Club History
Greyfriars AFC was born in the summer of 1967. Initially consisting of playing members of Broad Plain House & St. Bonaventures Church congregation, they were organised by Terry Riden and Bert Fox, with help from Jim Clancy. Inspiration for the side was a football mad catholic priest Father Romuld. Both Jim and Terry still take an interest in the current playing side. Sadly, Bert died in 2003, deservedly receiving a full Requiem Mass at the Catholic Church in Clifton.
Greyfriars started on the Downs Division IV in the season 1967/68 with one side. The team progressed rapidly and over the next few years, were promoted to Division I as well as starting a Reserve team.
In 1975, the two sides moved to the Bristol & District league (Div II and Div VI for the two sides) and acquired a new home ground on Northville playing fields in Pine Grove, Filton.
Greyfriars enjoyed much success over the next few years, including the first team being promoted to the Bristol & District senior division, and the reserves finishing in division V. Some of the better players represented the Bristol & District representative side, and most of the worst players enjoyed many post-season tours to Europe, including being the first team to tour Luxembourg (in 1987) – playing to crowds of over 150! We had arrived!
In the late eighties, the playing strength of the club meant that a move to a bigger ground was needed. In 1992, after much hard work by a few club members (Adrian Bold & Chris Joy), Greyfriars moved to Mile Straight in Filton. Initially sharing with Old Colstonians Rugby Club, they soon made the ground their own, starting a third team in 1993, after much hard work by John Mortifee.
The club's three established sides now play in the Premier Combination (First team) and the Bristol & District (Div IV – Reserves and Div VI -‘A' team).
Over the years, Greyfriars have been promoted many times (and been relegated too!) but have managed two cup finals to date, the GFA Primary cup in 1989 and the GFA Minor Cup