History of Shrewsbury Town F.C. facts for kids

The Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English football team based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The club started way back in 1886, and this article tells you all about their journey through the years!

The Beginning of Shrewsbury Town

Shrewsbury Town Football Club was formed on May 20, 1886. This happened at a meeting at the Turf Hotel in Shrewsbury. The club was created after two older local teams, Shropshire Wanderers and Castle Blues, stopped playing. The Castle Blues team was known for being a bit rough, so the new Shrewsbury Town team hoped to be successful without any trouble.

In their first few years, Shrewsbury Town played friendly matches and local cup games. They joined the Shropshire & District League in 1890–91. Later, in 1895–96, they moved to the Birmingham & District League. In these early days, they played against many teams that are now well-known, like Crewe Alexandra and Coventry City.

In 1910, the club moved to a new home ground called Gay Meadow. This stadium was close to the town centre and had a view of Shrewsbury Abbey. Shrewsbury Town played their home games at Gay Meadow for 97 years!

During their time in the Birmingham League, Shrewsbury Town usually finished in the middle of the table. But they did become league champions in the 1922–23 season.

A big success came in the 1937–38 season when they moved to the Midland Champions League. They had one of their best years ever, winning three trophies! They were league champions, scoring an amazing 111 goals. They also won the Welsh Cup and the Shropshire Senior Cup. After World War II, Shrewsbury Town continued to do well. They became Midland League champions in 1949–50 and were then invited to join the Football League in 1950.

Life in the Football League

Shrewsbury Town joined the Football League in 1950. They were placed in Division 3 North. In the 1958–59 season, they earned a promotion to the Third Division. They stayed in this third level of English football for 15 years. However, they dropped back down to Division Four at the end of the 1973–74 season.

A memorable season was 1960–61 when Shrewsbury Town reached the semi-finals of the League Cup. They beat Everton, one of the biggest clubs at the time, in the quarter-finals. They then narrowly lost to Rotherham United by a score of 4–3 over two games. This period was also famous for Arthur Rowley. He joined the club in 1958 as a player and manager. He broke a goal-scoring record, scoring his 380th league goal in 1961. He stopped playing in 1965 but remained manager until 1968.

Shrewsbury Town were promoted back to the Third Division in 1974–75. Another very successful season came in 1978–79. Under managers Ritchie Barker and later Graham Turner, they became league champions! More than 14,000 fans watched Shrewsbury secure promotion with a 4–1 win against Exeter City at Gay Meadow on May 17, 1979.

That same season, the club also had its best ever run in the FA Cup. They played against many teams, including a big win against Manchester City. They reached the sixth round, where they played against Wolverhampton Wanderers. After a 1–1 draw, they lost the replay 3–1.

Graham Turner is considered the most successful manager in the club's history. He led the team to the Third Division Championship in his first season (1978–79). This took the club into the Second Division for the very first time. They stayed there for ten years, even though Turner left for Aston Villa in 1984.

The 1980s and 1990s

The club had some great moments in the FA Cup during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1981–82, Shrewsbury reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup again. A very exciting game was against Ipswich Town, who were one of Europe's top teams. Shrewsbury won 2–1 with goals from Steve Cross and Jake King. After this win, Shrewsbury played Leicester City in the quarter-final. They were tied 2–2 at halftime, but Leicester eventually won 5–2.

During the 1980s, Shrewsbury Town played in the old Second Division. They managed to beat many big teams like Fulham, Newcastle United, and Chelsea. At the end of the 1985–86 season, Shrewsbury beat Middlesbrough 2–1 at Gay Meadow. This result meant Middlesbrough were relegated.

Shrewsbury Town managed to stay in the Second Division by selling talented players. Some players who played for Shrewsbury during this time and later became well-known include Steve Ogrizovic and David Moyes.

After ten years, Shrewsbury's time in the Second Division ended in 1988–89 when they were relegated. In the early 1990s, they spent time in the Third Division. On December 22, 1990, Gary Shaw scored the fastest hat-trick for the club in just 4 minutes and 32 seconds! At the end of the 1991–92 season, the club was relegated to the Fourth Division. This was their first time in that division since 1975.

However, just two seasons later, in 1993–94, Shrewsbury won the Division Three championship (which was the fourth tier at the time) under manager Fred Davies. They then stayed in Division Two (the third tier) for three seasons. They didn't go any higher and were relegated again at the end of 1996–97.

The 1990s also saw Shrewsbury make their first appearance at Wembley. They played in the 1996 Football League Trophy final but lost 2–1 to Rotherham United.

After the Wembley final, Fred Davies was sacked. The club faced a difficult period with fewer fans and less money. Jake King, a former Shrewsbury player, became the new manager. He had to work with a very small budget and focused on developing young players. However, the club struggled to attract top players and had a mediocre end to the 1990s.

