Following the sad and devastating demise of Trowbridge Town at the end of the 1997-1998 season, a reformed, energized and competitive Bees’ side kicked off the 1999-2000 season with one goal – to win the Wiltshire Intermediate League, and progress quickly to the county’s Premier Division.

With 13 teams all competing for the top prize, it wasn’t going to be easy – gone was our beautiful, character-filled, historic Frome Road – our hallowed turf – and in its place, a field on the border with North Bradley. It wasn’t pretty, it would need work – but it was, and remains to this day, a long term project to get Trowbridge back up the football pyramid. It looks much nicer now, and is set to improve further should exciting plans to bring floodlit football back to the county town come to fruition over the coming months…

A mixed pre-season preceded events; a 5-0 drubbing away at Melksham Town, with a 3-0 win at home to Devizes Town Reserves sandwiched between two draws against Westbury United and Broughton Gifford, a 0-0 and 1-1 respectively.

As The Bees’ kicked off their campaign on August 21st, a new era was born – 230 turned up at Woodmarsh to watch Trowbridge defeat eventual runners up Southbrook 3-1 – Neil Kirkpatrick with a hat trick, and not for the last time that season either! This started a winning run which would continue until October 30th, and included the biggest win of the season – a 12-0 demolition of Marlborough Town Reserves. This game would also set a record for most goals scored in a game – 7 – which Scott Baker later came close to beating, but remains to this day. Neil Kirkpatrick holds that record.

Town outnumbered their opponents home and away, making up the majority of spectators at away games, traveling across the county to get behind the new-look club. At home, attendances regularly sat in three figures, with Trowbridge putting on some excellent performances to keep supporters entertained.

Town suffered just 2 defeats all season, both to Down Ampney, who would go on to finish 3rd – a 3-2 defeat away, was followed later in the season by a 4-3 defeat. We would draw 2 games, both in a row and at the start of October to Mitel and Wanborough United respectively. The remaining 20 games were won by The Bees, including an excellent 13 wins in 14 from November to March to secure the Intermediate League title.

The final match of the season was away at Southbrook, a crowd of 220 made up of a couple of locals, their dogs and our supporters. We have on good authority that local watering holes were drunk close to dry. A special match day programme was produced for this match, as The Bees’ secured the title with a fine 5-2 victory – a hat trick from Jared O Pray and a brace from Chris Tricker.

With 99 goals scored, and 28 goals conceded, The Bees sat on a healthy 62 points from an available 72, with Neil Kirkpatrick top scorer on 29 goals. Steve Eade sat second some way behind on 12, with Chris Tricker 3rd on 11 and Gary Holding 4th on 6 goals, joint with Paul Shanley and Will Astall. 

The club then enjoyed a presentation night, and a chance to kick back, unwind and reflect before tackling the next steps…

Promotion beckoned, and with that, a chance to tackle the Wiltshire League Premier Division in the 2000-2001 season where – following some time in the Hellenic League in the mid-late 2000’s and early 2010’s – we currently ply our trade as 3 time champions… for now!

A huge thank you to Robin Sims of TTFC Archive for capturing our history – his website is an asset to the club and supporters and we are very grateful. You can visit his website by clicking here!