History of Bere Regis Football Club

Over 100 years of service to football which has been recognised by the Football Association of England

Longer than some premiership clubs.

1887 to 1930

The following are notes extracted from the Parish Magazines 1887-1935 (by F. P. Pitfield and published in The Book of Bere Regis).

In 1887 the Bere Regis Football Club was known as 'The Arabs'. Football in villages was at the time something quite new, and when, on Easter Monday the football club played the church choir, it 'created much amusement among the spectators, many of whom had never seen the game played before'.

During the winter season of 1920 Bere Regis won the Mid-Dorset Village Football League Cup. They had won 10 out of 12 league games.

The club had another successful campaign in 1921 winning the league cup for a second time. On this occasion Bere Regis won 12 matches out of 16.

During the 1928-29 season the football team won both the league cup and the Edmonds and Jesty cup. This double success had only once before been completed by a team in the league. It seems the Captain of this team was Ted (Tatchell) Hewitt. The trophies were proudly displayed in the front bedroom window of 1 Church Cottages for all to see. Today the cup medals are still owned by Ted's son Jim.

1970s

Dorset Division Three (North) League Champions 1977/78. (First Team)

1980s

Dorset Division Three and Four (East) League Cup Winners 1984/1985. (Reserves)

Dorset Intermediate Cup Runners-Up 1985/1986. (First Team)

Dorset Division Two League Runners-Up 1985/1986. (First Team)

Recent records show that the Saturday football team won the Bankes' Cup on 1 June 1984. Bere Regis beat local rivals Wareham by 4 goals to 2. This success was repeated in the same cup the following year 1985.

The second team also added to the silver collection in 1985 by winning the Dorset Division 3 East League Cup. During this year the English FA presented the club with a certifcate recognising 100 years of affiliation with the FA.

The 1980s were a good decade for Bere Regis as they continued to win cups and promotion in the Dorset Football League divisions.

1990s

Dorset Division Four (North and East) League Runners-Up 1996/1997. (First Team)

Dorset Division Three (North and East) League Cup Runners-Up 1998/1999. (First Team)

Dorset Sunday Division Three League Runners-Up 1999/2000.

In 1990 a new concept came to the village with Sunday morning football. These Sunday heroes added another dimension to the name of Bere Regis becoming better known as the Beer team. Due to the quantities of brown nectar they drank and their bulging waist lines.

The 1990s has been one of ups and downs for the club as the Saturday first team lost its Division 1 status in Dorset and the club now only runs one team on a Saturday.

Honours	:	Dorset Intermediate Cup Runners-Up 1985/1986. (First Team)
	:	Dorset Division Two League Runners-Up 1985/1986. (First Team)
	:	Dorset Division Three (North) League Champions 1977/78. (First Team)
	:	Dorset Division Four (North and East) League Runners-Up 1996/1997. (First Team)
	:	Dorset Division Three (North and East) League Cup Runners-Up 1998/1999. (First Team)
	:	Dorset Division Three and Four (East) League Cup Winners 1984/1985. (Reserves)
	:	Dorset Sunday Division Three League Runners-Up 1999/2000.