BRIDGWATER Sports Football Club is celebrating its 80th anniversary, and is calling on all players past and present to join them for a reunion next month.

To celebrate the Mercury is running a three part-feature documenting the history of the club, which for many years was known as the British Cellophane Limited Football Club. The club's current chairman Andy Farkas has kindly worked with the Mercury on this feature.

This week follow's three turbulent decades for the club filled with high, lows and many changes: The 1970's, 1980's and 1990's.

The 1970's: Relatively speaking, the 1970's was actually a rather quiet time for the club. The management team of Colin Gardner, Carl Netto, Mike Rossiter and Terry Depledge brought stability to the club during this period, and eventually leading them to the Division 3 title in 1979.

The clubs was also recognised for its principles of fair play, winning the league's linesman award in 1974 and 1979.

The 1980's: In the mid 1980's, a declining number of employees at the cellophane factory necessitated the football club to offer membership to non-BCL employees.

This meant former player Barrie Saunders could return to the club as first team manager. To strengthen the side's resources Barrie brought in young players assembled from local youth teams.

This allowed the club to field a third Colts' side, which heralded a new successful era at the club, which in 1989 saw the reserve team deliver the Division 3 and Seward Cup trophies.

In the same year the first team returned to the top flight after a long absence.

The 1990's: The 1990's was a real boom period for the club, amassing a total of 11 league and cup titles.

In 1990 the team took home the Gardener Cup and Rowbarton Cup, then in 1991 the club achieved a landmark success, when, 54 years after formation, the team won the Division 1 title.

The most distinguished title came in 1996 when BCL FC became the only Bridgwater Club - and the only club in the Taunton and District's League's history - to win the county cup competition.

In 1999 the club added the double - winning the Division 3 title and Seward Cup.

Next week's concluding article will take us through the tumultuous 2000's with the closure of factory and relocation of the club, and up to the present day.

The club's reunion will taking place in the Blake Hall on Friday, May 19. Tickets cost £6 and can the event will start at 7pm, there will be food and live music. For more information contact Andy Farkas on andyfarkas007@yahoo.co.uk.