Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Former Clubs
Sarsen Utd (1976-77), Sarsen (1977-78 to 1982-83), Wills FC (1983-84 to 1986-87), Dunbar Wills (1987-88 to 1992-93), Dunbar Athletic (1993-94 to 1999-00),
Dunbar Westside (2000-01 to 2002-03), Westside (2003-04 to 2009-10),
Southbrook (2010-11 to 2014-15)      
Grounds
As Sarsen Utd, Sarsen and Wills
Wills Sports Ground (1976-77 to 1986-87)
As Dunbar Wills
Wills Sports Ground (1987-88 to 1989-90)
Oakfield School (1990-91)
King Edward Place, Wanborough (1991-92 to 1992-93)
As Dunbar Athletic
King Edward Place, Wanborough (1993-94 to 1999-00)
As Dunbar Westside
King Edward Place, Wanborough (2000-01 to Dec 2002)
Greendown School, West Swindon (End of Season 2002-03)
As Westside
Greendown School, West Swindon (1998-99 & 1999-2000) (pre-merger)
Greendown School, West Swindon (2003-04)
Southbrook Recreation Ground, Swindon (2004-05 to 2009-10)
As Southbrook
Southbrook Recreation Ground, Swindon (2010-11 to 2014-15)


Seasons in League (Number and period)
39 Seasons under various names as shown above. In addition, Westside United played two seasons in the league before they merged with Dunbar Athletic to form Dunbar Westside.

Status
Folded

League & Cup Honours (when in WSL)
As Sarsen
Subsidiary Cup Runners-up 1977-78
As Wills
Division 2 Champions 1983-84
As Dunbar Westside
Intermediate Cup Winners 2001-02
Intermediate Division Champions 2002-03
As Westside
Division 4 Champions 1998-99 (pre-merger)
Fountain Trophies Junior Cup Winners 1998-99 (pre-merger)
Premier Division Runners-up 2005-06
As Southbrook
Corsham Print Senior Cup Winners 2011-12
Premier Division Champions 2013-14
Corsham Print Senior Cup Winners 2013-14

Other Honours
Club Secretary's Award 2013-14 -  Jane Sproule

Club Notes
A good example of how interesting the history of local football teams can be, as they deal with the many external challenges that are thrown up in order to progress into a sustainable Senior Status side, is provided by what can best be described as the “Sarsen trail to Southbrook”.

Sarsen United started as a Junior status side in Junior Division A in the inaugural season of the league. Whilst a ninth-place finish in Season 1976-77 had not seen them challenge for honours at Junior level, they took the bold step of moving up to Senior status for Season 1977-78, their facilities at Wills Sports Ground, which had been opened in the 1920’s and had football pitches and a bowling green, were more than sufficient for Senior level football. They also entered a reserve side in Division 4 as they moved up to Senior status. They also dropped the United from their name in that first season of Senior status football, finishing in 9th place in a Division 2. They did however get onto the honours board that season as they reached the final of the Subsidiary Cup, a competition designed to augment the fixtures of the sides in Division 2 which had just 13 teams that season. After finishing as runners-up in their Group behind Chippenham Town Reserves they defeated Salisbury City Reserves in the quarter final to make it through to the last four. In the semi-final they met Avebury and an excellent 2-0 win set up a final against League Division 2 runners-up Westbury United. In the final Sarsen lost narrowly 2-1 and had to settle for the runners-up medals.

Sarsen were to remain in Division 2 of the league for the next five seasons, generally struggling at the wrong end of the table, although their last season under the Sarsen name in 1982-83 saw them achieve a 10th place finish in a division of 16 teams.

Season 1983-84 saw the club change its name to Wills FC, the name reflecting that of the company who owned the sports ground on which their matches were played. The change in name also led to a big change in fortunes as they stormed to the Division 2 league title. Whilst they finished just one point ahead of the two sides who finished just below them they had wrapped the title up early allowing them to sit back for the last three weeks of the season and observe the race for runners-up spot between Aldbourne, Wroughton and Wootton Bassett Town. In the end Aldbourne took second spot on goal difference from Wroughton, both just that one point behind Wills.

Promoted to Division One they found the top division tough going and the highest position in their first three seasons at the level was a 12th place finish in Season 1985-86. That season also saw them reach the semi final of the prestigious Wiltshire Senior Cup, eventually being knocked out 2-0 by Hellenic League Division One runners-up Penhill. 

