke Football League Centenary by Norman Gannaway where they enjoyed plenty of success - most notably in 1937 when they won the Hampshire Junior 'A' Cup.Hampshire Football Association Centenary History 1887-1987 by Norman Gannaway
In 1967 Portals were elected to Hampshire League Division 3 where they finished in a respectable mid-table final position.A History of the Hampshire League 1896-1996 by Norman Gannaway A year later the league was expanded and they were consequently placed in Division 3 West, where they finished 3rd before clinching promotion as runners-up in 1970. Portals quickly adapted well to life in what was then a highly competitive Division 2 and clinched a final position of 3rd which was enough to secure a second successive promotion. However, life in the top flight was tough for Portals and they were relegated straight back again. A Tabulated History of the Hampshire League by Stephen Farmery
The early eighties saw an upturn in fortunes with the team frequently challenging for promotion and performing well in their respective cup competitions, winning the North Hants Senior Cup in 1980. The following year saw them regain the trophy and also win the Hampshire Intermediate Cup, but just miss out on a unique treble after losing Aldershot Senior Cup final 1-3 against Hartley Wintney. The North Hants Senior Cup was lifted again, before finally, after several near misses, they were promoted in 1984 as champions. Portals then settled themselves in Division 1 for two seasons until in 1986 they (along with the league's top clubs with the required facilities) broke away to form the new Wessex League.
That inaugural season Portals finish in a steady 12th positionhttps://www.fchd.info/lghist/wessex1987.htm but in June 1987 the parent company suddenly withdrew their support, forcing the club to sadly leave the competition and disband just after celebrating their 60th anniversary.
Honours Hampshire League Division 2 Champions 1983/84 Division 3 West Runners-up 1969/70 Hampshire Football Association Hampshire Football Association Yearbook 2005/06 Intermediate Cup Winners 1939/40 and 1980/81 Junior 'A' Cup Winners 1936/37 North Hants Football Association Senior Cup Winners 1979/80, 1980/81 and 1982/83 May Cup Winners 1947/48 Aldershot Football Association Senior Cup Finalists 1980/81 https://aldershotdfa.com/adfa-saturday-senior-cup-roll-of-honour/
League career
SeasonDivisionPositionSignificant events1967/68Hampshire League Division 310/161968/69Hampshire League Division 3 West3/141969/70Hampshire League Division 3 West2/14Runners-up, Promoted1970/71Hampshire League Division 23/16Promoted1971/72Hampshire League Division 115/16Relegated1972/73Hampshire League Division 210/16 1973/74Hampshire League Division 213/161974/75Hampshire League Division 210/161975/76Hampshire League Division 27/161976/77Hampshire League Division 211/161977/78Hampshire League Division 28/161978/79Hampshire League Division 28/161979/80Hampshire League Division 28/161980/81Hampshire League Division 23/201981/82Hampshire League Division 24/201982/83Hampshire League Division 24/201983/84Hampshire League Division 21/18Champions, Promoted1984/85Hampshire League Division 117/201985/86Hampshire League Division 18/20Left competition1986/87Wessex League 12/17Left competition
Ground
Portals Athletic played at Laverstoke Park, located alongside the B3400 between Whitchurch and Overton.The Cemetery End by Vince Taylor (Groundtastic Productions) After their untimely demise, the venue remained in use, and during the 1999–2000 season it was leased to the short-lived Hampshire League side AFC Basingstoke. Hampshire Football Association Yearbook 1999/00
Notable players In the early fifties, locally born Brian Cliftonstats tab https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/brian-clifton/ played for Portals before enjoying a long professional career with Southampton and Grimsby Town. The sixties saw the former Crystal Palace winger Bernard Harrisonstats tab https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/bernard-harrison/ and Sam Stevensstats tab https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/sam-stevens/ both play for the club. Latterly, the former Leicester City and Southampton defender Ian Whitestats tab https://www.saintsplayers.co.uk/player/ian-white/ played from 1968 to 1972 and for a spell was also their manager.https://www.lcfc.com/pages/en/media-article/Former-Player-Remembers:-Ian-White
Local rivalries There are a number of clubs within the north Hants area, and neighbours Whitchurch United, Overton United and Malshanger (now defunct) were regarded as Portals' main rivals.
References
External links
Portals Athletic at the Football Club History Database Hampshire League Final Tables Wessex League Final Tables Hampshire Soccer Archive