Two football clubs, two countries, one name.

That name is Randwick and even though the two clubs are separated by more than 10,600 miles there is a close bond between the two.

And that bond is a lot closer than just having the same name because Randwick, a suburb in Sydney, Australia, was named after the village of Randwick, just a couple of miles north and west of Stroud, way back in the mid-19th century.

And the sporting connections are close.

“We have recently twinned with Randwick City FC in Sydney,” said Wayne Bown, who is manager of the English club’s Stroud League Division One team. “As a symbol of the partnership we are soon to wear a purple away kit, which are the colours of Randwick in Australia.”

And that’s not all.

“There are also plans for a Randwick Ashes!” added Bown.

That is set to take place for the first time next year with the Australians coming to this country to tour.

The plan is then for the two clubs to play each other every three years – alternating home and away – so it means if all goes according to plan the Stroud League club will be heading Down Under in 2023.

There is a long history between the two Randwicks.

Randwick in Gloucestershire is the birthplace of Simeon Henry Pearce, who became Mayor of Randwick in Australia no less than six times.

Pearce, who migrated to Australia in 1842, and his brother James, who arrived in 1848, were responsible for the founding and early development of Randwick. Simeon Pearce built the first stone house in the area in 1848 called Blenheim House.

There have been other tie-ups between the two Randwicks.

“Randwick Cricket Club played Randwick City on a tour to Australia in the 80s,” added Wayne Bown. “And in 2009 Randwick City Council strengthened the links with a visit here.”

But while the two places share the same name and have a close bond, they are certainly very different in terms of size.

According to the 2011 census, the population of Randwick, Gloucestershire, is 1,423, while the population of Randwick in Australia, which is located six kilometres south-east of the Sydney central business district, was recorded at 29,986 in 2016.