There was to be another change in name at the start of the 1987-88 Season as the name of a second local company Allied Dunbar was incorporated into the club name, Wills becoming Dunbar Wills. They remained in Division 1 and continued to play at the Wills Sports Ground. Season 1988-89 saw Dunbar Wills achieve their highest position in Division 1 as they finished in sixth place, just ten points behind eventual champions Ferndale Athletic. The club were to have just one more season in Division One, finishing in ninth place in Season 1989-90. They also again made the semi-final of the Wiltshire Senior Cup but were beaten 2-1 by Pewsey Vale missing out on a County cup final for the second time. However, they were to lose use of the ground that they had played at for all fourteen seasons in the league to that point in time and as a result lost their Senior status. The Wills Sports Ground was eventually sold off and built on and is now sadly completely covered by Tesco’s huge supermarket in Ocotal Way, one of many company owned Sports Grounds which fell victim to the developers over the years. Dunbar Wills moved across to Oakfield School but as a consequence of the lost Senior status were forced to play in Division 4 in Season 1990-91.

Season 1991-92 saw Dunbar Wills move to the superb Allied Dunbar Training Centre complex at King Edwards Place, Wanborough. The excellent facilities at this new ground allowed Senior status to be regained and Dunbar Wills played in Division 2 of the league for the first time in eight seasons. The first two seasons back at this level saw them finish in the bottom half of the table and ahead of the 1993-94 there was to be another change of name as they became Dunbar Athletic, dropping the Wills from the name after ten seasons. The change of name saw an up-tick in fortunes, and they finished in sixth place for two consecutive seasons. Whilst the following season in the league was less successful, Dunbar once again went on a good run in the Wiltshire Senior Cup and also the Addkey Senior Cup, reaching the semi-final in both competitions. In the Addkey Senior Cup wins over Wootton Bassett Town Reserves and Marlborough Town set up a semi-final against Pinehurst, unfortunately for Dunbar they once again just missed out on a cup final, going down 3-2. In the Wiltshire Senior Cup, wins over Plessey Semics and Biddestone saw Dunbar into the semi where they met Amesbury, and it was not to be third time lucky in semi-finals in this competition as they went down 3-1.
Dunbar Wills line-up for their game at Corsham Town in Season 1992-93.
Dunbar Athletic were to spend two further seasons in Division 2, both seasons seeing them at the bottom end of the table, before once again pitch issues reared their ugly head. This time round, despite the superb facilities at King Edwards Place, new standards for Senior status imposed by the FA saw the Wiltshire FA withdrew their Senior status because their pitch was too far from the changing rooms. Aldbourne, Burmah Castrol, GPS and Southbrook also lost their Senior status and would join Dunbar Athletic in the new Intermediate Division for Season 1998-99. Joe O’Rourke, who had been a long-time player at the club and also the team manager for a number of seasons, was also now club secretary. Their first season at the new Intermediate level saw Dunbar Athletic finish in tenth place in the final table.

Season 1998-99 also saw Westside United make their debut in the Wiltshire League. Westside United, formed by Ron Sproule, had started life as a youth side in the Swindon & District League in 1991 and had been phenomenally successful, winning many league titles and cups across various age groups. They progressed to adult football in Season 1997-98 finishing as runners-up in their division in the Swindon & District League. After such a successful season they elected to join the Wiltshire League and were immediately successful, winning the Division 4 title, finishing nine points clear of runners-up Ferndale Rodbourne and losing just two games all season. They also lifted the Fountain Trophies Cup beating Box Rovers 3-2 in an exciting final. The following season they more than held their own in Division 3, winning more than they lost, to finish in fourth place. Meanwhile Dunbar Athletic were still struggling at the wrong end of the intermediate Division, finishing second from bottom.
Westside United squad from the Cup Final Programme in 1998-99
After doing so well in the two Junior Divisions, Westside were keen to continue their progression and for Season 2000-01 they joined forces with Dunbar Athletic, merging to form Dunbar Westside, the combined club continuing to play at King Edward Place Wanborough. Joe O’Rourke continued in the managers seat but the secretarial duties at the club were picked up by Westside secretary Jane Sproule. The combining of the two clubs, with the youthful Westside players added to some of the experienced Dunbar players saw an immediate improvement in fortunes in the Intermediate Division. A fourth-place finish in 2000-01, with Dunbar Westside finishing as the second highest scorers in the Division with Geoff Swatton getting 28, was bettered by one place the following season as the club finished in third position. More importantly, whilst Westside had lifted the Fountain Trophies Cup in 1998-99, Dunbar and their earlier incarnations had never won a cup final in their time in the league, but this was finally put right. In a dramatic Plaisters Autos Intermediate Cup final against Stratton Crosslink Reserves at Marlborough Town's ground, despite Crosslink having their keeper sent off and ending the game with just nine men, Crosslink had managed to score a late equaliser to make the score 3-3 at the end of extra-time. Dunbar Westside held their nerve though and won the penalty shootout 5-3 to lift the cup.

