British Airways F.C.

British Airways Football Club is a football club based in Bedfont, Greater London, England. They are currently members of the Combined Counties League Division One and play at the Orchard, groundsharing with Bedfont & Feltham.

British Airways
Full nameBritish Airways Football Club
FoundedApril 1974
GroundThe Orchard, Bedfont
Capacity1,200[1]
ChairmanRay Pipe
ManagerJason Owens
LeagueCombined Counties League Division One
2019–20Combined Counties League Division One (season abandoned)

History

The first mention of the club is from April 1947, when it was the works team of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). In 1982 the BOAC team merged with the works team of British European Airways (the BOAC and BEA companies had merged in 1974) to form British Airways Football Club.[2] At the time of the merger, the club had over 200 members, fielding 15 adult teams.[2] The Saturday team played in the West Middlesex League and then the London Commercial League.[2] The club were one of the most successful in the league, winning the Division One title and League Cup several times, the Middlesex Premier Cup in 1996–97 and the Middlesex County Intermediate Cup a record nine times.[3]

After winning the Intermediate Cup three seasons in a row between 2004–05 and 2006–07, the club entered a team into the Middlesex County League, joining Division Three (Hounslow & District), playing under the name BAA Heathrow.[4] After finishing bottom of the division in 2007–08, they were renamed AFC Heathrow. In 2011 league reorganisation saw them moved up to Division Two.[4] In 2012–13 the club's first team transferred from the London Commercial League to the Middlesex County League Premier Division, with the team in Division Two becoming British Airways Thirds. The first team won the Premier Division at the first attempt. After winning the league title again in 2017–18, they were promoted to Division One of the Combined Counties League.[5]

Ground

The club originally played at the Concorde Centre in Cranford. When they joined the Combined Counties League, they began groundsharing with Bedfont & Feltham at the Orchard.[6]

Honours

  • Middlesex County League
    • Premier Division champions 2012–13, 2017–18
  • Middlesex Premier Cup
    • Winners 1996–97
  • Middlesex Intermediate Cup
    • Winners 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07

Records

  • Best FA Vase performance: First qualifying round, 2018–19, 2019–20[5]

References

  1. Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) Non-League Club Directory 2013, p632 ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0
  2. A history of British Airways Football Club British Airways F.C.
  3. Intermediate Cup Middlesex FA
  4. Middlesex County League 2006–2012 Non-League Matters
  5. British Airways at the Football Club History Database
  6. British Airways FansFocus

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