Telford United F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Telford United Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Bucks or Lillywhites |
| Founded | 1872 (as Parish Church Institute) |
| Dissolved | 2004 |
| Ground | Bucks Head, Telford |
| 2003–04 | Football Conference, 12th |
Telford United Football Club was an English football team from Telford, Shropshire. This club played for 132 years, starting in 1872.
It was one of the first teams in the Alliance Premier League (which later became the Football Conference) in 1979. They played at this top non-league level for 25 years. The club was famous for its exciting games in the FA Cup in the early 1980s and again in 2003–04. They also won the FA Trophy three times.
After Telford United closed down in 2004, its fans started a new club called AFC Telford United.
Contents
The Story of Telford United
Starting Out: Parish Church Institute and Wellington Town
The club began in late 1872 as Parish Church Institute. In 1879, its name changed to Wellington Town. They won the Shropshire Senior Cup in 1881.
In 1892, they were one of the first teams in the Shropshire League. They joined the Birmingham & District League in 1898. In 1901, they moved to The Combination league and won the Welsh Cup. They went back to the Birmingham & District League in 1902. They won the Welsh Cup again in 1906–07.
They left the league in 1906 but came back in 1908. In 1920–21, they won the Birmingham & District League for the first time. They reached the first round of the FA Cup in 1925–26. They did this again for the next two seasons and in 1929–30. In 1930–31, they even reached the second round!
The club won the league two years in a row in 1934–35 and 1935–36. They then joined the Cheshire County League in 1938. But they returned to the Birmingham & District League after just one season. They won that league and the Welsh Cup again in 1939–40.
After World War II, they joined the Cheshire County League again. They won the title there in 1945–46, 1946–47, and 1951–52. In 1958, they moved up to the bigger Southern Football League. They were placed in the top division for the 1959–60 season.
Becoming Telford United
In 1969, the club changed its name to Telford United. This was to show it was part of the new town of Telford. In their first season with the new name, they reached the final of the first ever FA Trophy. But they lost 2–0 to Macclesfield Town.
They reached the final again the very next year. This time, they won 3–2 against Hillingdon Borough. After finishing third in 1978–79, they became a founding member of the new Alliance Premier League. In 1982, the champions Runcorn couldn't join the Football League because their stadium wasn't good enough. Telford United tried to join instead, but they were not successful.
Exciting FA Cup Journeys
In the 1980s, the club had many great runs in the FA Cup. They reached the second round in 1982–83. They beat Wigan Athletic (a team from a higher league) before losing to Tranmere Rovers. They also won the FA Trophy again, beating Northwich Victoria 2–1.
The next season, they reached the fourth round of the FA Cup. They beat Stockport County, Northampton Town, and Rochdale. They finally lost to Derby County. In 1984–85, they made it to the fifth round! They beat Lincoln City, Preston North End, Bradford City, and Darlington. Their amazing run ended when they lost to Everton.
Telford United kept beating teams from higher leagues. They beat Stockport in 1985–86, Burnley in 1986–87, and Stoke City in 1991–92. They reached the FA Trophy final again in 1987–88 but lost to Enfield. The next season, they reached the Trophy final for the fifth time. This time, they won 1–0 against Macclesfield.
In the 2003–04 FA Cup, they beat both Brentford and Crewe Alexandra. They then lost to Millwall, who went on to reach the final. They also made it to the semi-finals of the FA Trophy. But they lost on penalties to Canvey Island.
The club closed down at the end of that season. This happened because the owner, Andy Shaw, had money problems. But the club's spirit was brought back quickly. Fans created A.F.C. Telford United soon after.
Club Achievements
As Wellington Town:
- Welsh Cup
- Winners in 1901–02, 1905–06, 1939–40
- Cheshire County League
- Champions in 1945–46, 1946–47, 1951–52
- Birmingham & District League
- Champions in 1920–21, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1939–40
As Telford United F.C.:
- FA Trophy
- Winners in 1970–71, 1982–83, 1988–89
Club Records
- Biggest crowd: 13,000 people watched them play Shrewsbury Town in the Shropshire Senior Cup Final.
- Biggest win: 7–1 against Frickley Athletic on 13 February 1982.
- Best FA Cup result: Reached the Fifth Round in 1984–85.
- Best FA Trophy result: Won the trophy in 1970–71, 1982–83, 1988–89.