The upward trajectory in the Intermediate Division continued in Season 2002-3 as Dunbar Westside lost just once all season in the league as they stormed to the title with Geoff Swatton again leading the way with 31 goals making it 81 goals in just three seasons in the Intermediate Division.  However, whilst results were excellent, Season 2002-3 was also to prove a problematical one with pitches again, as the club were forced to find an alternative ground. Zurich, formerly Allied Dunbar and owners of the ground at King Edwards Place, gave the club notice that they had to vacate the ground by December 31 2002 due to the team having less than 50% of its playing members from the company. The club moved to Greendown School in West Swindon in order to complete the season. More details regarding how the local press covered this can be found at
www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/7337197.get-off-side/

Season 2003-04 saw an insufficient number of clubs at Intermediate status, so the league reverted back to two Junior Divisions. Westside, the club having understandably now dropped the Dunbar from the name, were placed in Junior Division One. That season saw a mid-table finish. The following season the club re-located to another new ground, this time to Southbrook Recreation Ground in Swindon, with the intention being to look to regain their Senior status. A fourth-place finish in Season 2004-05, with Westside finishing just two points behind runners-up Swindon Asians, coupled with improvements to the ground at Southbrook, showed that Westside were once again ready to return to Senior football and they would be in the Premier Division for Season 2005-06.
Westside 2005-06
After 30 seasons in the league under the various guises, Season 2005-06 was to see Westside achieve their highest ever position in Wiltshire football to date as they were involved in the title race with Corsham Town Reserves and Warminster Town, eventually having to settle for runners-up position behind Corsham Town Reserves. Prolific striker Geoff Swatton had returned from Hellenic League side Wootton Bassett Town and carried on where he had left off previously for the club, smashing 35 goals in all competitions as both he and his side finished as top scorers in the division.

The following season was not so successful as they slipped to eleventh place and at the end of the season long term manager Joe O’Rourke stepped down after 20 years as a player and manager with the club. Mark Simpkins took over with another club stalwart, Steve Kimber, his assistant, although both would only remain in charge for a season. Westside again finished in eleventh place and the following two seasons saw them fall towards the bottom end of the division.
Westside 2007-08
(all team pictures from the excellent Southbrook website with permission from Jane Spoule)
Westside 2009-10
Season 2010-11 saw another name change, as the club were renamed Southbrook, where they continued to play their games. A much-improved season saw them finish just above half-way in the Premier Division.
Southbrook 2010-11
The following season Southbrook struggled in the league and in the end were to finish bottom of the table. However, they belied their league position in the Corsham Print Senior Cup and made the final where they met AFC Bradford Town. Ron Sproule, who had founded Westside club in 1991, had sadly passed away towards the end of the season following a long illness and Southbrook were keen to do well in the final in memory of Ron who had done so much for the club and youth football in Swindon. Southbrook gave a display the club’s founder would have been proud of as they stunned AFC Bradford in the final, a last-minute goal securing a 3-2 win over the side who were to finish second in the Wiltshire Premier. Two goals from Wes Pidgeon and Nathan Peters with the last minute half-volleyed goal securing the cup.
Southbrook 2011-12 at Corsham Print Senior Cup Final
Click on image to download programme
An improved league Season in 2012-13 saw Southbrook finish in 11th place but the following season was to turn out to be the best season in the history of the club in their many guises. The appointment as manager of Albert Dearing, who had been so successful with Minety towards the end of the previous decade, was to reap immediate rewards as they were crowned Premier Division champions losing just one game all season. Devan Bryan scored 25 league goals and 29 in all competitions to finish as the league’s top scorer.  Southbrook also lifted the Corsham Print Senior Cup for the second time after an impressive 3-0 win over Corsham Town Reserves in the final. At the league’s AGM the club achieved further honours, with long serving club secretary Jane Sproule picking up the Club Secretary’s Award to round-off an impressive season.
Southbrook who did the league and cup double in 2013-14
After such a successful season it can often be difficult to maintain the same high level of performance the following season and, whilst Southbrook won as many as they lost the following season and achieved a top half finish, they slipped to eighth spot in the table.

During the summer the league then received the shock news that Southbrook would not be competing in Season 2015-16, bringing to an end representation in the league that went back to the very first season in 1976-77 and amounted to well over 1,100 league and cup games under the various names over the years. As is often the case the reasons why the club was forced to fold were a combination of factors. The club chairman moving away from the area with no-one coming forward to take over this key position, the team manager Gary Norman was also leaving to concentrate on his coaching activities with Swindon Town and there were also financial issues which, in the end, all contributed to the demise of a club that had graced the league for such a long period of time.

Team Record
For more information on the Southbrook and Westside years, including results and line-ups, go to the excellent Southbrook website which can be found at www.southbrookfc.com.
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