Ground Directions:
From the centre of Salisbury, take Wilton Road (A36). Just before crossing the railway bridge, turn right into Roman Road then immediately left into Pembroke Road. Carry on through the small chicane halfway along Pembroke road, as the road bears round to the right, proceed turn left into Western Way football club sign posted and the ground is located at the end of the road.
Club History
Bemerton Heath Harlequins were formed in May 1989 with the amalgamation of three clubs, Bemerton Athletic, Moon F.C. and Bemerton Boys. All three clubs were previously very successful in their own right and were a major force in local football. Bemerton Athletic won what is now the Wiltshire Senior League in Season 1986-87, this after finishing as runners-up the three seasons prior to that. Moon F.C. consistently won honours in the Salisbury and Andover Leagues and Bemerton Boys won several trophies in the Mid-Wilts League.
The Moon F.C. and Bemerton Athletic were by the end of 1988, looking for a fresh challenge therefore provisional talks of a merger were held with an entry into the Wessex League being the number one priority. This seemed the only logical step due to the close proximity of the grounds and the fact their players played for both clubs on Saturdays and Sundays. It is history now that the talks were successful, Bemerton Heath Harlequins were formed and now operate from a magnificent clubhouse which was built by self-help.
Since the merger, the men’s first team established themselves as a consistant performer within the Wessex League. Season 1992-93 was a particularly successful season which saw the club finish third in the League, winning the Wiltshire Senior Cup, completing a hat-trick of Salisbury Hospital Cup final victories and being the Wessex League’s longest survivor in the F.A. Cup and F.A. Vase with two fabulous cup runs.
Prior to joining the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League, the Reserves have spent all of their time since the new club was formed either in the Wessex Combination League (for Reserve sides of Wessex League Clubs) or, in more recent times, in the Hampshire Combination and Development League. Season 1996/97 saw the Reserves crowned as Wessex Combination League Champions for the first time also making the Combination Cup Final. The following season in 1997-98 the first team also made it through to another cup final, but were beaten in the final of the Wessex League Cup, whilst also finishing fifth in the League.
In 1998-99 the club's first team reached the last sixteen of the F.A. Vase for the first time in their short history whilst the Reserves side clinched the elusive Wessex Combination Cup at the fourth attempt. The Western Way ground continued to be improved, providing some of the best facilities in the county and 1999 saw the opening of the Moon Room with spectacular viewing over the pitch, for Moon Room being for members and sponsors.
Back on the pitch, Season 2003-04 saw Bemerton Heath Harlequins Reserves again crowned champions of the strong Wessex Combination League and they were invariably in the top half of the table in their remaining seasons in the Combination League.
It has not all been unmitigated success for the club since the merger, the first team were to suffer relegation for the first time in the clubs’ proud history in Season 2018-19. However, their time back in Division One was to be brief as Season 2021–22 saw the club crowned Division One champions, securing the Wessex Division One title on the final day of the season and earning promotion back to the Premier Division. Their first season back in the Premier Division saw them finish second, resulting in promotion to Division One South of the Southern League. This was a great achievement and the Harlequins first title experience.
In recent seasons the Reserves have been playing in the Hampshire Combination and Development League and after initially struggling at the wrong end of the table for a number of seasons things picked up consdierably in the last two seasons before joining the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League. They had actually been second in the table at the time that Covid brought the 2019-20 Season to a premature end but this was followed by two seasons again at the wrong end of the table. However, the arrival of new manager Jay Madden once again saw a dramtic improvement in their fortunes. A third place finish in Season 2022-23 was followed by a title winning success in Season 2023-24, with Bemerton winning 24 of their 28 league games to finish an impressive 13 points clear of second placed United Services Portsmouth. Bemerton have opted to come across to the Corsham Print Wiltshire Senior League for Season 2024-25 with ambitions to play at Step 6 which could not be achieved by remaining in the Hampshire Combination and Development League. As well as achieving that league title last season they also won the prestigious Wiltshire Junior Cup, defeating Bratton in the final, and will start as one of the title favourites in Season 2024-25.