The Kevin Ratcliffe Years

The 1999–2000 season was tough for Shrewsbury. Manager Jake King was sacked in November as the team was close to being relegated. Kevin Ratcliffe, a former captain of Everton, was appointed manager. He helped the club avoid relegation on the very last day of the season. A 2–1 win away to Exeter City kept them in the league.

Ratcliffe worked hard to make the team better. Young player Luke Rodgers became a great goal-scorer. The team seemed to be improving and almost made the play-offs in 2001–02, even though they earned 70 points.

At the start of the 2002–03 season, Shrewsbury looked promising with a young team and experienced players like Ian Woan and Nigel Jemson. However, their league form became poor, and they were losing games badly.

A big highlight of this season was their FA Cup run. After beating non-league teams, Shrewsbury played Everton at home in the third round. Shrewsbury won 2–1 in front of 7,800 fans! Nigel Jemson scored both goals. A local player named Peter Wilding played very well, keeping young Wayne Rooney quiet.

In the fourth round, Chelsea visited Gay Meadow for a televised match. Shrewsbury lost 4–0, with Gianfranco Zola playing brilliantly for Chelsea.

After the Chelsea game, Shrewsbury's form completely disappeared. They only won two more league games that season. They were relegated after a 3–2 defeat to Carlisle United. They finished seven points adrift at the bottom of the league, having conceded 92 goals. After angry protests from fans, Kevin Ratcliffe resigned. Mark Atkins took temporary charge for the final league game, a 2–1 defeat to Scunthorpe United. This meant Shrewsbury's 53 years in the Football League had come to an end.

Time in the Conference League

After being relegated, Jimmy Quinn was appointed manager in May 2003. His goal was to get Shrewsbury promoted back to the Football League right away. Many people thought Shrewsbury would easily win the league. Quinn built a completely new team with experienced players.

The new Shrewsbury team showed a lot of desire but sometimes lacked consistency. They had exciting wins, like a 4–1 home victory over Hereford United. But they also had some embarrassing losses. However, as the season went on, they started getting better results. Chester City won the league title, but Shrewsbury finished third with 74 points. This meant they qualified for the play-offs, which was a first for the club.

In the play-off semi-finals, Shrewsbury played Barnet. They lost the first game 2–1. In the return match at Gay Meadow, over 7,000 fans watched. Shrewsbury tied the score on aggregate with a penalty from Luke Rodgers. The game went to extra time and then penalties. Shrewsbury goalkeeper Scott Howie saved three penalties, and Darren Moss scored the winning penalty. This sent Shrewsbury to the Conference play-off final against Aldershot Town at the Britannia Stadium (home of Stoke City).

The final against Aldershot was on May 16, 2004. A huge crowd of 19,216 fans attended, with two-thirds being Shrewsbury supporters. The game ended in a 1–1 draw and went to penalties. Striker Luke Rodgers missed his penalty, but goalkeeper Scott Howie became a hero by saving three Aldershot penalties! Defender Trevor Challis scored the winning penalty, and the celebrations began. Shrewsbury Town was back in the Football League!

Back in the Football League

The excitement from the play-off victory didn't last long. Shrewsbury lost their first game back in the Football League. Manager Jimmy Quinn left after only 14 league games. He was replaced by Gary Peters. Peters had a good record and had even signed David Beckham as a loan player when he managed Preston.

Peters helped Shrewsbury avoid relegation in the 2004–05 season. He then worked to make the team stronger. Many experts thought Shrewsbury would be relegated again in 2005–06, but Peters guided them to a tenth-place finish, just missing the play-offs.

Off the field, things were looking up for Shrewsbury. The club's board, led by Roland Wycherley, had managed the finances well. Support from local fans had grown, and more people were attending games.

After a long planning process that started in 1999, Shrewsbury's plans for a new stadium finally came true. Roland Wycherley officially broke ground for the New Meadow stadium in the summer of 2006.

Even though talented young goalkeeper Joe Hart left for Manchester City, Shrewsbury started the 2006–07 season hoping for promotion. This was their last year at Gay Meadow. Bad weather caused flooding at the old ground, and several matches were cancelled. By February 2007, the club was as low as 16th in the table. However, the team then went on an amazing 14-match unbeaten run, putting them back in play-off contention.

After a 2–2 draw against Grimsby Town in the last league match at Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury finished seventh. This meant they qualified for the play-offs. They faced Milton Keynes Dons. After a 0–0 draw at Gay Meadow, Shrewsbury won the return game 2–1, with Andy Cooke scoring both goals.

The team then played Bristol Rovers in the League Two play-off final on May 26, 2007, at the new Wembley Stadium. A record crowd of 61,589 fans watched. Shrewsbury scored an early goal, but Bristol Rovers fought back and won 3–1.

A New Home: The New Meadow

Greenhous Meadow, Shrewsbury.

