Bodley Norton F.C.

About Bodley Norton F.C.

A (very) brief history of The Tapirs, by Kenneth Dowell: According to legend, a certain Lord Cyril Shattuck of Bodley formed the Club. He apparently purchased a tapir from Malaya for his West Midlands/North Country estate. In compliance with Malayan Government dictates, the tapir was escorted to the estate by a small platoon of the 4th Malayan Volunteer Rifles. The soldiers, charmed by the amiable geography of the West Midlands/North Country landscape stayed and the nucleus of the team was created. Lord Shattuck completed the team with some local talent and the purchase of Icelandic centre forward Erik Finnbogason, probably the first signing of a European player in English football history. Bonus Tapir facts: Football honours for the ‘Tapirs’ include winning the 1924 West Midlands/North Country Division 3 Title and the infamous defeat of Manchester United. According to the Club’s Historian, Kenneth Dowell, there is some speculation as to the date of the historic event but it was ‘either 1893 or 1903, certainly before the First World War’. Join us for coffee and chat again soon when we'd be delighted to share a couple of japes as retold by Len Muntjac - BDFC's all time greatest living shot stopper!

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Bodley Norton F.C. squad

Ivan Hellmm

Jesus Romero

Clyde Clydeman

Sebastian J.C.

Griffon Rope

Brandon Harper

The Bodley Norton F.C. Home Pitch

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