Bilston Town F.C.

Last updated

Bilston Town Community FC
Bilston Town F.C. logo.png
Full nameBilston Town Community Football Club
Nickname(s)The Steelmen
Founded1894
GroundQueen Street Stadium, Bilston
Capacity4,000
ChairmanDenise Frankham
ManagerMike Dunn
League Midland League Division One
2022–23 Midland League Division One, 6th of 21

Bilston Town Football Club is a football club based in Bilston, West Midlands, England. Having played under the names Bilston United, Bilston Borough, Bilston, Bilston Town, Bilston Town (2007) and Bilston Town Community, they are currently members of the Midland League Division One and play at Queen Street, Bilston.

Contents

History

The club was founded in 1894 as a merger of Bilston Rovers and Bilston Wanderers, and was initially known as Bilston United. In the same year they joined the Walsall & District Junior League. [1] After finishing fourth in their first season, they won the league in 1895–96. [1] The league was renamed the Walsall & District League in 1897 and the club were runners-up in 1898–99. [1] They won the league again in 1900–01 and retained the title the following season, before finishing as runners-up in 1902–03. [1] After finishing third in 1906–07, [1] the club moved up to the Birmingham Combination, where they finished as runners-up in their first season. [2]

Bilston remained in the Combination until the end of the 1920–21 season, [3] when they joined the Birmingham & District League. [4] They were runners-up to Shrewsbury Town in 1922–23 and spent the rest of the 1920s in mid-table before finishing second-from-bottom in 1929–30. [4] They left the league at the end of the 1931–32 season, [5] dropping into the Walsall & District League and changing their name to Bilston Borough. [6]

Their first season back in the Walsall & District League saw Bilston win the league title, a feat they repeated in 1935–36, before finishing the 1937–38 season as runners-up. [6] After disbanding in 1939 due to World War II, the club was reformed in 1946 under the name Bilston. Rejoining the renamed Walsall Senior, they were champions in 1947–48, [7] after which they rejoined the Birmingham Combination in 1948, finishing second-from-bottom of the league in 1950–51. [3] They were runners-up in 1953–54, the last season before the league merged into the Birmingham & District League, with Bilston placed in the Northern Division. [5] An eighth-place finish in 1954–55 saw the club placed in Division One the following season. [5] However, after finishing in the bottom four, they were relegated to Division Two. [5]

The Division Two title was won at the first attempt, securing Bilston an immediate promotion back to Division One. [5] The league was reduced to a single division in 1960 and the club were champions in 1960–61. [5] In 1962 the league was renamed the West Midlands (Regional) League, and when it gained a second division in 1965, Bilston were placed in the Premier Division. [8] In 1968–69 the club reached the first round of the FA Cup for the first time, losing 3–1 at home to Halifax Town. [8] After finishing as Premier Division runners-up in 1970–71, the 1972–73 season saw Bilston reach the second round of the FA Cup, as well as winning the Premier Division title and the Premier Division Cup; [7] in the FA Cup they defeated Barnstaple Town 2–0 in the first round, before losing 1–0 at home to Barnet in a second round replay. [9]

Bilston were Premier Division runners-up the following season and again in 1975–76. [8] Despite finishing bottom of the division in 1979–80 they avoided relegation to Division One. The club was renamed Bilston Town in 1983. [9] They were Premier Division runners-up in 1984–85, earning promotion to the Midland Division of the Southern League. The division was renamed the Western Division in 1999, with the club missing out on promotion to the Premier Division by two points in 2000–01. They finished seventeenth the following season, after which the club resigned from the league, dropping into Division One North of the West Midlands Regional League. [9]

The 2002–03 season saw Bilston finish as runners-up in Division One North, after which they were switched to Division One South for the 2003–04 season, and then to Division One in 2004–05 amid league reorganisation. Despite finishing seventh in 2006–07 the club resigned from the league, but after reforming as Bilston Town (2007) they were readmitted to the league and placed in Division Two. The club were Division Two runners up in 2007–08 and promoted to Division One. After finishing as Division One runners-up in 2012–13, earning promotion to the Premier Division. [9] In July 2017 the club were awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. [10]

At the end of the 2020–21 season Bilston were transferred to Division One of the Midland League when the Premier Division of the West Midlands (Regional) League lost its status as a step six division.

Ground

The exterior of the Queen Street ground BilstonQS.jpg
The exterior of the Queen Street ground
Queen Street Main Stand Queen Street Stadium, Bilston, May 2013.jpg
Queen Street Main Stand

Early in the club's history they played at Prouds Lane, [11] using the nearby Spread Eagle pub as their changing room. They moved to Queen Street after in 1919, with the opening game played against Tamworth Castle in the FA Cup, with Bilston winning 1–0. [12] Floodlights were installed in 1953 and were first used for a match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 10 March 1953, with a record attendance of 8,000 seeing Wolves win 4–2. [13] The ground's record attendance for a competitive game was set in 1968–69 for the FA Cup first round match against Halifax Town, when 4,300 spectators attended the game. [12]

After over 120 attacks by vandals in five years, [14] the ground was closed in 2007 after it was deemed to be unsafe, with the club having to play on an unenclosed pitch at Bantock park. [15] In 2008 plans were announced to refurbish and reopen the ground, [16] Work was complete ready for the 2008–09 season, with the club signing a 99-year lease. [14]

The Queen Street ground has also been used by Bustleholme, Dudley Town (who shared the ground for a season in the mid-1980s after subsidence caused by old mineworkings led to the closure of their ground), Wolverhampton Wanderers Reserves, Wolverhampton Wanderers Women and Willenhall Town.


