Exciting news breaking this morning, Yeovil United and Bridgwater Town have announced that following approval from all relevant football authorities, the clubs will merge under one unified name to represent the town in which they are based. From the start of the 2021/22 season, the clubs will be newly branded as Bridgwater United Football Club.
The ‘One Club’ approach will enable Bridgwater United to acquire the mantel of one of the biggest football clubs within the South-West region. The one club will now offer football through their Women’s and Men’s first team sides, the Under 21’s Women’s FA National reserve league squad, a newly introduced Under 23’s men’s squad, the Dual Career Academy Education programme, the existing Girl’s academy and the newly launched boys academy with trials beginning in May.
The club will now operate with an increased amount of full-time resources and with a greater pool of experienced people in coaching, administration, commercial and marketing.
Yeovil United currently compete in the third tier of women’s football after a difficult spell in the Women’s Super League. Whilst Bridgwater Town sits in step five of the men’s non-league pyramid.
The club will feature an already well established and FA approved elite holistic player development programme and will work towards an Elite Academy Status within both the male and female pyramids. The academy will support the development of young players in Somerset and the South West from under 9’s right through to under 23’s.
CEO Adam Murry said, “This exciting announcement is only just the beginning for Bridgwater United FC. supporters and indeed the town as a whole can expect further organisational developments to be released in the coming weeks. There has been an incredible amount of work undertaken in recent months and it will demonstrate our determination to return the women’s side to the Women’s Super League and see our men’s team progress through the National League System.”
Women’s first-team manager, Jamie Sherwood, commented that “the decision to see the clubs merge as Bridgwater United, is the right one, to allow for our own sustainability and to allow the region to have an even higher profile female football club than it already does.
“The vision and the commitment to achieving the ambition that Mr Murry has set out for Bridgwater United takes me back to the days when the club first took its journey to the top tier of the women’s game and this infectious ambition is a huge contributing factor as to why I believe it’s right to provide a joint home next to our headquarters at the college, pool resources and the professional support we will be offered.”
Joint manager of the men’s first team, Dave Pearse, stated “This is another big step forward into new heights for the Football Club. The joining of the 2 clubs and the array of future developments makes it a really exciting time to be part of this BIG project, not just on the pitch but off it as well. This will make the football club the centre of the community and something for the whole town to be a part of.”
This might be potentially disappointing news to some Yeovil fans who would be forgiven for feeling like the club has lost part of its identity but this move safeguards the future of the club, while also offering both the opportunity to develop and have a bright future.