The club moved to the New Meadow stadium for the 2007–08 season. They started well with a 4–0 win away to Lincoln City. Shrewsbury was among the top teams, but a 4–3 home defeat to Rochdale started a bad run of form. Manager Gary Peters left the club in March 2008. Paul Simpson was appointed as the new manager. He helped the club finish 18th in the league. On July 21, the stadium was officially renamed 'The Prostar Stadium' after a sponsorship deal.

The 2008–09 season started well for Shrewsbury. They were among the leading clubs in League Two. Their home form was very strong, with big wins like 4–0 against Macclesfield Town and a record-equalling 7–0 win over Gillingham. However, their away form was not as good. They only won one away league game for eight months. On the final day of the season, Shrewsbury needed a win to make the play-offs. A dramatic 2–1 victory away to Dagenham and Redbridge secured their spot.

Shrewsbury faced Bury in the play-off semi-finals. Bury won the first game 1–0. In the second leg, goalkeeper Luke Daniels was the hero. He saved a penalty and made many other saves. Kevin McIntyre scored a spectacular goal in the 88th minute to take the game to extra time. Shrewsbury had a player sent off, but Daniels continued to shine in the penalty shootout, saving two penalties. Shrewsbury won the shootout 4–3 and reached their second play-off final in three years.

Shrewsbury lost 1–0 to Gillingham in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium on May 23. Gillingham scored in the 90th minute.

After a disappointing 2009–10 season, Paul Simpson was dismissed as manager in April 2010. Three caretaker managers took over for the final two games. Shrewsbury finished 12th in the league.

Graham Turner Returns

Graham Turner returned to Shrewsbury Town as manager on June 11, 2010. He had been a successful player and manager for the club before. He couldn't achieve automatic promotion in his first season back, and the club finished fourth in 2010–11.

In the 2011–12 season, Shrewsbury had good runs in both the League Cup and FA Cup. In the League Cup, they beat Championship side Derby County and Premier League Swansea City. They were then narrowly beaten 3–1 by Arsenal at The Emirates Stadium. In the FA Cup, they were narrowly beaten 1–0 by Championship side Middlesbrough.

The club also went a whole year unbeaten at home! They finished the 2011–12 season with a 1–0 win over Dagenham and Redbridge. This victory secured their promotion to League One after 15 years in League Two (and one season in the Conference).

Back in the Third Tier

After a 15-year absence, Shrewsbury Town (also known as Salop) were promoted to League One. They finished in 2nd place after a home win against Dagenham and Redbridge. However, several key players left the club after promotion, which worried many fans. Graham Turner brought in new players to replace them.

The new season in League One didn't start smoothly. After a big loss in the League Cup, Shrewsbury lost their first league game 1–0. The team showed good performances but had inconsistent results. It became clear that the strikers weren't scoring enough goals at this higher level. Shrewsbury's form started to drop, and the defence began to concede many goals.

By the end of the year, Shrewsbury was near the relegation places and still hadn't won an away game. However, their form changed after their first away win on New Year's Day against Coventry. The defence improved, and new players like Tom Eaves (who scored 6 goals in 10 games) added more attacking threat. Shrewsbury managed to stay in League One with two games to spare after a 1–0 home win against Oldham Athletic.

Relegation and Manager Changes

In the summer after staying in League One, the club hoped to become stronger. However, they struggled to sign the right quality of players for this level. This led to a disappointing season. Graham Turner resigned in February after six straight defeats. Mike Jackson took over as caretaker manager.

A highlight of the season was the two local derby games against Wolverhampton Wanderers. A new record attendance of 9,510 fans watched at Greenhous Meadow on September 21, 2013, but Town lost 1–0. The return game in March was a 0–0 draw, which was a much-needed point for Shrewsbury. Relegation back to League Two was confirmed after a 4–2 home defeat against Peterborough United.

2015–Present: Back to League One and Beyond

In May 2014, Micky Mellon was appointed as the new first-team manager. Shrewsbury Town were promoted back to League One on April 25, 2015, with a 1–0 victory away to Cheltenham Town.

Mellon left in October 2016 and was replaced by Paul Hurst. In the 2017–18 season, Hurst led Shrewsbury to the EFL Trophy Final, where they lost to Lincoln. He also guided the team to the League One play-offs, but they lost to Rotherham after extra time. Hurst then left to join Ipswich Town in May 2018.

John Askey became the new manager, but he was sacked in November after winning only 5 of their first 21 games. His successor, Sam Ricketts, was appointed in December. A big moment in the 2019–20 season under Ricketts was an FA Cup match against the European champions Liverpool. Shrewsbury drew 2–2 at home. They narrowly lost the replay 1–0 at Anfield in front of a huge crowd of 52,399.

The season was disrupted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The final League One standings were decided based on points per game, and Shrewsbury finished in 15th place. In November 2020, Ricketts was sacked, and Steve Cotterill became the new manager.

Images for kids

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  Chart of yearly table positions of The Shrews in the Football League.

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  Loggerheads emblem used by the club between 1993 and 2007