Players and officials of Bristol Athletic FC are hoping for a double celebration this season to cap the most successful period in the club's 20-year history.

Having been promoted to Premier Division II of the Bristol and Suburban League this season as Division I champions, the team recently reached the quarter finals of the GFA Senior Amateur Cup with a 4-1 win at South Bristol Central.

But BAFC now face a tough task at home to Mendip United, the Bristol Premier Combination title holders, on January 9.

The club was officially formed in 1989 as Soundsville Sports and named after the legendary record store which sold vinyl records to the likes of music giants Massive Attack, Trickey and Freshblood, the main founders of the team.

After early anti-racism campaigning fell foul of a number of leagues, Soundsville Sports rebranded themselves as Bristol Athletic in 1997 and began a footballing philosophy of respect that still exists to day.

With four teams now playing under the Bristol Athletic banner, the club received accolades from former England team managers, the Lord Mayor of Bristol, ex-Rovers and England star Gary Mabbutt and the Kick It Out campaign.

Bristol Athletic gained international recognition as a club with, possibly, more nationalities registered as players than any other amateur outfit, having toured both the USA and Europe showing a strength of unity which brought a fair degree of success. The team reached the final of the Wessex Sunday League Cup in 2002, then finished champions of the Regional Sunday League's Premier Division three seasons later, before 2007 became a year to remember for collecting silverware.

The team won both the Chathams League Cup and the Anglo-Dutch United Trophy but had to settle for runners-up spot in the Multi-Nations Cup, while the Suburban League side lifted the Division III crown and the Under-18s took the Bristol Combination title.

More successes followed in 2008, with the team retaining the Anglo-Dutch Unity Trophy, in addition to winning the Multi-Nations Cup and the Chevrolet European Cup and the Suburban Division I championship.

Not to be outdone, the Sunday team finished runners-up in the Regional League to spark celebrations which lasted well into the summer.

Led by the flagship Saturday side in Premier Division II of the Suburban League, the club also fields two teams in the Regional Sunday League and a Vets squad in the Casual League, also on Sundays.

Several founder members are still with the club, including chairman Patrick Hart, who has been manager of the Sunday team since the launch and also keeps day-to-day charge of affairs on and off the pitch.

His contemporary Mike Rodwell is the all-time record scorer with 273 goals in 387 appearances and is still a regular for the Vets and occasionally for the other Sunday team.

Hart has the support of secretary Robert Collins, treasurer Andrew Jones and Welfare Officer Jacky Johnson, while club captain Ricky Newton is boss of the Suburban League squad and Lee Rankin in charge of the Sunday second string.

The Vets come under the wing of former Bristol Rovers' favourite Carl Saunders, who is also associated with the all-conquering Lebeq Tavern Courage and provides the link between the two clubs.

Many of the players turn out twice every weekend with Mark Garbacz and Chris Prewitt sharing the goalkeeping duties between sound defence on both days.

The back line includes Ben White, Andrew Jones, Ricky Newton, Martin Brock, Sam Winstone, Femi Akinsloa, Rob Collins, Josh Telfer jnr, Steve Harding, Dan Norman, Luke Southcott, Wayne Rogers, Luke Bryan and his brother Ashley and Mahabir Bhakered, whose brother Shah plays in attack.

Sharing the midfield duties are Danny Dorrington, Simon Smart, Kanwarpreet Singh, Courtnie Be'an, Joel Da Costa, Lee Rankin, Danny Sanderson, Wajid Darr, Ricky Cox, Nick Carter, Jason Haskins, Andre Williams, Riaz Unar, Raphael Waugh, Jay Bello, Omar Sims, Sam Lade, Matt Cox, Khalid Raxouki and Ron Murray.

Up front Shah Bhakerd is joined by Ryan Withey, Paul Lea, Kadeem Sinclair, Dazell Young, Mike Rodwell and Dave Hall.

Bristol Athletic can look forward to a bright future with a multi-racial array of talent and former players will be welcome at the club's Christmas Party at Papa's Lounge, Union Street, on Wednesday, December 30.