Post by Steve T on Nov 15, 2024 12:32:19 GMT 1
There's hardly anything in the website match preview about Stourbridge so here's a brief history, part of it culled from the New Clubs programme feature that appeared at the start of the 2018-19 season when the club was moved back to the SL after four seasons in the NPL.
Stourbridge's long history stretches back as far as 1876, when the club was formed as Stourbridge Standard. The suffix was dropped by the time they joined the Birmingham & District League in 1890, in which they remained until the Second World War, winning one title in 1924. After the war, the club joined the Birmingham Combination, winning that league in 1952 before returning a year later to the B&DL (later the West Midlands League) and playing in that competition until joining the expanding Southern League in 1971.
Stourbridge had four seasons in the Premier division (1974-76, 1982-84), but were denied another promotion in 1991 when, after winning the Midland division, their three-sided ground (shared with Stourbridge cricket club) was deemed unfit for the top division. Relegated to the Midland Alliance in 2000, Stourbridge won that competition in 2002 and 2003 but because of the ground were again refused promotion. After the restructuring of 2004, grading rules were changed and Stourbridge returned to the Southern League in 2006 as runners up to Chasetown. Two years later they won the Midland division play-off final away to Leamington and with it promotion to the Premier division, from which they were transferred to the NPL in 2014.
Stourbridge remain the club Banbury have played most in league competition, the 88 meetings coming in ahead of Redditch, 79, Bromsgrove Rovers, 78 (since disbanded) and Tamworth, 73. Since 1945-46 in the Birmingham Combination, Birmingham & District/West Midlands League and the Southern League, Banbury have won 27 and Stourbridge 37 with 24 draws (in the SL, 14 to Banbury, 20 to Stourbridge and 14 draws). The clubs have met twice in the FA Trophy (one win each) and seven times in the Birmingham Senior Cup, Banbury winning four.
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The club had never been in the First Round of the FA Cup before 2009-10 when they lost at home to Walsall. They went on to make another five appearances in the next ten seasons, reaching the Second Round four times and the Third once. They claimed two victories over Football League clubs, Plymouth (11-12) and Northampton (16-17). They also performed well in the FA Trophy in the same period. In 11 seasons, prize money and TV fees totalled more than £450,000.
It's a little surprising that Stourbridge didn't make it into Step 2 at during that period. In the seven seasons from 12-13 to 18-19, they lost four times in the play-offs in both the SL and the NPL. I wonder if their ground is the problem. Although in a much-improved state of repair thanks to the FA Cup and Trophy monies, its capacity is still limited AFAIK to somewhere around 2,500. Eyes have been turned to a site next to the rugby club, almost a mile and a half west of the town centre on the Bridgnorth Road.
Stourbridge at the Football Club History Database
United on Saturday 16th November:
Stourbridge's long history stretches back as far as 1876, when the club was formed as Stourbridge Standard. The suffix was dropped by the time they joined the Birmingham & District League in 1890, in which they remained until the Second World War, winning one title in 1924. After the war, the club joined the Birmingham Combination, winning that league in 1952 before returning a year later to the B&DL (later the West Midlands League) and playing in that competition until joining the expanding Southern League in 1971.
Stourbridge had four seasons in the Premier division (1974-76, 1982-84), but were denied another promotion in 1991 when, after winning the Midland division, their three-sided ground (shared with Stourbridge cricket club) was deemed unfit for the top division. Relegated to the Midland Alliance in 2000, Stourbridge won that competition in 2002 and 2003 but because of the ground were again refused promotion. After the restructuring of 2004, grading rules were changed and Stourbridge returned to the Southern League in 2006 as runners up to Chasetown. Two years later they won the Midland division play-off final away to Leamington and with it promotion to the Premier division, from which they were transferred to the NPL in 2014.
Stourbridge remain the club Banbury have played most in league competition, the 88 meetings coming in ahead of Redditch, 79, Bromsgrove Rovers, 78 (since disbanded) and Tamworth, 73. Since 1945-46 in the Birmingham Combination, Birmingham & District/West Midlands League and the Southern League, Banbury have won 27 and Stourbridge 37 with 24 draws (in the SL, 14 to Banbury, 20 to Stourbridge and 14 draws). The clubs have met twice in the FA Trophy (one win each) and seven times in the Birmingham Senior Cup, Banbury winning four.
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The club had never been in the First Round of the FA Cup before 2009-10 when they lost at home to Walsall. They went on to make another five appearances in the next ten seasons, reaching the Second Round four times and the Third once. They claimed two victories over Football League clubs, Plymouth (11-12) and Northampton (16-17). They also performed well in the FA Trophy in the same period. In 11 seasons, prize money and TV fees totalled more than £450,000.
It's a little surprising that Stourbridge didn't make it into Step 2 at during that period. In the seven seasons from 12-13 to 18-19, they lost four times in the play-offs in both the SL and the NPL. I wonder if their ground is the problem. Although in a much-improved state of repair thanks to the FA Cup and Trophy monies, its capacity is still limited AFAIK to somewhere around 2,500. Eyes have been turned to a site next to the rugby club, almost a mile and a half west of the town centre on the Bridgnorth Road.
Stourbridge at the Football Club History Database
United on Saturday 16th November:
2019 SLPC Leiston 232 A W 5-1 og, Mills, Gordon 3
2002 SLE Eastbourne Borough 551 A W 2-1 Redknap, Sylla
1996 HLP Bicester Town 93 A L 0-1
1991 HPC Pegasus Juniors 113 H W 2-1 Stratford, og
1985 SLM Sutton Coldfield Town 108 H W 2-1 Davie, Williams
1974 SL1N Bury Town 386 H W 3-0 Jacques 3
1968 SL1 Trowbridge Town 806 H W 3-1 og, Holder 2
