Bilston Town F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Bilston Town Community Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Steelmen | ||
| Founded | 1894 | ||
| Ground | Queen Street Stadium, Bilston | ||
| Chairman | Denise Frankham | ||
| Manager | Mike Dunn | ||
| League | West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division | ||
| 2018–19 | West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division, 13th of 20 | ||
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Bilston Town Football Club is a soccer team from Bilston, West Midlands, England. They are also known as "The Steelmen." The club has played under different names over the years, including Bilston United and Bilston Town. Currently, they are part of the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division league. Their home games are played at the Queen Street Stadium in Bilston.
Contents
History of Bilston Town FC
How Did Bilston Town Start?
The club began in 1894 when two local teams, Bilston Rovers and Bilston Wanderers, joined together. They were first called Bilston United. In their very first year, they joined the Walsall & District Junior League. They quickly became successful, winning the league title in 1895–96. They won it again in 1900–01 and 1901–02.
After some great seasons, the club moved to a bigger league called the Birmingham Combination in 1907. They finished second in their first season there.
Moving Up and Down the Leagues
Bilston stayed in the Birmingham Combination until 1921. Then, they joined the Birmingham & District League. They nearly won this league in 1922–23, finishing second to Shrewsbury Town.
In 1932, the club left this league and went back to the Walsall & District League. They also changed their name to Bilston Borough. They won the Walsall & District League title twice more, in 1932–33 and 1935–36.
Reforming After the War
The club stopped playing in 1939 because of World War II. But they started up again in 1946, simply as Bilston. They rejoined the Walsall Senior League and won it in 1947–48.
In 1948, they went back to the Birmingham Combination. This league later merged with the Birmingham & District League. Bilston kept playing in these leagues, winning the Division Two title in 1956–57.
FA Cup Adventures and League Wins
In 1960, the league became a single division, and Bilston won the championship in 1960–61. The league was renamed the West Midlands (Regional) League in 1962.
The team made history in 1968–69 by reaching the first round of the FA Cup for the first time. They lost 3–1 to Halifax Town.
The 1972–73 season was amazing! Bilston won the Premier Division title and the Premier Division Cup. They also had their best FA Cup run, reaching the second round. They beat Barnstaple Town 2–0 in the first round. Then, they lost a close game 1–0 to Barnet in a replay.
Recent Years and New Challenges
In 1983, the club changed its name to Bilston Town. They were promoted to the Southern Football League in 1985. They nearly got promoted to the top division of this league in 2000–01.
In 2002, the club left the Southern League and rejoined the West Midlands Regional League. After some changes, they were promoted to the Premier Division in 2013. In July 2017, the club received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. This award is given to volunteer groups for their amazing work in the community.
In 2021, Bilston moved to Division One of the Midland Football League. They continue to play and compete in their new league.
Queen Street Stadium: The Home Ground
When the club first started, they played at a place called Prouds Lane. They used a nearby pub, the Spread Eagle, to change into their kits.
In 1919, Bilston Town moved to their current home, Queen Street Stadium. The first game there was an FA Cup match against Tamworth Castle, which Bilston won 1–0.
Special Moments at Queen Street
In 1953, floodlights were put in at the stadium. The first game played under the new lights was a friendly match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 10, 1953. A record 8,000 fans came to watch that game!
The record for a competitive game at Queen Street was set in 1968–69. About 4,300 people watched the FA Cup first round match against Halifax Town.
Challenges and Reopening
Sadly, the stadium had to close in 2007 because of damage from vandals. The club had to play on an open field for a while. But in 2008, plans were made to fix up the ground. The stadium was reopened for the 2008–09 season, and the club signed a very long lease for it.
Queen Street Stadium has also been used by other football teams. These include Bustleholme, Dudley Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers Reserves, Wolverhampton Wanderers Women, and Willenhall Town.
Trophies and Achievements
Bilston Town has won many trophies throughout its history! Here are some of their main achievements:
- West Midlands (Regional) League
- Champions: 1960–61, 1972–73
- Division Two champions: 1956–57
- Premier Division League Cup winners: 1972–73
- Division One League Cup winners: 2003–04
- Walsall & District League
- Champions: 1895–96, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1932–33, 1935–36, 1947–48
- Staffordshire Senior Cup
- Winners: 1957–58, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1997–98
- Staffordshire Junior Cup
- Winners: 1905–06, 1900–01
- Staffordshire FA Challenge Cup
- Winners: 1921–22, 2002–03
- Walsall Senior Cup
- Winners: 1968–69, 1971–72, 1972–73
- Other Cups
- Bilston Charity Cup: 1900–01, 1913–14
- Birmingham Junior Cup: 1895–96
- John Martin Trophy: 2009–10 (joint), 2010–11, 2013–14 (joint)
- Rugeley Charity Cup: 1966–67
- Smedley Crooke Memorial Charity Cup: 2017–18
- Walsall Charity Cup: 1901–02
- Walsall Hospital Cup: 1900–01, 1901–02
- Walsall Junior/Challenge Cup: 1900–01, 1905–06, 1932–34 (shared), 1934–35, 1935–36, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49
- Wednesbury Charity Cup: 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85
- Willenhall Nursing Institute Cup: 1908–09
- Wolverhampton Charity Cup: 1895–96, 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1903–04
Club Records
Here are some interesting facts and records about Bilston Town FC:
- Best FA Cup performance: Reached the Second Round in 1972–73.
- Best FA Trophy performance: Reached the Fourth Round in 2000–01.
- Best FA Vase performance: Reached the Quarter-finals in 1992–93.
- Biggest win: 12–0 against Norton Wood on February 15, 1936.
- Biggest defeat: 19–1 against Worcester City on November 21, 1931.
- Record attendance: 8,000 fans watched a friendly match against Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 10, 1953.
See also
- Bilston Town F.C. players
- Bilston Town F.C. managers
