The story begins on a Monday evening in late 1872 when the Reverend Banning (vicar of All Saints’ Church, Wellington) calls a public meeting in a room next to Wellington town hall, and the Wellington Parish Church Institute is formed
In 1877, the “Sheffield rules”, which became football more as we more or less know it today, are adopted by the Football Association and Wellington PCI become members, after playing friendly matches from around March 1873.
In 1879 the club changes it’s name from Wellington PCI to Wellington Town, and it’s around this time that more organised fixture lists begin appearing, like this one. Wellington Town win the Shropshire Senior cup for the first time in 1881, four years after the competition’s inauguration in 1887.
Wellington Town win the Shropshire Senior cup again, thrashing Shrewsbury Castle Blues 5-0 at underdale in the final. The locals were not happy, and the notorious castle blues spectatators run the visitors out of town after the final whistle in scenes which would later lead to the disbanding of Castle Blues and the formation of Shrewsbury Town as we know them today.
In 1906 Wellington win the Welsh cup for the first time, defeating Whitchurch 3-2 in an all Shropshire affair to bring the trophy across the border. The victorious team are pictured above
In 1906 Wellington win the Welsh cup for the first time, defeating Whitchurch 3-2 in an all Shropshire affair to bring the trophy across the border. The victorious team are pictured above
In 1921 Wellington Town win the Birmingham and District league for the first time, in a distinctive “V” kit which would be replicated by AFC Telford United nearly a hundred years later.
Nearly a decade later, more league honours are heading back to East Shropshire as Wellington scoop successive Birmingham league title in 1935 and 1936. The club also wins the Shropshire Senior cup five times during the thirties, making the era the most successful in the club’s history.
Despite the commencement of the second world war during the 39/40 season, Wellington are Welsh wizards once more, bringing home the trophy after defeating Swansea Town 4-1 in the final. The club also become champions of the Birmingham league, and the rest of the division breathes a sigh of relief as Wellington head off to join the Cheshire league shortly afterwards
The post war era begins in noteworthy fashion as Wellington secure back to back Cheshire league championships in 1946 and 1947
The 1950’s sees yet more league success for Wellington Town, with Cheshire league titles secured in 1952 and 1953 before the club eventually qualify for membership of the newly formed “Southern League”. The club also wins the Shropshire Senior Cup in 1959 - the victorious team are seen collecting the trophy at the Gay Meadow here.
Following the creation of Telford new town in 1969, the club changes its name to Telford United, a move fiercely opposed by a section of the club’s supporters. The new era starts well though
… as the new Telford United reach the final of the inaugural FA Trophy competition and become one of the first two non-professional clubs to play at Wembley Stadium. The story doesn’t end particularly well though, and the Lilywhites are defeated 2-0 by Macclesfield town in front of over 28,000 fans at the national stadium. Not to worry, we’ll be back…
That’s more like it. Telford United reach the FA Trophy final at Wembley for the second time in as many seasons and it’s so much better this time as United defeat Hillingdon Borough 3-2 to lift the trophy from the Royal Box in front of another huge travelling contingent of fans from Shropshire.
Now without a doubt one of the biggest clubs in non-league football, Telford United are founder members of the Alliance Premier league in 1979, the league which later goes on to become the Football Conference, and it’s the first time Wellington Town or Telford United have competed in a national league. The picture shows club record goalscorer Jack Bentley powering home a header in front of a newly rebuilt East Stand.
Telford do it again in the FA Trophy, recording their second win in three finals in the competition in 1983, this time Northwich Victoria are on the wrong end of a 2-0 reverse at Wembley, although they go on to win it the following season. An ecstatic Telford bench races from the dugout at the final whistle to celebrate, led by manager Stan Storton (far left).
If the 70’s were a relatively quiet decade for Telford, the 1980’s is the one that makes the clubs name as the club generates a fierce reputation as FA Cup giant killers, culminating in a run in 1985 which sees the club reach the fifth round of the famous old competition, eventually bowing out in front of 47000 fans to league champions Everton at Goodison Park. Telford’s following of 13000 that day remains an FA Cup record travelling support to this day.
