About us:
The Club was founded in 1887 and the original team were known as “Brantham Works” and played their home games at the ‘Recreation Ground’ where the club remains to this day. Branthams’ first match was on Saturday 28th January 1888 vs St Clements Institute, Ipswich as recorded in the Daily Journal dated two days later. They lost 3-0. Brantham played the return game on the 10th March 1888, the 3-2 win is found in the ‘The Star of the East’ newspaper dated two days later on the 12th March 1888. The founder members of the team were from the local British Xylonite factory built a few years earlier adjacent to the ground. The company were fundamental in the setting up of “Brantham Athletic Association” as they were later known. The Football Club were original members of the affiliated Ipswich & District League, winning Division Two of the league in 1898. The club adopted the name Brantham Crown for some time and returned to Division One of the Ipswich & District League in 1905. In 1906 they reverted to their original name, and the following year left the Ipswich & District League again to join Division Two of the South East Anglian League. They returned to Division One of the Ipswich & District League for the 1908–09 season, but left again in 1910 to join the Harwich & District League. After playing in it for a single season they joined the Essex & Suffolk Border League, before switching back to Division Two of the Ipswich & District League in 1912, also playing in Division Two of the (now renamed) East Anglian League, winning both in 1913–14.
After World War I the club played in the Ipswich & District League from 1919 until 1925, the year in which they reached the final of the Suffolk Senior Cup, losing 1–0 to Kirkley. That year they also switched back to the Essex & Suffolk Border League. The club won the Senior Cup in 1927 with a 3–0 win over Lowestoft Town. After finishing bottom of the Essex & Suffolk Border League in 1931–32 they returned to the Ipswich & District League. After World War II they rejoined the Essex & Suffolk Border League, although they also played in the Ipswich & District League between 1947 and 1950. They won the Essex & Suffolk Border League League Cup in 1948–49, beating Colchester United 4–0 in the final.[3] The club won the Senior Cup for a second time in 1959–60, defeating Christchurch Athletic 3–2.[4] In 1972–73 they won the Essex & Suffolk Border League and retained the title the following season. In 1975–76 they won the league again, also winning the League Cup (with a 1–0 win against Wivenhoe Town after extra time) and the Senior Cup. A league and League Cup double was repeated the following season, with Brantham beating Wivenhoe 2–0 in the cup final.
The club applied to join the Eastern Counties League in 1977, but were rejected as the ECL secretary claimed that they wouldn’t “attract people to watch them in other parts of the region”. However, the following year they were successful and were admitted to the league. They achieved their highest-ever finish of fourth in 1982–83, the same season in which they reached the fifth round of the FA Vase, losing 1–0 at home to VS Rugby in front of a then-record crowd of 594. The following season they won the Suffolk Premier Cup, beating Lowestoft Town 2–0. When the league gained a second tier in 1988, the club was placed in the Premier Division. However, they were relegated to Division One in 1992–93 after finishing second from bottom.
Two years later they were relegated to the Suffolk & Ipswich League after finishing eighteenth out of 19 clubs. Suffering from financial problems, the club merged with SIL club Stutton to become Brantham & Stutton United. After winning the League Cup in 1997, the club reverted to its old name in 1998. They were relegated to Division One in 1999–2000, and despite making an immediate return to the Senior Division, they were relegated again the following season. They were promoted to the Senior Division after finishing second in 2004–05. They won the title in 2007–08, and were promoted back to the Eastern Counties League. After finishing third in 2009–10, the club were promoted to the Premier Division.
The club’s former Sunday league team, the successful Brantham Colts played in the Ipswich Sunday League and reached the FA Sunday Cup semi-final in 2008.
For the 2013-14 season the Brantham Ladies Team were formed and they compete in the Suffolk Womens and Girls League. In April 2016 the Ladies beat Witnesham Wasps Ladies where they won 2-0 at Hadleigh Utd neutral ground.
Brantham Reserves, managed by Allan Merchant and Nathan Burrell took the Reserves on a fantastic cup and league run during the 2012-13 season when they won the League And the Suffolk Senior Reserves Cup, Allan also secured the manager of the season award, an internal award presented by the Brantham Committee.
Brantham Athletic under the management of Michael Brothers and Matt Carmichael most recently reached the final of the League Challenge Cup in May 2018 winning the match 4-2 vs Thetford Town to become cup winners. In the same season Brothers and Carmichael took Brantham to their best achievements in the FA Cup reaching the 2nd Qualifying Round only to bow out at home in a 1-0 loss to Eastbourne Borough.
In the 2020-2021 season Michael Brothers as manager continued his good form in the FA Cup to equal the clubs best performance by reaching the 2nd Qualifying Round once more after defeating Benfleet FC, Gt Wakering Rovers and St Ives Town FC.
In January 2022 Pip Boyland took over as the 1st team manager with Alex Drennan as his Assistant.
The Reserves became the U23s in the 2023/24 season with Dan Hart and Kevin Battersby at the helm and Mark Chatfield remained as the manager of the Development Team.
The Ladies doubled their senior teams to two with a Development Team formed for the 2023/24 season. Dan Claxton is the 1st team manager with Jason Markham his equivalent in the Development Team.
