Bitterne Nomads F.C.


Bitterne Nomads F.C. were an amateur football club, based in Bitterne - an eastern suburb of Southampton, Hampshire. They folded after the loss of their ground.

History

Bitterne Nomads were formed in 1939, the suffix an indication of they number of venues used for home games.
They were the third club to represent the area, although any aspirations of emulating their successful predecessors Guild and Sports was soon halted by the outbreak of World War II. Despite this, Bitterne Nomads remained active and participated in various war time competitions.
The post war era saw renewed interest. In 1946 the club began using the Hatley Road Sports Ground, were elected into the Hampshire League Division 3 and also began entering the national cup competitions. Unfortunately, the loss of their ground forced them to leave the competition in 1949, and join the Southampton League.
Despite this set-back, Bitterne Nomads recovered by winning the Southampton Senior Cup in 1955 and the Senior Division 1 title in 1959. Now playing at a nicely developed venue at Cutbush Lane, they made a returned to the county league in 1960 and immediately won promotion as Division 3 runners-up. In 1965 they were relegated back again, where they remained a steady force until 1968 when the loss of their ground prompted the club to fold.

Honours

Ground

Bitterne Nomads played at Cutbush Lane, Townhill Park, Southampton. The ground is now covered by housing.
The modern day council owned pitches known by the same name are located at near-by West End, behind a housing estate.

Notable players

Bitterne Nomads had many fine players, most notably Don Roper and Fred Turner who both went on to play for Southampton. Former Saints goalkeeper Eugene Bernard also played towards the end of his career.

Local rivalries

With there being so many teams in the area, Bitterne Nomads had a number of local rivals. These included Sholing Sports, Thornycrofts (Woolston) and West End.

Successor Club

Bitterne Sports played in the Southampton League from 1972 until 1995. The club played on hired council pitches and reaching the Southampton FA Junior 'B' Cup final in 1989 was the closest they ever came to winning any silverware.

Print

  • Bitterne Nomads FC History by Ken Prior
  • Bitterne Football - A glimpse at the past by Ken Prior