BROCKENHURST HISTORY
The club was founded in 1898, initially playing close to the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive. The Badgers were founder members of the New Forest League which they won a number of times. They moved before World War 1 to a site between the Rose and Crown and Snakecatcher pubs.
Following the war the club played in both the Bournemouth and Hampshire leagues, moving to Fathersfield. In 1931 they were forced to move again, to Black Knoll when Fathersfield was given over to housing. In 1935 the club won the New Forest Lads Cup.
Within two years the Badgers moved to Oberfield and after World War 2 they spent some seasons at Tile Barn before moving to their current home at Grigg Lane in 1951.
The club were crowned Hampshire League Division Three champions in 1960 as well as winning the Bournemouth Seniors cup. They moved between the Second and Third Divisions until in 1971 they were promoted to Division One where they won the league title in the 1975-76 season.
Brockenhurst were founder members of the Wessex League, joining in 1986. The club’s FA Cup giant killing reached its pinnacle in season 2001/02 when Kingstonian were defeated and in season 2004/05 the club reached the 3rd qualifying round, the run ending in defeat to Bath City.
In season 2012/13 the club returned to the Wessex Premier Division as Division One champions and reached the final of both the Southampton DFA Senior Cup and the Wessex League Cup. The Badgers won three cups in three years—in season 2019/20 the team won the Bournemouth Senior Cup; in 2020/21 we lifted the Hampshire Senior Invitational Supplementary Cup; and in 2021/22 we won the Russell-Cotes Cup. In 2020/21, both the U18 and U17 teams won their divisions.
Season 2021/22 was one of the most successful for Brockenhurst in recent years, with the club finishing 6th in the Premier Division, getting to the last 16 in the FA Vase and winning the Russell-Cotes Cup.
Brockenhurst celebrated its 125th season in 2023/24, and missed out on the promotion playoffs by goal difference only. At the end of the season, long-serving manager Pat McManus left the club; a successful and enjoyable testimonial match for Pat was held in July 2024.
Danny Ackland has now become the manager of Brockenhurst; we have retained many of the players from last year’s positive campaign, and have made some great signings too. The future looks bright for The Badgers.