● Suffolk & Ipswich League
– Division 2 League Winners 2012-13 (Res)
– Metaltec League Champions 2007–08
– Mick McNeil League Cup winners 1996–97
● Ipswich & District League
– Junior Cup winners 1898-99, 1927-28
– Division 3 League winners 1919-20 (Res)
● Essex & Suffolk Border League
– Champions 1972–73, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77
– League Cup winners 1948–49, 1975–76, 1976–77,
● Suffolk Premier Cup
– Winners 1983–84
● Suffolk Senior Cup
– Winners 1926–27, 1959–60, 1975–76
– Winners 2012-13 (Res)
● Eastern Counties League
– League Challenge Cup Winners 2017-18
● Coggeshall Brotherhood Cup
– Winners 1977-78, 1979-80
● Hadleigh Charity Cup
– Winners 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84
● Harwich Charity Cup
– Winners 1982-83
* Suffolk Womens League Cup
– Winners 2015-16
● Best FA Cup performance
– Second qualifying round, 2018-2019, 2020-2021
● Best FA Vase performance
– Fifth round, 1982–83, 2012–13
● Largest Attendance
– 1,700 vs VS Rugby, FA Vase fifth round, 1982–83
Target Audience
The age range does vary, but it is primarily young families, which I would put into the B1 and 2 banding.
Key Dates and Timings
We are looking for sponsors to cover the 2024/2025 season, again there are multiple options available for those that may want to cover multiple seasons or packages.
Specific Opportunity Details
As per our history, we are a growing club, some of the opportunities available are:
- Club / Ground Sponsorship
- Senior Dugout Sponsorship
- Perimeter Boards to main pitch (annual)
- Team Catering Sponsorship
- Match Day / Corporate Sponsors
- Match Ball Sponsors
- Turnstile Sponsors
- Girls Academy Sponsorship
We do offer much more, happy to share additional information for those interested.
In the season of 2022/2023 we enjoyed the following:
- 3,310 total first team attendances
- 120 total competitive senior games
- 23,200 website visits
- 6,950 Social Media following
Brantham Athletic FC are a small club with big ambitions and plans. With such a strong history comes solid foundations and we are keen to build on these for the future, bringing our partners along with us for the journey.
As a club sponsor you will benefit from access to our fan base and the visiting supporters who regularly attend homes games on average 3 times a week during the season.
As well as promotional hoarding and program features you will also have access to a variety of promotional channels, including our website, newsletter and busy social media accounts and our commercial team are always happy to discuss additional opportunities with you.
Features and Benefits
Each opportunities offers unique benefits, including:
- Social media exposure
- Full page sponsorship in our program
- Pre-agreed number of match and/or season tickets
- Tickets to the End of Season Award
- Company logo in our program
- and much more....
Happy to go into more specific details and discuss the various packages and what they offer.
Other Partners
- Collier & Catchpole
- Zen Control
- Step on Safety
- Sibbons
and more....
We are also in talks with the Co-Op, Jewson, Mc Donalds and more....
Investment
This would be a cash investment, opportunities range from £75 to £10,000 - We would ideally like to raise as much as we can, our initial aim is £100,000
Other Info
BRANTHAM ATHLETIC FOOTBALL CLUB ARE PROUD MEMBERS OF THE THURLOW NUNN EASTERN COUNTIES PREMIER DIVISION, U23 LEAGUE AND THE ESSEX & SUFFOLK BORDER LEAGUE.
THE 1ST TEAM PLAY IN THE THURLOW NUNN PREMIER DIVISION WHILST THE U23S PLAY IN THE THURLOW NUNN U23 LEAGUE AND THE DEVELOPEMENT TEAM PLAY IN THE 4TH DIVISION OF THE ESSEX AND SUFFOLK BORDER LEAGUE.
WE ARE ACTIVE SUPPORTERS OF BOYS AND GIRLS GRASS ROOTS FOOTBALL FROM AGES UNDER 7 TO UNDER 18 AND WE ARE HOME TO THE BRANTHAM ATHLETIC LADIES TEAM AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM WHO PLAY IN THE SUFFOLK GIRLS AND WOMENS LEAGUE.
THE U18S PLAY IN THE COMPETITIVE THURLOW NUNN YOUTH LEAGUE AND EASTERN JUNIOR ALLIANCE AND THE LADIES PLAY IN THE SUFFOLK WOMENS AND GIRLS LEAGUE.
WE PLAY OUR HOME GAMES AT THE BRANTHAM LEISURE CENTRE, NEW VILLAGE, BRANTHAM, CO11 1RZ HOWEVER WE ALSO USE LOCAL PITCHES SITUATED IN TATTINGSTONE WHERE THE DEVELOPEMENT TEAM AND SOME YOUTH TEAMS PLAY.
IN THE SUMMER OF 2023 THE CLUB HAD ITS BIGGEST BACKROOM REFRESH FOR 20 YEARS. MR CROWHURST MOVED TO PRESIDENT WITH CHAIRMAN ROGER PECK BEING VOTED IN WITH DARREN SMITH AS HIS VICE CHAIRMAN.