The Bristol Corinthians League (formerly the Bristol Casuals League) was set up in 1995 as a small, mini-league, by a bunch of over-thirties who fancied the odd game of “organised” football, without the commitment or seriousness of playing in an FA League where chasing superfit teenagers around had lost its appeal.
Such was the interest, the league grew and the rest is history. Today, with over seventy member teams across Bristol, Somerset, Glos and South Wales, the league is more popular than ever.
We try to maintain a balance of a “casual” approach, whilst providing the necessary infrastructure to keep the league organised. Central – and uniquely – to the League’s ethos is a commitment to maintaining a real “Corinthian Spirit”.
In our league the spirit in which the game is played is more important than the result.
In 2016, to ensure we maintain certain basic standards of sportsmanship, the League voted to adopt a “by invitation” system. Any club failing to meet basic sportsmanship standards don’t get invited back in.
Which is not to say the football is not highly competitive on the field. The standard varies from County League/Toolstation League standard veterans in the first Division, down to a much more relaxed and variable standard lower down the divisions.
Ultimately we believe;
- All games should be played in a friendly manner, with a spirit of co-operation between teams. Sportsmanship and good conduct of players and officials are the most highly prized commodities in our league. Players should behave courteously and with good humour towards one another and officials at all times.
- Physical, sexual, racist, sexist or homophobic abuse of opponents and officials is completely unacceptable.
- Violent conduct towards opponents or officials is also completely unacceptable. Players should be in control of themselves at all times, never risking the safety of an opponent through a reckless action during the game.
- Referees and match officials should be treated with the highest degree of respect. Decisions should be accepted without complaint. Officiating a BCL game should be a pleasure for any official, not a chore.
The League has multiple divisions over 3 age groups; Over 35’s, Over 45’s and Over 50’s. Each team can, under certain circumstances, field two under-age players, but there are rules in place to try and ensure that those players aren’t worldbeaters in their sporting prime – which would be deemed very uncorinthian.
We aren’t FA Affiliated – deliberately – so there are no individual player registrations and joining the league is a simple matter of paying a £125 annual registration fee (almost all of which goes to charity). There is usually a waiting list each close season, but we are pretty flexible in structuring the divisions in order to accommodate most/all new applications.
We do NOT assign referees to matches as we not FA-affiliated. Traditionally the League has been a sportsmanlike environment where an official referee was not deemed a requirement. However, it is true to say the overall level of competitiveness has increased over the years and many teams now appoint a referee, which we feel is a good idea generally.