Honours

Bilston players pictured in 1901 with the six trophies they won that season BilstonTown1901.jpg
Bilston players pictured in 1901 with the six trophies they won that season
Bilston Town players celebrate beating Haughmond 4-1 to gain promotion to the WM(R)L Premier Division in May 2013 Bilston Promoted 2013.jpg
Bilston Town players celebrate beating Haughmond 4-1 to gain promotion to the WM(R)L Premier Division in May 2013

Records

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hednesford Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Hednesford Town Football Club is a football club based in Hednesford, Staffordshire, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One West and play at Keys Park. They won the FA Trophy in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rushall Olympic F.C.</span> Association football club in Walsall, England

Rushall Olympic Football Club is an English football club based in Rushall, a former mining village now forming part of the northern suburbs of Walsall. The team plays in the National League North.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halesowen Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Halesowen Town Football Club is a football club based in Halesowen, West Midlands, England. They are currently members of the Southern League Premier Division Central and play at the Grove Recreation Ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stourbridge F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Stourbridge Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Stourbridge, West Midlands. The club currently plays in the Southern League Premier Division Central.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loughborough Dynamo F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Loughborough Dynamo Football Club is a football club based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands and play at the Nanpantan Sports Ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tipton Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Tipton Town Football Club is a football club based in Tipton, West Midlands, England. They are currently members of the West Midlands (Regional) League Division One and play at the Tipton Sports Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boldmere St. Michaels F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Boldmere St. Michaels Football Club is a football club based in Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands and play at the Boldmere Community Stadium.

Bloxwich Town Football Club was a football club based in Bloxwich, West Midlands, England, based at The Red Lion Ground.

Dudley Town Football Club is a football club based in Dudley, West Midlands, England. The club is one of the oldest non-league teams in the Midlands region, having been established in 1888. They are members of the Midland League Division One, although they have reached as high as the Premier Division of the Southern League, and in 1976 reached the first round proper of the FA Cup, when a crowd of over 5,000 saw them take Football League Third Division team York City to a replay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelsall Villa F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Pelsall Villa F.C. was a football club based in the village of Pelsall, near Walsall, West Midlands, England. The team kit consisted of black and red striped shirts, black shorts and black socks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolverhampton Casuals F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Wolverhampton Casuals Football Club are a football club based in Featherstone, near Wolverhampton, England. Established in 1899, they are currently members of the Midland League Premier Division. They play their home games at Brinsford Lane, and also compete in the Walsall Senior Cup – a competition they last won in 2000–01.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atherstone Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Atherstone Town Community Football Club is a football club based in Atherstone, Warwickshire, England. They are currently members of the Midland League Premier Division and play at Sheepy Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coleshill Town F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Coleshill Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Coleshill, Warwickshire, England. They are currently members of the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands and play at Pack Meadow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walsall Wood F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Walsall Wood Football Club is an association football club based in Walsall Wood, near Walsall in the West Midlands, England. The club's first team compete in the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, which sits at level 8 of the English football league system. The team play their home games at Oak Park and are nicknamed "The Wood".

The Birmingham Senior Cup is a football competition for Birmingham County FA club teams, organised by the Birmingham County Football Association. It began in 1876 and is the oldest county cup competition still active.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A.F.C. Wulfrunians</span> Association football club in England

A.F.C. Wulfrunians is a football club based in Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, England. They are currently members of the Midland League Premier Division and play at the Castlecroft Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darlaston Town F.C.</span> Defunct English football club

For the phoenix club, see Darlaston Town (1874) F.C.

Stafford Road F.C. was an English association football club founded in 1874, which now defunct. The club was connected to the Stafford Road railway works in Wolverhampton, then-Staffordshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paget Rangers F.C.</span> Association football club in England

Paget Rangers F.C. is an English football club based in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, currently playing in the Midland League Division One.

The 1887–88 season was the 10th season in the history of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. The club reached the FA Cup final for the third successive season and won the competition for the first time, beating Preston North End 2–1. Albion also competed in four local cup competitions, winning the Walsall Senior Cup and West Bromwich Charity Cup and finishing as runners-up in the Birmingham Senior Cup and Staffordshire Senior Cup. Due to a congested fixture list, the club refused to take part in the Birmingham Charity Cup.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 1894–1915 tables History of Bilston Town F.C.
  2. ↑ Birmingham Combination 1892–1915 Non-League Matters
  3. 1 2 Birmingham Combination 1919–1954 Non-League Matters
  4. 1 2 Birmingham & District League 1890–1930 Non-League Matters
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Birmingham & District League 1930–1962 Non-League Matters
  6. 1 2 1919–1939 tables History of Bilston Town F.C.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Honours History of Bilston Town F.C.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Bilston at the Football Club History Database
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bilston Town at the Football Club History Database
  10. ↑ Bilston Town celebrate Royal seal of approval for voluntary work Express and Star, 20 July 2017
  11. ↑ Bilston playing fields row: Campaigners gather against controversial new homes plan Express & Star, 29 December 2016
  12. 1 2 Queen Street History of Bilston Town F.C.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Records History of Bilston Town F.C.
  14. 1 2 Football club is going home Express & Star, 21 August 2008
  15. ↑ Park 'home' for Bilston Town FC Express & Star, 8 October 2007
  16. ↑ £12m plan for football club Express & Star, 26 May 2008
  17. ↑ Walsall Senior Cup winners Staffordshire FA

52°33′59″N2°03′56″W / 52.566435°N 2.0656255°W / 52.566435; -2.0656255

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.