Fry Club - Somerdale

Fry Club FC 

Somerdale

Trajectus Way

Keynsham

Bristol

BS31 2AU

0117 986 5787

Official Website

Twitter

Ground Number: 1543

Friday 17th April 2026

Frys Club 0-2 Stockwood Green

Somerset County Premier

FRY CLUB FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

Fry Club FC were founded in 1916 as part of the J S Fry & Son Factory. As the football section flourished, in the early years, they played their home games at many different venues across Bristol. Somerdale was the established base of Fry Club FC until 2016, when they moved to a new ground. During the 50’s and 60’s, the club’s first and reserve teams won four district division titles between them. In 1988, they joined the Somerset County League and won the Division 3 title in their first season.  The following year saw another promotion as they finished as runners-up to local rivals Keynsham Town in their first season. A third promotion in a row came in 1991 after a third-place finish in Division 1.  They remained members of the Premier Division for many years, finishing as runners-up to Clevedon United in 1999. They were relegated to Division 1 in 2008, returning in 2013 after a 3rd-place finish. Another runners-up spot came in 2015, this time behind Shirehampton.

The club is located in Keynsham, a town located on the outskirts of Bristol. It has a population of around 20,000. It was listed in the Domesday Book as Cainesham (as it is pronounced), which is believed to mean the home of Saint Keyne. Keynsham developed into a medieval market town after Keynsham Abbey was founded around 1170. It is home to Memorial Park, which is used for the annual town festival and several nature reserves. The park is also the centre of the annual chicken race, held every October. The town is served by Keynsham railway station on the London-Bristol and Bristol-Southampton trunk routes and is close to the A4 road, which bypassed the town in 1964. Several notable people have been born or lived in Keynsham. The comedian Bill Bailey was raised in the town.  Marcus Trescothick, the Somerset and England cricketer, played for Keynsham cricket club. Football-wise, the town is represented by Keynsham Town, who play in the Western League Division 1, a level above Frys Club.

MY VISIT

I had been looking forward to the Somerset County Hop since it was announced at the end of last season and finalised in August this year. I had been to a few Somerset League games, and it was a lovely part of the world. Sadly, this hop would contain two revisits, but it wasn't a big issue. The first one was a newbie at Frys Club FC. It was sad that they had moved from their old ground in 2016, as it looked like a great place. Whilst not on the scale of the Cadbury Bourneville Pavilion, it did have a lovely ornate building and some retro signage. The factory once produced one of my favourite chocolate bars - Fry's Chocolate Cream, though I've not had one for years. I remember an American food reviewer hating it, and it's certainly an acquired taste. Now made by Cadburys, it has probably been ruined by American conglomerate Kraft and pumped full of palm oil, but the memories are great. All of the clubs were very proactive and friendly in making fans feel welcome when I announced I was attending, making me anticipate it even more.

From my game at Bromleians, I had at least one more pub in mind. To shorten the journey time, I walked 30 minutes to a bus stop, which meant that I cut out one and a half buses. I had the Wycombe game on my phone. They'd been 1-0 up at Huddersfield, but by the time I left, they were 2-1 down. It was a frenetic finish that saw Wycombe equalise, go behind in the sixth minute of injury time and then equalise in the tenth minute of injury time, sparking a fracas between the two dugouts in which Wycombe manager Mike Duff was sent off. Final score 3-3. My other local team also had a remarkable game, winning 4-3 at Spelthorne Sports to make it ten wins in a row. If Holmer carries on their form, they might even make the playoffs, as unlikely as that seemed when they started the run. I looked at my Skybet account to see a disappointing loss of £3.50 on today's football and Grand National bets, but then I probably only gamble once or twice per year. It was a good Spoons, even if the app wasn't working, but I had to start heading for home before the buses dried up. The first bus to East Croydon was delayed, and the time it was taking to get home, I'd have been OK taking my car. There was also a tempting Micropub, but I was cutting it fine as it was. My planned route bit the dust due to signalling issues, not an issue as far as getting back was concerned, but over an hour delay for any Peterborough-bound people. Changes at London Victoria and King's Cross got me on an Amersham train with both my watch and power bank dead. I was back around 8.30 and had around 15 minutes to wait for my bus home.

I was glad to get everything on charge and have a couple of Kriek beers before bed. As with every Sunday, it was manic, and I ended up staying for an extra hour. There was also the usual trick of the company forcing you to pick your whole year's holiday in advance. Very annoying, especially when I'd like to arrange it around Wycombe fixtures, but we shall see. I selected 22 out of my 28-day allowance and will have to hope that suffices. I'd prefer to keep some back to use once I know plans, but have a few days in mind if they force the issue. It didn't really feel like a Sunday evening, with a bonus episode of Corrie and steak and chips for dinner. Monday was another hard day at work, so I was glad for my day off on Tuesday. It was the usual walk to Wycombe and back, over ten miles in all. In the evening, I went to Holmer Green v Molesey. They battered Molesey in the first half, going ahead just before the break through Lloyd Ronald Majaya. Goals from Saunders and Peck made it 3-0 in the first ten minutes of the second half. Although Molesey pulled one back in the last ten minutes, it kept alive Holmer Green's faint playoff hopes. Sadly, these were quickly extinguished as Woodley United won one of their games in hand on Wednesday and made it mathematically impossible.  Still, eleven wins in a row is fantastic, just a little late.

