After the disappointment of relegation last season following a 12-year stint at the top level, an immediate return to Premier Division I of the Bristol and Suburban League is the target for Ridings High.

"Football became secondary last season, following the death of Dexter Perry at the age of 47, who had a long association with the club as a player, secretary and treasurer," said player manager Gary Dunn, now in his 16th year in charge of the first team.

He took over from his father Graham, the present chairman, who had 15 seasons at the helm during their successful progress from junior to senior football.

The first team was established in 1977 by teachers at Ridings High, Winterbourne and the school still has strong links with the club, as most of the players in the three squads are either past or present pupils.

After a short time in the Bristol and Avon league, Ridings High switched to the Suburban League, where all three sides have regularly been promoted and collected trophies over the last 29 years.

The first team topped Division IV in 1983 and moved up again as runners up in Division III the following season, then took the title in 1987 as a forerunner to the club's further successes.

The club had good cause to celebrate at the end of 1989/90 season, after lifting the Barclay Hospital Cup and finishing second in Premier Division II, before gaining promotion to the top grade as champions in 1986.

Hopes of a double were dashed with defeat in the final of the League's Bosley Cup, but the high point in the club's history came two seasons later.

Ridings High became one of the few Suburban League sides at that time to win the GFA Senior Amateur Cup, after beating Sun Life in the 1988 final at Mangotsfield.

The A side also brought silverware to the club with success in the 2003 GFA Primary Trophy final and, more recently, the first team won the Bosley cup for the first time in 2006, following a hard fought victory over St Aldhelms.

Unfortunately this heralded the departure of many regulars from the squad which faced an uphill struggle to survive in Premier Division I and, as a result, suffered relegation last season.

Many of the Bosley Cup winners have now returned to strengthen the first team which has undergone some rebuilding over the summer months.

"The aim this year is to regain Premier Division I status " said manager Dunn, who has the support of treasurer Vince Curnock, as well as long-serving players Roy Simpson and Steve Pearce.

Goalkeeper Lee Johnson is now in his 16th season between the posts, behind a sound defence which includes Paul Thomson, the club's secretary and Matt Woodman, partners at the back for more than 10 years.

Club captain Jack Chapman is back from a long-term injury for his fifth season in the black and white strip at the age of 21, rejoining Dave Knowlson, another first-team regular for more than a decade.

Ryan Weeks and Mike Hall, are also back in the fold, following a break from the club, while striker Ash Hall has returned from University, he helped in the 2006 Bosley Cup final victory.

Steve Pearce has dropped down from the first team to assist Gary Tozer with the management of the reserve side, which has produced many promising young players while Tony Allan is boss of the thirds.

These include Sam Gill, Alex Morgan, Tom Burnam, James Roberts and Jamie Yandall, who have all moved up through the ranks to senior soccer.

"Our long term aim is the Gloucestershire County League and the pitch is already up to that standard" said Dunn.

Dunn feels that the promise of new changing rooms this season will bring facilities up to the required level.

"A lot of hard work both on and off the field will be needed to achieve the main aim" he said.