Staple Hill F.C. was an English football club based in Staple Hill, Bristol.
History
The earliest reference to the side is from the 1889–90 season and it joined the Bristol & District League in 1893–94, that league's second season, before it was renamed the Western League in 1895. Joint runners-up in Division One in 1895–96, Staple Hill were placed in Division Two of the league after a new professional section was formed in 1897. They won this division twice, in 1898–99 and 1906–07, and were runners-up on two other occasions, but were never promoted.Robinson, Michael (ed.), Non-League Football Tables 1889–2006, Soccer Books, 2006
They were regular entrants in the FA Cup, and reached the first round proper in 1905–06 when they travelled to Manchester United's Bank Street ground, where they lost 7–2 in front of 7,560 spectators.
After finishing as champions the previous season, Staple Hill finished bottom of the Western League Division Two in 1907–08. On 29 June 1909, with Welsh clubs being admitted to the League, and the consequent increase in expenses overwhelming the already parlous club finances, the directors resolved to wind the club up. One cause was that the club was semi-professional, paying some players up to 15 shillings per match, which amateur players - despite their amateur status - also demanded, such payments being kept off the books to avoid scrutiny from the Gloucestershire Football Association.
The name was revived by a club in the 1950s which competed in local football until it was disbanded in 2004. A more recent club, Staple Hill Orient, competed in the Bristol and District Football League until 2016.
League history Staple Hill's 16 seasons of Western League football are listed below. SeasonDivisionPositionWDLFAPtsBristol & District League1893–94Bristol & District League, Division One7 of 105582333151894–95Bristol & District League, Division One4 of 121147563826League renamed to Western League1895–96Western League, Division One2= of 1113343819291896–97Western League, Division One8 of 950111839101897–98Western League, Division One Amateur2 of 911143815231898–99Western League, Division Two1 of 811125515231899–1900Western League, Division Two2 of 5440223121900–01Western League, Division Two3 of 76133417131901–02Western League, Division Two4 of 99343024211902–03Western League, Division Two5 of 85362720131903–04Western League, Division Two2 of 1013145319271904–05Western League, Division Two4 of 97362723171905–06Western League, Division Two6 of 108193238171906–07Western League, Division Two1 of 1012244428261907–08Western League, Division Two9 of 93013184061908–09Western League, Division Two5 of 12949416022
Reserves For three seasons, Staple Hill entered a reserve team in Division Two of the Western League:
SeasonDivisionPositionWDLFAPtsBristol & District League1894–95Bristol & District League, Division Two10 of 11411532799League renamed to Western League1895–96Western League, Division Two7 of 107293458161896–97Western League, Division Two7 of 711108343
Colours
The club earliest record of the club's colours are "maroon, striped with a trio of white stripes", adopted in before the 1894–95 season. By 1905 the club was wearing yellow and black striped shirts, white shorts, and yellow and black stockings, the yellow later described as being old gold.
Ground
The club played at the Staple Hill Cricket Ground.
References