{{Short description|English football club}} {{Use British English|date=June 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Bishops Cleeve | image = Bishop's Cleeve logo.png | upright = 0.9 | alt = Official crest | fullname = Bishops Cleeve Football Club | nickname = The Mitres | founded = 1905 | ground = Kayte Lane, [[Bishop's Cleeve]] | capacity = 1,500<ref>{{cite book|author=Mike Williams & Tony Williams|title=Non-League Club Directory 2023/24|year=2023|page=520}}</ref> | chairman = David Walker | manager = Paul Collicutt | league = {{English football updater|BishopsC}} | season = {{English football updater|BishopsC2}} | position = {{English football updater|BishopsC3}} | pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_navy_blackangle_leftshoulder|pattern_ra1=|pattern_sh1=|pattern_so1=_band_white | leftarm1=000000|body1=008000|rightarm1=008000|shorts1=000000|socks1=008000 | pattern_la2=_yellowarmpits|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=_yellowarmpits|leftarm2=0000FF|body2=0000FF|rightarm2=0000FF|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=FFFF00 }}

'''Bishops Cleeve Football Club''' is a semi-professional [[association football|football]] club based in [[Bishop's Cleeve]], near [[Cheltenham]], Gloucestershire, England. They are currently members of the {{English football updater|BishopsC}} and play at Kayte Lane. Nicknamed 'the Mitres', the club are affiliated to the [[Gloucestershire County FA]].

==History== Formed in 1905,<ref name=H>[http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/bishopscleevefc/a/club-history-23772.html Club History] Bishop's Cleeve F.C.</ref> the club initially played in the [[Cheltenham Association Football League|Cheltenham League]]. They won Division Two in 1924–25 and again in 1930–31.<ref name=CL2>[http://www.cheltenhamleague.co.uk/div2hist.html Division 2 winners] Cheltenham League</ref> After being promoted to Division One, they won the league title in 1931–32 and 1934–35.<ref name=CL/> After [[World War II]] they won Division Two in 1958–59,<ref name=CL2/> before going on to win Division One in 1961–62 and 1963–64.<ref name=CL>[http://www.cheltenhamleague.co.uk/div1hist.html Division 1 winners] Cheltenham League</ref> Following back-to-back titles in 1965–66 and 1966–67,<ref name=CL/> the club moved up to Division Two of the [[Gloucestershire Northern Senior League]]. They won Division Two at the first attempt, and after earning promotion to Division One, went on to win back-to-back titles in 1968–69 and 1969–70.<ref name=GNSL>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110929085339/http://www.glosnsl.co.uk/index_files/page0018.htm Previous NSL Seasons]}} Gloucester Northern Senior League</ref> A third Division One title was won in 1972–73.<ref name=GNSL/>

In 1983 Bishops Cleeve moved up to Division One of the [[Hellenic Football League|Hellenic League]].<ref name=FCHD>{{fchd|id=BISHOPCL|name=Bishops Cleeve}}</ref> They won the division in 1986–87, earning promotion to the Premier Division. They won the Premier Division Cup in 1987–88,<ref name=NLCD/> but were relegated back to Division One after finishing bottom of the Premier Division in 1991–92.<ref name=FCHD/> League restructuring in 2000 saw them placed in Division One West, and after finishing as runners-up in 2000–01, they were promoted back to the Premier Division.<ref name=FCHD/> In [[2005–06 Hellenic Football League|2005–06]] the club finished as Premier Division runners-up, earning promotion to Division One Midlands of the Southern League.<ref name=FCHD/> They were transferred to Division One South & West in 2008.<ref name=FCHD/> After finishing bottom of the division in [[2017–18 Southern Football League|2017–18]], the club were relegated to the Premier Division of the Hellenic League. In [[2021–22 Hellenic Football League|2021–22]] they won the Hellenic League title, earning promotion back to Division One South of the Southern League.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehellenicleague.co.uk/2022/03/23/bishops-cleeve-win-uhlsport-hellenic-premier/|title=Bishops Cleeve win uhlsport Hellenic Premier|website=Hellenic League|date=23 March 2022|accessdate=12 April 2022}}</ref>

The [[2024–25 Southern Football League|2024–25 season]] saw Bishops Cleeve finish third in Division One South, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. They went on to lose 3–2 after extra time to [[Malvern Town F.C.|Malvern Town]] in the semi-finals.

