Formed initially as a Sunday side in 2008, under the name of Claydon Greyhound. Kieren Beresford, along with the help of Richard Wakeling and Gordon Doran, built a squad largely consisting of players from the Claydon, Barham and Great Blakenham area.
The club was renamed after their main sponsor – Sorrel Horse Inn, in 2010 and in 2012 the decision was made to make the step up into Saturday football. Certain rules governing the Suffolk & Ipswich Football League (SIL) meant the club were unable to play their debut season in the league, and as a result the 2012-’13 season was undertaken in the St Edmundsbury Football League. Kieren Beresford continued as manager with Richard Wakeling and Gordon Doran stepping down from their roles. The majority of the squad remained from the local area and a number of players stepped down from good clubs in the SIL to support the move to the St Edmundsbury League. The club finished the season in 4th place in division 1 – the league’s top division, playing under their new name – Barham Athletic.
The 2013-’14 season marked a significant change for the club; a move into the SIL. Still under the Sponsorship of the Sorrel Horse Inn, the team were placed in SIL Division 4. Kieren Beresford was once again manager and the team performed brilliantly to win the league, going along unbeaten in the process. Danny Baldry joined Kieren in the management team as club coach that season.
The 2014-’15 season continued in the same fashion with the team only losing the one game and winning division 3. They also won the Suffolk FA Primary Cup to complete the double. Simon Girling joined the management team and came in as Kieren’s assistant.
Life in division 2 failed to be quite as productive in the 2015-’16 season, and the club finished in 6th.
More Recent History
The 2016-’17 season marked another key milestone. Perhaps due to the team stagnating, significant changes were made throughout the club. A new reserve side, new veteran side, new chairman –Stuart Robinson, new committee, new sponsors, and a number of new faces at the club have seen a renewed optimism about the future of Barham.
The first team had its own alterations, primarily being the arrival of Mark Banthorpe, who arrived, and took over the role of joint first team manager with Kieren Beresford. Along with the help of first team coach, Danny Baldry, the first team had a brilliant season, ending the campaign as champions of division 2. This was down to a number of key signings – perhaps most notably, Bradley Austin. The striker ended the season as club top scorer and achieved the first ever clean sweep of end-of-season awards.
The reserves, managed by Steve Double, with the help of Rob laing and Steve Aldous, also had a fantastic debut season, finishing as the highest placed reserve side in division 4 of the SIL, providing a sound foundation for further success.
Richard Wakeling returned back to where it all started, as Player Manager of the new Veteran Side. Along with the help of a number of key volunteers, his team achieved a remarkable unbeaten league campaign ending as champions of the Norfolk & Suffolk Veterans League Division Two (West) and as semi-finalists in the county cup.
