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BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS HISTORY
Bemerton Heath Harlequins were formed in May 1989 with the amalgamation of three clubs, Bemerton Athletic, Moon F.C. and Bemerton Boys. All three clubs were previously very successful in their own right and were a major force in local football. Bemerton Athletic won the Wiltshire League on three occasions. Moon F.C. consistently won honours in the Salisbury and Andover Leagues and Bemerton Boys won several trophies in the Mid-Wilts League.
The Moon F.C. and Bemerton Athletic were by the end of 1988, looking for a fresh challenge therefore provisional talks of a merger were held with an entry into the Wessex League being the No.1 priority.
This seemed the only logical step due to the close proximity of the grounds and the fact their players played for both clubs on Saturdays and Sundays. It is history now that the talks were successful, Bemerton Heath Harlequins were formed and now operate from a magnificent clubhouse which was built by self-help.
Since the merger, the men’s first XI have established themselves as a consistent performer within the Wessex League.
Season 1992/93 being the most successful to date finishing third in the League, winning the Wiltshire Senior Cup, completing a Hat-Trick of Hospital Cup Final Victories and being the Wessex League’s longest survivor in the F.A. Cup and F.A. Vase with two fabulous cup runs.
Season 1996/97 saw the 2nd XI as Wessex Combination League Champions and Cup Runners-up.
In 1997/98 the first XI lost in the final of the Wessex League Cup, again finishing 5th in the League.
In 1998/99 the club reached the last sixteen of the F.A. Vase for the first time in our short history. The Combination side clinched the elusive Wessex Cup Final at the fourth attempt.
In 1998/99 the club reached the last sixteen of the F.A. Vase for the first time in our short history. The Combination side clinched the elusive Wessex Cup Final at the fourth attempt.
Our Western Way ground continues to be improved, providing the best facilities in the area, without doubt.
1999 saw the opening of the Moon Room with spectacular viewing over the pitch, for Moon Room members and sponsors.
The past few seasons have seen lots of unpredictable football both good and bad, culminating in the first relegation in the clubs’ proud history.
2019/20 saw the arrival of our new manager Ian Saunders as we embark on our new challenge in Division One. There has been a huge turnover of staff and players as the club are looking to take a new positive and exciting look to the future.
The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has been a truly awful event in our world's history, but during this time of sadness our football club has taken the decision to re-ignite our once coveted Youth Section to ensure that when football comes back to some sort of normality, we will be a club that provides a fantastic community project for children and adults from ages Under 6 through to our mens senior teams.
Shaun Hale took the reigns as from December 2020, with Saunders moving to a new role as Director of Football.
The club achieved their return to the Wessex Premier Division by securing the Wessex Division 1 championship on the final day of the 2021/22 season. This was a great achievement and the Harlequins first title experience.
This was then usurped only 12 months later with further promotion into Step 4 and the Southern League for the first time in the club's history, as runners-up in the Wessex League Premier Division.