==Ground== The club originally played at a ground on Stoke Road. It was redeveloped in the early 1970s, and was officially reopened by [[The Football Association|FA]] Secretary [[Ted Croker]] in 1971. However, by the 1990s the club were required to leave Stoke Road to maintain their Hellenic League status, resulting in them spending several seasons groundsharing at Moreton Town, Wollen Sports, [[Forest Green Rovers F.C.|Forest Green Rovers]] and [[Evesham United F.C.|Evesham United]].<ref name=PP>[http://www.pyramidpassion.co.uk/html/bishop_s_cleeve.html Bishop's Cleeve] Pyramid Passion</ref> Permission was given for a new ground at Kayte Lane in 1997 and following a new stand and floodlights being installed, the club returned to the town in 2002.<ref name=PP/> A new clubhouse was completed in 2004.<ref name=PP/> It has a capacity of 1,500, of which 50 is covered seating.<ref name=NLCD/>

During refurbishments in 2021–22, including the installation of an artificial pitch and new floodlights, the club played at [[Evesham United F.C.|Evesham United]]'s Jubilee Stadium.<ref>[https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bishops-cleeve-arrange-groundshare-during-5576039 Bishop's Cleeve arrange groundshare during £771,000 Kayte Lane overhaul] Gloucestershire Live, 25 June 2021</ref>

==Honours== *'''Hellenic League''' **Premier Division champions 2021–22 **Premier Division Cup winners 1987–88 **Division One champions 1986–87 *'''Gloucestershire Northern Senior League''' **Division One champions 1968–69, 1969–70, 1972–73 **Division Two champions 1967–68 *'''Cheltenham League''' **Division One champions 1931–32, 1934–35, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1966–67 **Division Two champions 1924–25, 1930–31, 1958–59 **Senior Charities Cup winners 1928–29, 1936–37, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1966–67<ref>[http://www.cheltenhamleague.co.uk/senior.html Senior Charities Cup winners] Cheltenham League</ref>

==Records== *Best [[FA Cup]] performance: Fourth qualifying round, [[2005–06 FA Cup qualifying rounds|2005–06]]<ref name=FCHD/> *Best [[FA Trophy]] performance: First round, [[2025–26 FA Trophy|2025–26]]<ref name=FCHD/> *Best [[FA Vase]] performance: Third round, [[2005–06 FA Vase|2005–06]]<ref name=FCHD/> *Record attendance: 1,365 vs [[Hereford F.C.|Hereford]], Southern League Division One South & West, 27 December 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/mitresgreenarmy/photos/advent-calendar-day-1%EF%B8%8F%E2%83%A36%EF%B8%8F%E2%83%A3on-27121%EF%B8%8F%E2%83%A36%EF%B8%8F%E2%83%A3-the-club-recorded-its-highest-ever-home-/1434097405390195/|title=Advent Calendar Day 16|website=Bishops Cleeve FC|via=Facebook|date=16 December 2025}}</ref> *Most appearances: John Skeen<ref name=NLCD>Mike Williams & Tony Williams (2012) ''Non-League Club Directory 2013'', p507 {{ISBN|978-1-869833-77-0}}</ref> *Most goals: Kevin Slack<ref name=NLCD/>

==See also== *[[:Category:Bishop's Cleeve F.C. players|Bishop's Cleeve F.C. players]] *[[:Category:Bishop's Cleeve F.C. managers|Bishop's Cleeve F.C. managers]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/bishopscleevefc Official website]

{{Southern League}} {{coord|51|56|14.888|N|2|3|28.879|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}

[[Category:Bishop's Cleeve F.C.| ]] [[Category:Men's football clubs in England]] [[Category:Football clubs in Gloucestershire]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1905]] [[Category:1905 establishments in England]] [[Category:Cheltenham Association Football League]] [[Category:Gloucestershire Northern Senior League]] [[Category:Hellenic Football League]] [[Category:Southern Football League clubs]]