Thursday was very busy at work, unusual as it is usually one of the quieter days. I came home and spent a couple of hours catching up and researching tonight. I left at 4.20 and I had a decent journey for the time of day. Google Maps was slightly off with its location for parking, a rather expensive £2.10 for the 30 minutes I needed. It was another architecturally barren new town, but a solid example of a Spoons with great range and service. Katsu Curry and a cranberry juice were an excellent £8.06. That was where the good news ended. I turned up at the ground to find no sign of an adult game, just a kids' training session. It was disappointing to have a wasted journey, but that's the risk you take with games at this level. With the Spoons ticked, I very much doubt I'll return. I was back home just after 7 and tried to get an early night. I found out the next morning that FC Bracknell had beaten Eton Wick 4-2, so the game must have been played at some top-secret location.

It was another busy day at work. Friday appears to have become a third day of the weekend for many, judging by how busy it was. I stayed on for a bit and got home around 2. It gave me time to have a bath, get changed and get a few things done before it came time to leave. I left at 3.50 to glorious blue skies and sunshine. I was in a great mood, but it took ages to get out of Wycombe. All was going well until we got to Swindon, and it was grey skies and drizzle for the rest of the journey. I stopped at Tesco for some cider; it was a rather disappointing small store, but I still picked up some stuff for the room. It was ten minutes drive to the Golden City Chinese takeaway. I got special Thai Green Curry for £9.50, it was delicious and with rice at £9.50, it was superb value. I drove five minutes to the ground before having my dinner. The friendly welcome was fantastic; we were told it was free parking and that the ANPR had been turned off. Considering the DVLA sell your details to any scumbag in return for the equivalent of a wank behind the bike sheds, I put my faith in them. I went and met Colin, Daniel and Richard, as ever with Colin, I heard him before I saw him. Entry was an excellent £5 with a souvenir ticket, and a league pin badge was £2.50, with the money going to charity. The bar was disappointing in terms that it was the same cider you get everywhere, albeit a decent range.

 

Fry Club were in 9th and had won eleven, drawn three and lost thirteen so far. They'd lost their last two, the last game being a 3-0 loss at Nailsea United. Stockwood Green were a few places above in 6th, having won thirteen, drawn five and lost six. They'd won their last two, including a 1-0 win at leaders Chilcompton Sports on Saturday. The game was end-to-end with Fry Club well on top. They hit the woodwork with one shot. The attendance was announced as 256. Stockwood Green piled on the pressure in the second half, and they took the lead on 62 minutes, Connor Westerside rifling into the roof of the net. Levi White added a second in the 79th minute, a great finish past the keeper.

THE GROUND

SOMERDALE is an excellent step 7 venue. A fully railed pitch with some hard standing, plus a small bit of cover behind one goal. There are also around ten uncovered seats next to this. Outside is a large bar with a good range of drinks, but nothing special. There was a food van when we went, and this was decent. Parking is plentiful, and it's not too far from Keynsham train station.

Bromlians FC - The John Cooper Ground

Bromlians FC

The John Cooper Ground 

Scrubs Farm
Lower Gravel Road

Bromley 

BR2 8LL

Official Website

FA Full Time

Twitter

Ground Number: 1542

Saturday 11th April 2026
Bromelians 0-2 Otford United

Kent County D1 West

BROMELIANS FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was established in 1922 by former pupils of Bromley County School under the name of Bromley County School Old Boys. They switched to Old Bromelians five years later, taking its name from the school magazine, The Bromleian. Early successes include a run in the Old Boys League, winning Division 2, Division 1 and then the Premier Division in 3 consecutive seasons, between 1928 and 1931.  The war years brought a halt to football, and the next honours was in 1954 when they finished as runners-up to Lensbury & Britannic House to win promotion to the Southern Amateur League Division 1. They were long-time members here, winning Division 3 and Division 2 on three occasions each. Their best finish here came in 1982 when they finished 5th in Division 1.

Kent County Premier Division Final Table 2018/19

After playing at various venues, they moved to their current ground in Lower Gravel Road. They financed the ground by taking out various loans and also selling rhubarb crowns, which were grown on their land. In 1965, Bromley Council placed a compulsory purchase order on the ground, but this was successfully fought against by fixture secretary John Cooper. As a result, the ground was named in his honour.  A new clubhouse was opened in 1992, and in 2002, the club made the decision to switch to the Kent County League. The name was changed to Bromelians Sports as a result, and they won the Division 2 West in their debut season. They struggled in Division 1 West, a notable exception was in 2007 when they finished 3rd, just missing out on promotion. They left the league in 2009, returning to amateur football for a few years. In 2012, they rejoined the Kent County D2 West under the name Old Bromelians. Despite finishing second-bottom in 2016, they won the league the following year, followed by Division 1 West in 2018. The same year, they changed their name to Bromelians and in 2019 enjoyed their best ever finish of 4th in the Kent County Premier. They were subsequently relegated back to Division 1 West in 2023 but are currently battling relegation.

