Cam Bulldogs have completed the most successful season in the club’s history after securing a remarkable league and cup double under first-year manager Brad Price.
The Bulldogs clinched the Stroud and District Football League Division Two title before lifting the SDFL Chairman’s League Cup with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Sherston under the lights at Brimscombe and Thrupp FC — sealing the first double the club has ever achieved.
For Price, a former Cam player himself, the achievement marks a major milestone in what was his first season managing a senior side outright. Appointed with the clear ambition of returning Cam to Northern Senior football, he has overseen a campaign built on togetherness, attacking football and the successful integration of talented young players with experienced local names.
Several members of the squad are already attracting attention from clubs higher up the football pyramid, including Southern League and Hellenic League sides, but throughout the season the focus remained firmly on the collective objective.
The league title race went right down to the final day, with Cam knowing they needed at least a point against Hardwicke Reserves to secure the championship. Instead, the Bulldogs produced one of their standout performances of the season, storming to an emphatic 5-0 victory to confirm promotion-winning glory.
But the season still had one more chapter to write.
Thursday night’s cup final against Sherston proved to be a fiercely contested encounter in front of a strong crowd, with both sides going into half-time level at 0-0 after an intense opening period.
The game burst into life in the second half as three goals arrived in a dramatic five-minute spell.
Cam struck first through defender Jack Bartman, who powered home a trademark header to spark celebrations among the Bulldogs supporters. Sherston responded almost immediately from the penalty spot, but Cam refused to lose momentum.
Showing the resilience and belief that has defined their campaign, the Bulldogs continued to press forward and found the decisive moment when Harrison Reeves calmly finished a flowing attacking move to restore the lead.
From there, Cam defended superbly to see out the victory and confirm their place in club history.
The unity within the squad has been one of the defining features of the season, highlighted by the fact that every squad member — apart from an unwell Marcus Cole — attended the final to support the team.
The matchday squad included Ben Jagger, Pete Holder, Jack Bartman, Billy Mann, Jake Mears, Harrison Reeves, Joel Jagger, George Mack, Charlie Bean, Harry Hogg, Ryan Stevenson, Josh Hemper, Alfie Poskett, Jared Bowley, Rory Price, Kyle McMillan and Jake Szuluk.
For Brad Price and Cam Bulldogs, the double represents the reward for months of hard work, commitment and belief — and potentially the beginning of an exciting new era for football at the club.
