Meet the side set to spend thousands...for the sake of 8 yards

The 2023/24 season was a monumental season for Bream Amateurs, they won the treble and secured their place in the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League, but two years later they face a monumental task to even play at their home pitch.

Bream are currently in their second season in the GNSL, but it also their second season playing nearly two miles away for the sake of their pitch being considered “too short” by the league.

Club secretary, Chris Matthews, joins this weekend’s Buttee’s For Breakfast programme to share their story.

“Many many years ago the pitch fell into disrepair and it took us nearly 20 years to get back to playing in Bream,” Matthews says on the show.

“We had been playing at various venues across the Forest of Dean with help from Bream Sports Club, who helped us through that period- but some great work by some of the older heads and players grafting at the start of covid really, got us back onto the pitch in bream and its such a nice pitch – but the main problem after winning the treble and getting promoted to the Northern Senior League was finding out that our pitch is too small,” added Matthews.

For Bream, the news is frustrating and for those on the outside looking in, the verdict seems even crazier when you look at the numbers.

The FA outlines a maximum pitch size of 110 yards x 70 yards (not including a run off around the pitch), with their recommended size including the run off to be 116 yards x 76 yards. Recommended. The minimum is 100 yards x 50 yards.

The GNSL rules that their pitches must be a minimum of 100m x 64m (without run off) but less than the FA maximum, which we know is 110 yards x 70 yards.

Bream’s pitch is 102 yards x 70 yards (without run offs) but due to the fact one of the ends has too short a run off due to the land having a bank behind one of the goals, it does not pass for the GNSL as it doesn’t meet the recommended size from the FA – again, only recommended, by only 8 yards (7.3m).

Ironically, they would be able to play on that pitch if they were promoted to the County League who use the minimum of 100m x 64m for their pitches.

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And after playing elsewhere last season, Bream are now set for a season playing at Whitecroft, whilst the club look at assessing the land and Matthews spoke about the financial implications the club are facing for less than 10m worth of space.

“it’s a bit of a shame for us, we want to play at that level and we want to progress, but it does mean that there are financial implications with that,” said Matthews.

“We are very grateful to Coleford last season and Broadwell Youth, who allowed us to play there and this season to Whitecroft. we are grateful for them hosting us but that comes with almost £1000 a season going out on pitch hire – for a grassroots and amateur club, it is a lot of money.

We are trying to extend the pitch, but there is a bank behind one of the goals, which we plan to dig out but we have to do structural surveys and planning permissions and we are talking thousands to extend it by only a few yards,” added Matthews.

Bream lifted the 2023/24 North Gloucestershire Premier Division title to earn their spot in the GNSL

But even though Bream are facing a costly process to extend their pitch, the club will be looking to lobby a change in the rules to not play the “woe is me” card, but to help other clubs from being stung with similar issues should they emulate Bream and climb into the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League.

“Ultimately it’s perhaps on us, we weren’t necessarily aware there was something like this. We will take it to next year’s AGM and I assume it will go to a vote assuming it is something that is passable within the regulations of the FA.

Hopefully it goes for a vote, I say that but by then potentially assuming planning permission is all accepted and we have the funds to do the work, the work could already be complete or underway – but it may help other clubs in the future by just reducing that minimum requirement down in the Northern Senior League,” said Matthews.

To help the club raise funds for the work to the pitch, including surveys, they are appealing to local business to help by sponsoring the club for the 2025/26 season and beyond. If any businesses are interested, please contact the club on their social media channels.