Bath Time: Match-day moments at Bath City FC.

Words: Lewis Miller

Images: Lewis Miller

Over the course of several months, I documented Bath City FC during one of the most challenging periods in the club’s recent history as they faced relegation from the National League South.

Rather than focusing on the action on the pitch, I was interested in the people who continued to turn up week after week and what their support meant to the club.

This project is centred on the fan culture and identity that surrounds Bath City. I photographed everything from moments of passion, frustration and celebration in the stands to quieter portraits of supporters.

By shifting the focus away from the players, I wanted to explore the emotional side of football and the people who remain loyal regardless of results.

Following the team both home and away allowed me to become immersed in the community.

©Lewis Miller/ Terrace Edition. Bath City FC.

Long coach journeys, conversations with supporters and shared experiences helped me gain a deeper understanding of what the club means to so many people.

As the season progressed, I found myself feeling less like a photographer documenting from the outside and more like a supporter myself. The sense of belonging and connection within the fanbase was impossible to ignore.

One of the most memorable moments of the project came during Bath City’s 1–0 victory over local rivals Chippenham Town.

With the game heading towards a draw, Scott Wilson scored a dramatic last-minute winner that sent Twerton Park into complete eruption.

Supporters standing on the railings, embraced one another and celebrated as if they had won a cup final. For a few minutes, all of the struggles and disappointments of the season were forgotten.

It was an incredible moment to witness through my camera, as complete strangers were brought together by a single goal and a shared sense of hope.

Although that hope of survival ultimately wasn’t enough to prevent relegation, the match perfectly reflected what I wanted this project to capture. It showed how football can bring people together, even during the toughest times.

The result itself was important, but it was the reaction of the supporters that interested me most.

As someone with a genuine passion for football, this became a natural choice for my final university project.

Ultimately, I wanted to document and celebrate the supporters who keep clubs like Bath City alive. Their dedication, resilience and loyalty form the heart of the club, and I felt their story deserved to be told.

Lewis is on Instagram: @lewism1llerphotography

Complete

An English floodlit season

Great Yarmouth nets

The Motormen

Bristol City: A deeper love