THIS week we are taking a look at one of the Weymouth area’s longest-running and most successful football teams – Upwey and Broadwey FC.

Interest was sparked by a photograph sent in by reader Barry Kerslake, who asked for names of the players.

We were then contacted by John Restorick, the son of Norman Restorick who helped get the team back on its feet in 1948 after the Second World War.

John has decades of club documents and photographs, including immaculate match graphs, committee minutes and individual match reports.

Upwey and Broadwey historian Sue Virgin also got in touch with details, records and photographs and here is a selection for your interest.

One vital document that John found was the team sheet for the Mr Kerslake’s photo, which was taken on March 9, 1957 and was before a home match against Blandford which the Upwey and Broadwey team lost 3-1.

The ‘remarks re: referee’ column has just one word – ‘poor’. The players that day were J Morris, E Saban, B Kerslake, J Stone, D Groves, T Pitman, R Pitman, H Squibb, D Bryant, G Carter and W Sheppard.

As the men returned from the war the cricket and football clubs flourished once more. Football found a home at The Plot, which was a field between Southbrook House and Prospect Place.

A public footpath ran down the northern side of the field linking the Dorchester Road at its junction with Prospect Place to Church Street, emerging between Southbrook House and the disused chapel. The field’s owner gave permission for this to become the home ground of the Bincombe and District Youth Football Club run by William Beck from Ropers Buildings.

In 1948 Norman Restorick took over, kicking off the Upwey and Broadwey FC.

A hut was provided as changing rooms and goal posts erected on the gently sloping ground. Several springs ran through the field and in wet weather the lower part of the pitch turned into a mudbath.

In their first season Don Legg (the youngest of five sons from Icen Farm) was top goal scorer.

His impressive 36 goals during the season helped to place the club in the fourth section of the Dorset League.

The following season saw the club establish themselves as quite a force to be reckoned with in the minor leagues.

However, sadly, the club never made it to the heady heights of the Combination League because of the quality of their pitch.

The club officials at this time included chairman M Taylor; secretary Norman Restorick; S Carter; S Masters and Fred Strange who was trainer for many years. Bert Hart was ground caretaker, living close by in Chesterfield Place. In July 1960, the team disbanded partly due to lack of volunteers to manage the club, but in the 1970s and 80s the three local pubs, The Masons, The Ship and Royal Standard, had teams who played in the Pubs League.

In June 1989 Upwey & Broadwey Football Club reformed by the Reynolds family of Roy, Ralph and Steve and used Redlands as their home ground.

Sadly, it disbanded yet again in 1997 due to lack of volunteers to manage the club, but bounced back in 2006 when Upwey & Broadwey FC was reformed by Steve Reynolds at Redlands.

The team plays in Dorset League Division III.

Anyone interested in becoming involved or helping, to ensure it doesn’t have to disband again, should contact Steve on 01305 816442.

• Upwey & Broadwey history will once again be on show at an exhibition on Saturday and Sunday March 8 and 9 at the Memorial Hall in Victoria Avenue.

The villages have seen many changes over the years – from being two separate villages with their own shops, businesses and communities to the largely urban area of today.

The weekend sets out to remind visitors of the days when the villages were almost self- sufficient, with bakers, grocery stores, schools, social groups and sports teams.

Organiser Sue Virgin said: “The enthusiastic response to previous history events and the generosity of so many people, in sharing their photos, memories and information, has made this a joy to put together.

“The exhibition has a wide variety of displays – there’ll be something for everyone. Come along and enjoy a trip down memory lane or find out about life in the villages in days gone by.”

The exhibition is at the Upwey & Broadwey Memorial Hall, Victoria Avenue, Upwey, on Saturday, March 8, and Sunday, March 9, March from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free and refreshments are available.