New podcast about Bristol football league where all games are at home

The people, officials, and teams behind a 120-year-old football league in Bristol where “every game is played at home”, feature in a new BBC podcast.

Always at Home: Bristol’s Beautiful Game, produced by BBC Radio Bristol, showcases the unique Bristol Downs League, its special history in the city, and the many famous faces that have played for it.

These include former England cricket captain and Gloucestershire batsman, Wally Hammond; former England football captain and Arsenal player, Eddie Hapgood; the first person of African American descent to ever play UK professional football, Steve Stacey; and current Labour councillor Kye Dudd.

All four of the league’s divisions play on the same set of pitches every Saturday at 2pm on the Clifton Downs. This means each match is played “at home” with over 41 teams, more than 1,500 players, and over 400 matches a season.

David Graveney, the former Gloucestershire captain who went on to be England cricket’s chairman of selectors, called his time playing on the Downs the “happiest times of his sporting career”.

“People look at me and say are you sane or what? But it was a most extraordinary and enjoyable period of time,” he said.

“You’ve picked the national cricket team, you’ve travelled the world, you’ve played for Gloucestershire, you’ve captained Gloucestershire, but I’m adamant, [that] period of time was the happiest.”

Former Scotland and Celtic goalkeeper Jonathan Gould was another who played in the league.

“The weather was not always great up on the Downs, it’s a little bit exposed. It’s incredible to think so many people come up here on a weekend and enjoy the game of football,” he said.

“How do we keep this going so in 100 years it’s still here? Maybe we put some money into it and keep it alive. The referees want to be here, the players want to be here. It’s part of the culture of Bristol Saturday afternoons – it’s incredible.”

The podcast also speaks to Richard Morris, professional League One and Two referee who volunteers for the Bristol Downs League – and looks into the history of Sneyd Park FC, the league’s oldest continuous team dating back to 1897.

Always at Home: Bristol’s Beautiful Game is available now on BBC Sounds.