The official website of Bangor City Football Club

History and Honours of Bangor City FC

Bangor City formed in 1876, spent most of their early years merely competing in various cup competitions. Founder members of the North Wales Coast Football League in 1893, City were crowned Champions in 1896. 1898 saw them joining the Football Combination League and in 1910 they joined the North Wales Alliance League.

During the 1930’s and 1940’s, City competed in the Lancashire Combination League, winning the League Cup in 1949. In 1950, they joined the Cheshire League, being runners-up twice, 1954 and in 1959. In 1968 City became founder members of the North Premier League. The League Cup was won in its inaugural season and consistently good League performances saw City invited to become founder members of the Alliance Premier League (now the Nationwide Conference) in 1979.

Two spells in the Alliance Premier League saw City relegated back to the NPL in 1984, the same season that they were defeated 1-2 by Norwich Victoria in a replay of the F.A. Trophy Final at Stoke. The 1-1 draw at Wembley was the first time a Welsh club had played there in almost 60 years.

A Welsh Cup win in 1962 saw City qualify for a place in the European Cup Winners Cup and face Napoli. A 2-0 home win was cancelled out by a 1-3 defeat in Italy. As there was no “away goals” rule then, a replay was needed and the Italians emerged 2-1 victors at Arsenal’s Highbury ground.

In 1984, as the last surviving Welsh Club in the Welsh Cup, City once again qualified for E.C.W.C. Norwegians Fredrickstad were beaten on the “away goals” rule in the First Round, with Athletico Madrid the Second Round opponents . A 0-2 home defeat in the 1st leg saw City expected to be well beaten by the Spaniards in the 2nd leg. Bangor confounded the experts by holding the Madrid side to a 0-1 margin.

In 1992, City were once again to become founder members of a league, this time the League of Wales, finishing 5th in the first season. Former Tranmere Rovers Goalkeeper, Nigel Adkins, was appointed Manager during the ‘93/’94 season and duly guided City to the Championship. This gained City a place in the UEFA Cup where they lost 4-1 on aggregate to IA Arkranes of Iceland.

The League was won again the following season and their opponents in the UEFA Cup this time were Widzew Lodz of Poloand, whom they lost to on 0-5 aggregate. 1995/96 was a disappointing season as City only finished 4th in the League and attendances fell by about a third from the previous season.

After a succession of Managerial changes, former Everton and Scotland International, Graeme Sharp took over the reins for the 1997/98 season with the hopes of competing with Barry Town for the League. The challenge never really materialised, but City beat Connah’s Quay Nomads on penalties in the Final of the Welsh Cup, this six days after losing on penalties to Barry Town in the Final of the League Cup, the third time City had lost out in the Final of that competition. A week after the Welsh Cup Success, Graeme Sharpe and Bangor City parted company.

John King was installed as manager during the summer of 1998 and was in charge as City faced FC Haka of Finland in the last ever ECWC Competition. City failed to make any progress, losing 0-3 over the two legs. By the middle of September, King was gone and goalkeeper Lee Williams took over . City finished the season in 11th position, their lowest ever in the League of Wales.

A change was on the cards once gain. During the 1999-2000 close season, Aberystwyth based Meirion Appleton was given the managers job with former Welsh International, Terry Boyle, as his assistant. City finished the season on a high, winning the Welsh Cup at the Racecourse ground to qualify for the UEFA Cup. Bangor were unlucky to be drawn against Swedish league leaders, Halmstads who showed their class by comfortably beating City over two legs.

The departure of Meirion Appleton and the appointment of England International, Peter Davenport during the Summer of 2001 made a huge change to the clubs fortunes. Last season, led by Davenport, the Citizens chased for the championship and made the Welsh Cup final.

Last season a narrow aggregate defeat against Yugoslav side FK Sartid—after a first leg victory—set the way for another promising campaign. City finished third last term and after this seasons' Intertoto cup adventures will be gunning for another title challenge
 

Visit the BCSA Historical website for a comprehensive look at the club's history
 

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