BATH TIME

 https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/3994718670252035536/2802877017271538951

It's all about Bath today and I have written before about the football teams in the Roman city. On the other hand Alexander Thynn (he preferred the "tin" sounding end to his surname not Thynne...Tine, at the age of 87, died recently and he, as you know, was the 7th Marquess of Bath, the man who owned Longleat, was an artist and author, had a harem of what he called "wifelets", had £157m on the Rich List, went to Ludgrove Prep School (a particularly posh junior school) and then to Eton. He joined the Lifeguards-not the seaside ones, studied at Christchurch College, Oxford and was a member of the Bullingham Club-reputed for its fruity dinners and diners. He appeared on TV quite a bit with "Time Team", "Animal Park" and "Longleat", when he wasn't shacked up with any/all of his ladies.

I was talking to another Bath person, recently, who doesn't have many of the qualities of the Marquess, but who daughter has just been accepted at Bath Unversity and she is delighted to be joining a place of further education that ranks 6th in the UK table of universities. The university supports Team Bath, a football club that is boosted by students and grants from the university coffers and allows outsiders (as you will have read in the link) to sign on. 

Read more about what they university provides.....https://www.teambath.com/sport/football/

There is also a link up with Bath City FC with whom they ground share, Twerton Park, a neat home for two adventurous clubs.

As a club that is not "Limited", it is not able to get promotion to the Football League nor play in the FA Cup, which is a bit of shame, but there you are. The club had won promotion from the Western League through the Southern League and into the Conference South in 2008; two steps away from the Football League. In 2002-3 they became the first university side to get to the 1st Round Proper of the FA Cup since 1880 and they achieved this again in 2007-8 and 2008-9...but not since.

Bath City FC  was founded in 1889 and is now known as AFC Bath, playing in the National League South, missing election to the Football League twice by votes in 1978 and 1985.

Oh, by the way I spent the first night of my marriage in Bath, so I have a lot to thank Bath for.