Corsham Print
Wiltshire Senior League
Larkhall Athletic FC Development
Club Formed: 1914
Club Nickname: The Larks
Chairman: Paul Rankin
Club Contact Details
Secretary: James Riccio
Email: Larkhalldev@gmail.com
Tel:
Mobile: 07527 174316

Managers: James Riccio
Email: Larkhalldev@gmail.com
Tel:  07527 174316
Club Social Media Details
Team Photo & Club Colours
Fixtures and Results
Details of Home Ground
Name of Ground: Plain Ham
Ground Address: Plain Ham, Charlcombe Lane, Larkhall, Bath BA1 8DJ

Ground Tel:

 Match Day Programme?  No
Ground Directions:
Club History
Larkhall Athletic Football Club was founded in 1914 but the club were in abeyance during the 1940s after losing use of their Plain Ham ground but returned to footballing activity in 1951. The club has played at Plain Ham since its formation, initially renting it on a match-by-match basis. A longer lease was secured from Bath City Council in 1962 and a clubhouse built in 1965. The club won the Somerset Junior Cup in 1962–63 and joined the Somerset Senior League in the 1970s winning the League Cup in 1974–75 and the Somerset Senior Cup the following season.

In 1976 the Western League formed a new Division One, with Larkhall becoming founder members in the same season that what is now the Wiltshire Senior League came into existence. Larkhall Athletic Reserves at this time were playing in the Bath and District League, but with their first team now in the Western League Larkhall Athletic Reserves moved up into the Somerset Senior League. A successful season n 1979-80 when they finished third in Division 3 saw them promoted to Division 2. Another successful season in 1984-85 saw another promotion after Larkhall Athletic Reserves finished as runners-up securing promotion to Division 1. Just two seasons were spent in Division 1 as a third-place finish in Season 1986-87 saw promotion to the Premier Division of the Somerset Senior League.

Larkhall Athletic Reserves were to spend five seasons in the top division, but they found the going tough finishing each season in the bottom half of the table.  This despite their first team going well in the Western League, securing the Division One championship in Season 1988-89 but being unable to take promotion due to their lack of facilities at the time. After finishing third from bottom in the Somerset Senior League in Season 1991-92 Larkhall Athletic Reserves were relegated back down to Division 1. Season 1993-94 saw another relegation after they finished second from bottom and they were back in Division 2 for the first time in ten years.

Larkhall Athletic Reserves were to spend the next 14 seasons in Division 2, with the latter two seasons also regionalised with Larkhall in the East Division. During that period floodlights were installed at Plain Ham in 2004 and the club bought the freehold of the site the following year, the clubs first team also securing the Somerset Senior Cup for a second time in 2003-04. Prior to Season 2007-08 the highest place finishes had been a fourth-place spot in both Season 1995-96 and 2005-06 but Season 2007-08 was to be a very successful one for Larkhall’s second team with the Reserves lifting the Division Two East title in what had by now been rebranded the Somerset County League.

The following season saw Larkhall Athletic Reserves secure a sixth-place finish in their first season back in Division One. It was also a successful season for the club’s first team who won Division One of the Western League and with the facilities now in place were able to take promotion to the Premier Division and Step 5 of the pyramid for the first time. Larkhall Athletic Reserves were to spend the next eight seasons in Division One of the Somerset County League with their best finishes being two third places in Seasons 2014-15 and 2015-16. During this time their first team were also crowned champions of the Western League Premier Division twice. The first occasion was in Season 2010-11 but once again the club were denied promotion, this time to the Southern League, due to ground grading requirements. As second Western League Premier Division title win for the first team in Season 2013-14, a season which also saw them win the league's Les Phillips Cup, finally saw them able to take promotion to Division One South & West of the Southern League. In their first season in the Southern League they finished in an impressive fifth place, qualifying for the promotion play-offs but unfortunately losing in the final.

With their first team now established in the Southern League a decision was made to fold the second team at the end of Season 2016-17, after they had finished in sixth place in Division One East of the Somerset County League in that final season. Season 2022-23 saw a second side re-formed and playing in the Wiltshire Senior League for the first time under the modern terminology of Development team and under the management of James Riccio, the former Odd Down Reserves manager. It was to be a fantastic first season for the young Larkhall side who won the Division One title in their first season and also lifted the Fountain Trophies Cup after an exciting final win over Devizes Town. They are expected to do well in their first season in the Premier Division.

Larkhall Athletic Development Season 2022-23

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