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Gymnasium F.C.
are a
football
club from
Douglas
on the
Isle of Man.
They compete in the
Isle of Man Football
League.
They wear a navy and white shirt, black shorts, black socks
and play their home games at Tromode Park in Douglas.

Gymnasium AFC was founded in 1890 by a
group of businessmen who wanted to keep fit. They met at the
old Douglas Gymnasium and initially played rugby before
making the switch to football. Gymns were one of 8 teams
that initially made up the official Manx Football League.
They have been Isle of Man Football League champions seven
times, including four consecutive championships from 1902-03
to 1905-06.
They have won the Manx FA Cup ten times.
The club experienced an internal power struggle during 1987,
resulting in the resignation of a section of the committee
and players to form
Douglas Royal,
who even copied the Gymns kit of the time and to this day
consider themselves rivals (despite being in the lower
leagues).
In 2001-02 they were relegated to Division Two
but were promoted again the following season as runners-up.
However they spent just one season back in the First
Division finishing the season winning just two games.
And yet again the following season, 2004-05, they were
immediately promoted as runners-up.
Since this time the club has consolidated its position
within the top tier and continues to climb the table each
season.
In addition to the Senior team, the club has a reserve team
that play in the
Isle of Man Football
Combination
and a Ladies team which plays in the Women's Division One.
Plans are being reviewed to create a Youth program within
the club to compete at all age groups and it is anticipated
that this will be in place for the 2010-11 season.
Thanks to links with a prominent
Premier League
club, Gymns were donated a playing kit for the 2002-03
season. Unfortunately a mix up in communication resulted in
blue/white stripe shirts being provided instead of the clubs
traditional all-white. As a result, Gymns altered the club
colours that season to reflect this new kit, later switching
the shorts and socks from Blue to Black and thus creating
the home strip worn today.
During the 2008-09 season, the club achieved
The Football Association
Charter Standard status, the FA's kitemark scheme for
quality assurance.
Partnerships
Gymnasium FC is sponsored by Omnitec
The club also is a member of the Cronkbourne Sports & Social
Club. The CSSC also comprises the Cronkbourne Cricket Club
and the Cronkbourne Bachannalians Hockey Club. This
partnership enables the CSSC pavilion facilities to be used
during the football season to provide a further level of
comfort to home and visiting players alike.
Honours
League
·
Division One champions (7):
1897-98, 1902-03, 1903-04, 1904-05, 1905-06, 1919-20,
1986-87
·
Division Two champions (2):
1969-70, 1973-74
Cup
·
Manx FA Cup (10):
1894-95, 1901-02, 1902-03, 1903-04, 1910-11, 1931-32,
1985-86, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1999-00
·
Hospital Cup (3):
1921-22, 1922-23, 1986-87
·
Railway Cup (5):
1906-07, 1924-25, 1927-28, 1950-51, 1986-87
·
Omnitec Invitational Trophy (1):
2009-10
Club trivia
Gymns have experienced a rich and varied history, during
which time players have included Paul Gerrard (GK) and
Henrik Larsson (ATT) - unfortunately the position,
nationality and name were the only comparables with more
widely known namesakes in the world of football.
Recent seasons have seen the club attract many local
talents, including the mighty
Gareth Gawne.
Other notable members of the squad are
Rob Slinger,
Ciaran McNulty,
and
Daniel Halligan.
During the 2008-09 season Gymns were the highest earner for
The IOM FA
due to accumulation of player fines, taking over the
'honour' from
Ronaldsway
from the previous season. The reason for this change is
unknown, although three possible causes have been
identified. |