Viney St. Swithins Football Club
Viney St. Swithins Football Club is based in the historic Forest of Dean and has a long and successful football pedigree dating back to 1899. We take a look back at an illustrious history that has certainly had its ups and downs along the way.
1910s and 20s
After several years of trying, we were eventually elected to the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League in 1927. The club soon adapted to a higher level of football by finishing fourth and then runners up to Cheltenham Town.
1930s
The following season, 1929/30, we leapfrogged Cheltenham Town to secure a first Senior League title. An FDL Division One title was secured in 1936 and 12 months later the club would go on to win the much-coveted Junior County Cup.
1940s
In 1947, following World War II, Viney rejoined the Senior League (and would complete 50 years of continuous membership.) This tenure was broken to much celebration with our promotion into the County League (in 1996), under manager and former Cheltenham Town goalkeeper, Stewart Martyn.
1950s
The 1950s saw Viney finish runners up twice – to Forest Green Rovers and Lydbrook Athletic. And then a reorganisation of the leagues saw us unfairly relegated to the newly formed Division Two. The club would bounce back in style, however, by winning the second division championship that year.
1960s and 70s
Competitive performances from our first XI throughout the 1960s were followed by a Division One championship in 1970/71. In 1973/74, they would repeat the feat, with our second XI narrowly missing out on silverware themselves, with a JO Roberts Cup final defeat to Huntley.
1980s
In 1981/82, our second XI would once again taste cup final defeat, this time in the George Sandoe Cup to close rivals Blakeney. Our first XI in 1982/83, under the joint-manager team of Mike Stratford and Harold Elliot, secured the Senior League Division Two title from rivals Ellwood. They would also win the Senior Amateur Cup the following season.
1990s
The early 1990s saw mixed fortunes for the club. During the 1995/96 season, the first XI – after a poor start to the season – looked to be heading for relegation to Division Two of the Senior League. But the appointment of Stewart Martyn transformed the team’s fortunes. A new-found confidence and the addition of new players saw the team claw their way out of relegation trouble.
The following season they continued where they left off. Running away with the Division One title with games to spare and the club’s first foray into the County League. The only blot on an otherwise successful season was a Forest Green Rovers Trophy final defeat to local rivals Lydney Town.
And after a competitive season, the second XI suffered a similar fate. They would lose in the final of the JO Roberts Cup to – you’ve guessed it – Lydney Town Reserves.
2000s
After 8 mixed seasons in the County League, the first XI would undergo a period of transformation. In two successive seasons, they were relegated into the first and then the second division of the Senior League.