They couldn’t do it again, could they? We could - United win the FA Trophy for a record third time, retaining their status as the most successful club in the history of the competition and gaining a little bit of revenge over Macclesfield Town (1970 and all that…) by beating them 1-0 in the 1989/90 final.
A torrid decade in the 1990’s sees Telford regularly involved in relegation battles, but the club appears to turn the corner in late 1999 when wealthy local businessman Andy Shaw takes the reigns from previous Chairman Tony Esp.
A total redevelopment of the Bucks Head begins, including the demolition and reconstruction of all four sides of the ground and the laying of a new playing surface and after several years of decay the club finally has a stadium worthy of league football
2004 starts well for Telford. Still struggling to make a mark on the league, the club finds solace once again in the FA Cup. Brentford are hammered 3-0 at the Bucks Head before the club achieves arguably it’s greatest ever cup shock, dumping out championship side Crewe Alexandra 1-0 at Gresty Road. Lee Mills scores in the third minute(pictured) before 87 minutes (plus five minutes of added time) of nail biting tension for the travelling Telford fans ends with cup triumph, and a fourth round home tie with eventual finalists Millwall.
The Bucks are beaten 2-0 by Dennis wise’s side, but the season unravels in unbelievable fashion when the chairman’s business empire collapses, leaving the club on the verge of extinction.
Saddled with a huge wage bill, the club has no option but to fold, but fans, players and staff rally round and ensure that Telford complete the season before bowing out for the final time against Farnborough Town, a 4-2 defeat in front of 3234 at the Bucks Head.
Faced with no competitive senior football team in Telford for the first time since the late 1800’s, the fans form a new club using monies raised by the supporters association and are accepted into the Northern Premier league (division one) for the start of the 2004/05 season
United are promoted to the Northern Premier League but are struggling initially, and with the fans’ high expectations not being met, Bernard McNally is dismissed and replaced with Willenhall Town duo Rob Smith and Larry Chambers, who’ve been a persistent thorn in the clubs side, often outperforming United on a much smaller budget.
Smith and Chambers turn it around for Telford, and the Bucks are promoted in 2006/07, once again through the playoffs.
Steve Palmer, another former Telford United player who went on to represent the new club, lifts the trophy after Witton Albion are defeated in a high scoring and open play off final at Wincham Park.
United are promoted to the Conference North, now just one promotion away from returning to the conference national which we left in 2004 after going bust, but Rob Smith’s side is finding promotion a tough nut to crack.
Cup glory arrives for the new club in 2009, when the Bucks lift the Setanta Shield, the league cup of the conference, at the New Lawn after defeating Forest Green Rovers on penalties. A live TV audience witnesses Ryan Young performing heroics in the shoot out before the Telford players are mobbed by travelling Telford fans celebrating the victory.
They eventually make it back to the dressing room, where captain Stuart Whitehead is pictured with the shield.
At the start of the 10/11 season, former Spurs and England midfielder Andy Sinton is appointed as manager to replace an increasingly embattled Smith and Chambers, and with the majority of the same side assembled by the Willenhall duo, achieves a play off finish at the first attempt.
United face Guiseley at the Bucks Head, and at 2-1 down with ten minutes to go appear to be heading for heartache, before substitute James Lawrie and captain Phil Trainer score late on to send the fans into wild celebrations, and Telford United back to the Conference premier.
After Telford’s damaging relegation, Liam Watson is appointed as manager and tasked with returning Telford to the premier division at the first attempt.
Watson, a two time winner of the Conference North, brings in a slew of experienced campaigners and United secure promotion on the final day of the season with a 2-0 win over Gainsborough Trinity, after a tense battle with North Ferriby United at the top of the league.
Watson’s championship is the first one won by a Telford side since Wellington won the Cheshire league in 1952.