By Harry Mottram: With relegation last month Bath City FC will drop out of the National League South – the sixth division of the football pyramid – to play in the Southern League this autumn.
The seventh level is a feeder league for the National League South so the Romans will be playing teams closer to home – which will be a relief for travelling fans with the current price of petrol and diesel – but a big drop in status.
Teams include Wimborne, Uxbridge and Evesham United, and Taunton Town for the Somerset Derby along with local rivals Chippenham.
The Manager Scott Bartlett who was brought it with the near impossible task of staving off relegation will have the job of ensuring City bounce straight back up to the National League South. Certainly that’s what the fans will be hoping, as well as the Club and everyone who have a passion for the game in Bath.
Darren Way had replaced Jerry Gill as manager and he has been in the hot seat until relieved of his services as gaffer this year – but by then the club was almost beyond hope of survival.
Way went down to join Torquay – while Bartlett came in from Eastleigh where he had been sacked after a heavy defeat to Morecambe – to join Bath. He had stints of managing Weston-super-Mare and for a time as caretaker manager at Forest Green.
Originally from Salisbury he has played for Bath City back in 2010 starting his career on the pitch for Cirencester – so the teams he has been associated with are familiar to fans. Salisbury cost Bath a place in the National League South while local rivals Chippenham are set to join Bath in the Southern League in August.
Some will call it a merry go round of managers – but all three faced the same problems of attracting top class experienced players without the funds of many Football League Clubs.
The club has debts which have to be serviced and with gates of regularly under 1,000 there is not enough cash to invest in top players from the National League or Leagues 1 and 2 who expect high wages. And not just from the Football League as increasingly teams in the National League pay wages on a par with many teams higher up as lower league clubs become more professional.
Down the road at The Rec, Bath Rugby have owners with deep pockets – while Bath City is a community owned club with the Supporters Society having a majority stake. It is a very different model compared to Bath Rugby who plan on a new stadium – but Bath City does have Twerton Park which can take more than 8,000 spectators – more than many clubs in the Southern League.
Bath City have been down a level in the football pyramid in the past and should have enough in the tank to make a concerted push for promotion next season.
Some players may leave Twerton Park but if the fans keep turning out in numbers then gate money will help to fund the new campaign.
As one banner that is often held up by fans states: “Forever Bath.”
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