Clifton Rugby Football Club History
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Clifton Association Football Club

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List of Club Members 1872-1945
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Club Statistics 1872-2011

The early days of the Clifton Association Football Club are associated with the Clifton Rugby families Wreford-Brown and Pocock. Its most famous goalkeeper in those days was ex Clifton and England Rugby International James Arthur Bush. He played for Clifton Association Football Club in the late 1880s and early 1890s. Perhaps his most famous season was 1889-90 when Clifton became football champions of Gloucestershire when they beat St. George 5-0 on the 22nd March 1890 at St. George's ground in front of 2,500 spectators. That side also included the former Clifton Rugby player Reginald Innes Pocock. They went on to beat the champions of Wiltshire, Swindon Town, 2-1 on the 29th March 1890 at Swindon in front of 1,000 spectators.

In The Times on 19th December 1891 is the draw for the FA Cup

4th Round (Southern Division) Clifton v Luton Town. It says the first-named club has the choice of ground
In this (1891-92) season Luton got knocked out in Round 1 to Middlesborough 3-0 on 16th Jan 1892. Luton Town were founded in 1885
On Dec 5th The Times says that this is the last round of the preliminary stages. In this last prelim round were also Darlington, Middlesborough, Newton Heath who went on to become Manchester United the following season, Blackpool, Sheffield United and Crewe amongst others
 
Previous rounds for Clifton this season were
home v Pool 1st Round  (Southern Division)
home v Somerset Rovers 2nd Round  (Southern Division)
home v Reading 3rd Round  (Southern Division) won 8-2

Reading played Clifton Association in the FA Cup in 1892-93 and 1894-95. See http://www.rob-andrews.demon.co.uk/royals/cups/nl.html

From the 1892-93 season Clifton were forced to leave their home ground, the County Ground, home of Gloucestershire County Cricket Club. Bristol Rugby Club became the sole tenants at the County Ground. Bristol Rugby Clubs fortunes had increased and with it their attendance. Clifton Association Football Club moved to the Chequer's Ground in Kingswood.

In 1895-96 the Western Leagues were as above. Eastville Rovers would become Bristol Rovers in 1898 and Bedminster merged with Bristol City in 1900.

Clifton Association Football Clubs attendances at Kingwood dwindled and the club left the Western League in 1897-98. Their records were expunged and they folded.

Above Captain Ralph Lewis Pratt, right half for Clifton Association Football Club

Boot Manufacturer. Captain 2nd/4th Battallion Gloucestershire Regiment

Killed in action 18th October 1916 aged 41. Buried in grave III.B.18 in the Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery, La Gorgue