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Home Page -> About the Mini & Junior Section -> History of the Bristol Rugby Mini & Junior Section - Founded July 1990
The Bristol Club had considered starting a mini & junior section for some time and several members and supporters of the club were keen to see it happen. Eventually in the summer of 1990 a decision was made and the formation of the Section announced by the Bristol Club Chairman Alan Ramsey and the head coach Colin MacFadyean.
Malcolm Bridge an RFU Senior Coach was appointed as chairman and children aged from 6-17 turned out on the first Sunday of the 90-91 season, to train on the annex pitch at the back of the Centenary stand.
The Memorial Ground remained our home base for six years, with the mini?s training on the annex, and the juniors making use of pitches at Golden Hill. But by the end of the 95 season, the use of two venues had started to create the feeling amongst parents of two separate clubs. The weight of numbers on a Sunday morning and problems at the Memorial Ground necessitated a move and members decided in 1996 to take over the disused clubhouse at the Filton 'Combination' Ground.
The move made us financially independent of the Senior Club, with our own bar, sweet and Kit shop, so we were able to fund ourselves through the difficult years facing the main Bristol Club.
Malcolm Bridge departed from the club after a few seasons and since that time the club has had four Chairmen, Nigel Butler, Derek Farr, Chris Brockett and the present incumbent, Ian Martin. With the initial success of the club Bristol Stalwart and former player, Ken Coggins was seconded from the main club to help run the section and became the President staying with the club until his unfortunate passing in 2007. Ifor Evans as Vice President and a renowned coach along with Chairman Ian Martin are the longest serving members of the club.
When the main club went into liquidation the Section were given notice by the liquidator and the search for a new home was started. The Section moved to Colston?s School at the beginning of the 2003-04 season, sharing the facilities of the Old Colstonians Club. It soon became apparent that we would need to find a more permanent home and agreed a partnership with Filton College to move the club to the new multi million £ facilities at the WISE Campus at Filton.
During the Malcolm Pearce reign at the main club, the section did enjoy some financial support, but outside of that have been fully self-funding.
Over the years the minis have played curtain raisers for two Cup Finals at Twickenham and have gone on tour in Cornwall for 13 consecutive seasons and won various tournaments and accolades.
The Bristol Juniors have toured South Africa, France, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Devon and Cornwall building strong relationships with clubs wherever they went. We have been a major provider of players for County and Development squads, South West, Shogun?s Academy and England youth, college and clubs. The club has also enjoyed success locally and nationally and has been County Champions and Combination Champions at most age groups and has also won 7?s and 10?s tournaments.
In 2008 we were Colts champions of the league and County cup tournaments and the clubs Under 17?s became Combination Champions, County Champions, South West Champions and went on to win the National U17 Plate tournament beating Syston from Leicester in the final at Sixways Stadium in Worcester.
It is a club dedicated to providing the opportunity for all children to play and enjoy the game of rugby. Many of the players have gone on to play rugby for their Universities and colleges. Many are playing for senior clubs throughout the Bristol Combination. The club has had many difficult times but we are determined to carry forward the traditions of Bristol Rugby and ensure there is always an opportunity for boys and girls to come and play rugby for Bristol.