Local cup honours include nine AFA Surrey Senior Cups and three SAL Old Boys Cups. The town of Bromley has a population of around 72,000 and has had plenty of famous residents who have called the town home. These include music legend David Bowie, children's author Enid Blyton, pop star Billy Idol, comedian Frankie Boyle and footballer Jason Roberts. Also, the late author and Bromley FC fanatic Dave Roberts, who wrote three books on the club, one of which, The Bromley Boys, inspired a film.

MY VISIT

I didn't want to travel too far on this Saturday, and so my options were limited. The furthest I had considered was Magna 73 in Leicester, but the coach times didn't work out. The next to be discounted was Reigate Priory, albeit their reserves. They played at a lovely sports ground, but cricket took precedence, and so the game was moved to a crappy school pitch. Keens Park Rangers had also been moved from Pyrford Cricket Club to Guildford City. Another one that was probably off the list was Camden & Islington, as it was in the unreliable Middlesex County League, and the site showed the fixture as unconfirmed. The Football Traveller came late on Wednesday, but after looking at it on Thursday afternoon, I narrowed it down to a few options. If Colin was coming, it would be Canterbury City; he wanted me to save it for him, and I could take advantage of his railcard. If not, I'd be dipping down to the lower levels - either Bromelians v Otford United in the Kent Division 1 West or Horsley v Burpham in the Guildford & Woking Alliance. After final investigations on Friday, I opted for Bromelians if on my own, but was still waiting for a final answer from Colin.

It was a nice, easy drive back from Orwell, with me getting back at 9.10 after dropping Colin off. I even managed to get my blog up before bed. Thursday was a tiring day, and I was asleep around 7. It was a dull Friday with no football or booze, but I had plenty of both last weekend. I went to bed at 10.30 and woke well before my 6.50 alarm. Despite this, I was running late and was going to drive to the station. However, I changed my mind and got the 8.15 bus, 35 minutes later than intended. I could have limited my drinking, but it would have restricted any post-match pubs I might find. Typically, after being dry and warm all week, the weather was back to its default of grey skies, a slight chill and drizzle. I walked straight off of the bus onto a Chiltern train and then had a perfect change onto the Metropolitan at Harrow on the Hill. Then a Met line to Farringdon and the Thameslink to Streatham. Wetherspoons 500 was 8 minutes walk away.

 

The Holland Tringham was named after Holland Tringham, a Victorian artist who moved to Streatham at the height of his fame in the late 19th century. He is best known, locally, for his six sketches of the old village of Streatham, copies of which are on the walls of this pub, which bears his name. No bag in box ciders, but breakfast muffin, black pudding, energy drink and Stowford Press were £5.93 in a nice pub. An annoying crying baby prompted me to leave for the bus stop, which was a bit chaotic, but eventually, I got the 50 to Croydon. After a walk, I was 20 minutes behind schedule. The Moon Under Water in Norbury was bland, but £2.55 for a Strongbow was good. A bus to the equally grim and bizarre Croydon, where I got the 75 to Penge for my final pre-match stop. The Moon & Stars was another bland Spoons with great service. Shawarma Wrap, chips and Aspalls was £9.12. The last bus to Orpington was delayed, but there were some Jersey Bulls fans on the bus, en route to Beckenham. One ground that would be great to visit, but is a complete pain in the arse to get to, Jersey that is. From Bromley bus station, it was ten minutes walk to the ground. A decent setup, sadly, the hosts had abandoned the light and dark blue quarters, perhaps why their results had gone south.

 

Bromelians were having a tough season, sitting second-bottom and looking likely to be relegated. They had won three, drawn four and lost sixteen so far. They'd not won in six, losing 9-0 at AMG Ballerz last week. Otford United were in 4th and had won fourteen, drawn one and lost five.  They were on mixed form, but won 3-2 at AMG Ballerz last time out. When the two sides met in August, Otford United narrowly won 1-0. Bromleians were the first to have a chance, shooting narrowly wide in the first minute. After 8 minutes, Otford had a similar chance but also dragged wide. The hosts were the better side at this point, but it was a very open game. It was all rather predictable when Otford took the lead around ten minutes in, #8 netting from a simple cross. On 16 minutes, #9 was given all the time in the world to slot past the keeper. At half-time, Bromleians should have been at least level on the balance of play, but lacked conviction at both ends. The Otford players seemed content to blame each other for errors. In the second half, the hosts had the better of the first 20, but then Otford started to carve out chances. Right at the end, the Otford keeper pulled off a great save to deny the home #9, but it appeared it just wasn't going to be their day.

 

THE GROUND

THE JOHN COOPER GROUND is a decent setup, but some parts of it have seen better days. There is no furniture around the pitch, although the clubhouse offers a bit of cover and a couple of steps. Inside the clubhouse is lots of club merchandise and sports TV, but quite a limited range of drinks, just Rekorderlig Strawberry and lime for cider drinkers. There's not much around the ground, but it's good for transport links with lots of parking and Bromley bus garage, ten minutes walk away.