Long Wittenham Athletic Club was officially formed in 1902 and affiliated to the Berks and Bucks Football Association. By 1907 there were enough local teams to form the North Berkshire League and on the 30th May of that year the first North Berks Junior Challenge Cup final was played between Long Wittenham and Faringdon Town. Long Wittenham ultimately triumphed and followed this up with back-to-back wins in 1910 and 1911 starting a long tradition of North Berks Cup wins.
In 1937 the Athletic Club moved from their base at the west edge of the village to what is now known as Bodkins Sportsfield.
In 1935 Sir Archibald Bodkin presented the Jubilee Cricket Field to Long Wittenham as a gift to mark the Silver Jubilee of King George V and the field is leased to the Athletic Club to maintain and ensure it is used for the purpose of sport.
Long Wittenham Athletic Club enjoyed its most successful period on the field during the 50’s and 60’s with victory following victory and, almost as importantly, the completion of a new pavilion.
Until 1958 there was no proper pavilion on the field, only a wooden shed.
Footballers and cricketers would arrive for matches already in their kit to find there was no running water to wash either.
This changed with the opening of the new pavilion, built entirely by the clubs members, with money raised by the membership and with a donation from regular benefactor Brigadier Harrison.
The on-field success started in the 1954-55 season with 3-1 win over Botley United in the Charity Shield Final.
1956 saw the first team win a local six-a-side tournament while the reserve team were runners-up in the Nairne-Paul cup which at this time was a six-a-side competition for reserve teams.
In 1957 Long Wittenham played in the final of the Reading Town Junior Cup at Elm Park, defeating Finchampstead 3-1 with goals from Ray Woodage, Andy Stone and Danny Wench. 1957 also saw the club crowned North Berks League Champions, followed a year later by the first in a hat-trick of North Berks Charity Shield wins.
In the 1959-60 season Long Wittenham, captained by Ray Woodage, were crowned North Berks League Winners, North Berks Cup and Charity Shield Winners and Runners-up in the Didcot Festival Cup and Abingdon Centenary Cup. As well as this the club’s B team beat the A team in a local 6-a-side tournament.
The 1960 Annual Dinner was attended by former Reading footballer Maurice Edelston who congratulated the football team on their 19 wins and 2 draws in 21 league games and the cricket team on their 16 wins, 10 defeats and 6 draws in 34 matches.
