Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Former Clubs
St Joseph's Y.C.
Ground
St Joseph’s School, Queens Drive, Swindon

Seasons in League (Number and period)
7 Seasons (1976-77 to 1983-84 (excl. 1978-79))

Status
Club Folded

League & Cup Honours (when in WSL)
Division 2 Winners 1980-81
Subsidiary Cup Runners-up 1980-81

Club Notes
St Joseph’s were one of the top sides in the county in the early 1970’s prior to the formation of what is now the Wiltshire Senior League. In the last season (1975-76) of the old Wiltshire Combination, prior to the formation of the current Wiltshire Senior League, they had finished in 3rd place in the table. At the start of the decade they had also won the old Wiltshire League for a record four consecutive seasons having progressed from the Swindon & District League.

St Joseph’s had started life as a youth side, probably in the Borough League before progressing into adult football and the Swindon & District League. The first recorded success came in Season 1966-67 when they won Division One of the Swindon & District League to gain promotion to the Premier Division. This was followed two seasons later by success in the Advertiser Cup, the cup competition for sides in the top two divisions of the Swindon & District League.
The Club then progressed to the old Wiltshire League and those record breaking four league titles.

In the first season of the new Wiltshire County Football League in Season 1976-77 they fielded both a first and reserve side in the new league, the First Team were in Division One and the Reserves in one of the Junior Divisions. That first season of the league saw the First Team finish in a credible 5th position fired by the goal scoring exploits of Ray Miller who finished with 15 goals for the season. The Reserves also finished in the upper half of the table in Junior Division B, finishing in 4th place.

The following season was not so successful, and both sides finished lower in their respective tables, the First Team dropping down to 10th place.

The club folded both it’s adult sides at the start of following season, Season 1978-79, not due to a lack of players but due to a lack of helpers to run the sides. Secretary Brian Phillips lost both his two key helpers, First Team manager Martin Garland and former team manager Len Garland and was forced to search for new help. Despite appeals in the Swindon Evening Advertiser and on the cable network Swindon Viewpoint no such help was forthcoming, and Phillips was left with no choice but to fold the two teams.

The initial absence was short term though as the club’s First Team returned to Division 2 of the league for season 1979-80 and the following season were crowned as champions of Division 2 earning a return back to the top division where they had been prior to their resignation. In a successful season for the club they also made the final of the Subsidiary Cup, a competition designed to augment the fixtures of the clubs in the Second Division.

Life back in the top flight proved difficult though and after three seasons of struggle at the bottom of the table the club were again forced to call time on their membership of the league and this time it would be permanent. The old ground now has had the new St Joseph’s School build on it.

Team Record
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