Grounds Christie Miller Sports Ground, Bowerhill, Melksham
Seasons in League (Number and period)
3 Seasons (1976-77 to 1978-79)
Status
Folded
League & Cup Honours
(when in WSL) Subsidiary Cup Runners-up 1976-77
Club Notes
Rowde Sports were a Senior level club and founding members of the league, starting in Division Two. They had been members of the old Wiltshire League since the restart of football after the Second World War and, until the formation of the Wiltshire Combination, they spent all their time in Division Two of that league. In that time, they were generally towards the bottom end of the table and their one league success came in Season 1964-65 when they won the Division Two title. However, they were not promoted to Division One for the following season.
The formation of the Wiltshire Combination, which saw a number of clubs depart the old Wiltshire League, coupled with a move from their Le Marchant Barracks base to presumably improved facilities at Rowde Common, saw Rowde move up to Division One for the start of 1968-69 season. They remained in Division One until the formation of the new Wiltshire County League having moved again, this time to the Christie Miller Sports Ground in Melksham.
The only other major honours achieved prior to joining the new Wiltshire County League was making the final of the Wiltshire Junior Cup back in 1962-63, unfortunately for Rowde they lost to Ludgershall Sports in the final.
Rowde were to spend just three seasons in the new Wiltshire County League with their best performance coming in the inaugural season when they finished in fifth spot just four points adrift of champions Warminster Town. They also made the final of the Subsidiary Cup played to augment the fixtures of teams in the 12 team Division Two. After topping their group with two wins and a draw from their 4 games they defeated Lawn and Pewsey Vale to make the final. There was to be no happy ending though as they lost 3-0 to Wroughton in the final.
The following two seasons saw them struggle badly and finish bottom of Division Two in both seasons, also winning just one game in the second of those two difficult seasons. Whilst they had intended to still run in Season 1979-80 they were unable to raise a side for two pre-season friendlies and after 33 years in the old Wiltshire League and the new Wiltshire County League they were no more as they pulled out of the league before the league campaign started.