Minehead Football Club was originally founded in 1889 and spent their early years in local competitions. They turned semi?professional in 1949/50 when they joined the Western League, in which they played for 23 seasons. In spite of being one of the most consistent teams in the league, Minehead never actually won the Western League Championship, although they finished as runners?up twice (in 66/67 and 71/72).

They joined the Southern League in 1972 and finished 5th in Division One (South). The following season saw them improve slightly by finishing 4th, followed by 3rd in 74/75. In the 75/76 season the club improved yet again to cant' off the league title as champions, as well as the Southern League Merit Cup by scoring more goals than any other club in the Southern League (all 3 divisions), Andy Leitch leading the charge with 36 goals, (the highest tally recorded while Minehead were a Southern League side), closely followed by Jimmy Jenkins and Derek Bryant who both managed 30. The next season, the most successful in it's roller?coaster history, saw Minehead finish as runners?up to Wimbledon, as well as reaching the 2nd Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time, when they were beaten 2?1 by Portsmouth at Fratten Park, witnessed by more than 16,OOOspectators. At this stage the club were considered to be amongst the top 6 non league clubs in the country, reflected by being invited to represent England in the Non League Anglo?Italian Cup competition during 1978. Having won both matches at home, Minehead lost both return matches in Italy, one of which was against Udinese. Within a few short years Udinese had progressed through to the Italian 1 st Division, with their ground being chosen as a venue for the World Cup finals in 1990.

Another interesting piece of history was created the following season when Minehead's Andy Leitch found his name in the record books by scoring in 6 consecutive FA Cup matches, equaling Jeff Astle's record. Leitch had a scorching header hooked off the line with the keeper beaten during Minehead's 2nd Round Proper tie at home to Exeter City, which would have given him the record outright. Minehead were beaten 3?0 by the Devon club, a tie which attracted the club's second highest home attendance of 3,125.

Though the club were stiff a cup force to be reckoned with, their stunning strike partnership of Leitch, Jerkins and Bryant parted company. Struggling to score goals they were relegated from the Southern League Premier Division, finishing 17th of 20, just one point from safety. However the name had been put firmly on the non league map. On the Occasion of the Southern League's centenary year (1994) manager Bob Boyd was chosen as one of the top one hundred manages in it's history, where his name stands proudly alongside-such-names-as-MalcolmAllison-,RonAtkinson-and-BarryFry.

The 79/80 season saw a restructuring of the non?league pyramid, with the "creation" of the Alliance Premier League (now the Conference League). The Southern League, losing 13 clubs in the switch, opted for a Midland/Southern divide. Minehead competed in the Midland Division, and after leading the division from January, finally finished as runners?up to Bridgend. Season 80/81 saw them finish 12th, however the club were starting to experience the financial problems which have been with them ever since, and the decision was made to withdraw firm the Southern League at the end of the 82183 campaign.

Having been accepted back into the Western League (Premier Division), the team were brought back to reality with an 8?0 thrashing at Frome Town on the first Saturday of the new season. Relegated to the First Division in (989, the following year saw things get progressively worse, finishing bottom of the lower league. With no relegation that season, the blues lived to fight again, and the following season current first team manager Andy Hodgson enjoyed his best managerial season to date leading the team to the First Division Championship with a record number of points, with teenage striker Gareth Morgan scoring 44 times in 40 appearance and creating a Western League record for the club. Further off the pitch problems dogged the club and in the 93/94 season with 6 points being deducted the side were relegated again, staying in the First Division until 98/99. With money appearing again they won the championship, recording their first league defeat of the season at the final match, away to neighbours Ilfracombe, having been presented with the trophy several games earlier.

The high point of this season again being partnership between Woon, Morgan and Charlesworth, with all three appearing in the Screwfix league's top six scorers, scoring over 30 goals each.

On their arrival back in the Premier Division finances had dried up, with many of the successful team moving on. Woon stayed, and was again one of the top scorers in the league, however his goals alone could not prevent the side-finishing bottom, avoiding relegation due to the restructuring of the league.

Now under a new regime, with a long-term plan in place to repurchase the club's envious premises, the future has begun to look more secure. Andy Hodgson returned as manager and though finances dictated that the first team is run on a shoestring budget, he is keen to install confidence and belief into the top local players in an attempt to get credibility back to the club.

Season 2000/01 saw Minehead's unpaid local players relegated from the Premier Division, when after having three points deducted the blues finished below Westbury United, having "won" more points. The lower league now gives "Hodgy" the chance to consolidate at First Division level, building a new future for the club.

This season we see Charlie Lewis and Marc Antonelli take over the helm as joint mangers, with Andy Hodgson spending more time on the re-structuring of the club. Having retained some of the local players with three or more seasons Western League experience and the addition of other experienced players, the club is looking to end the season on a higher note.