Tipton Town F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Tipton Town


fullname = Tipton Town Football Club
nickname = Town
founded = 1948 (as Ocker Hill United)
ground = Tipton Sports Academy Wednesbury Oak Road, Tipton
capacity = 1,000
chairman = Bill Williams
manager = John Hill
league = Midland Football Alliance
season = 2007–08
position = Midland Football Alliance, 9th
shirtsupplier=
shirtsponsors=
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Tipton Town F.C. is a football club based in Tipton, West Midlands, England, currently playing in the Midland Football Alliance.

History

The club was originally formed in 1948 under the name of Ocker Hill United and played in the Wolverhampton and District Amateur League. In 1965, the club joined the West Midlands (Regional) League when it added a new Division One, which commenced play in 1967. In order to become more closely linked with the town of Tipton and its residents, the club marked the occasion by changing its name to Tipton Town F.C.

The club's first major success came in 1984 when both the Division One title and Divisional League Cup were won, leading to promotion to the Premier Division.

Tipton were relegated in 1991 but returned to the league's top division seven years later. After a few years nearer to the bottom of the table than the top, they finished third in 2003 and second the following year (being beaten to promotion by Malvern Town). In the 2004-05 season they dominated the league, achieving promotion with four league games to spare and scoring over 100 goals. The same season saw Tipton achieve their best ever run in the FA Vase, reaching the fifth round. The 2005-06 season saw Tipton's debut in the Midland Alliance.

The club have been able to enter the FA Cup since the 2006-07 season, reaching the First Round Qualifying in each of their first two seasons in the competition.

Steve Bull, who scored more than 300 goals for Wolverhampton Wanderers and was capped 13 times by England, played for Tipton Town during the early 1980s before signing for West Bromwich Albion. He played in Tipton's victorious 1984 side, and was born just a few streets away from the ground on the "Moat Farm" estate.

Ground

During their early years the club hired the private works ground of Lee Howl & Co, but in the early 1970s, the football club, in conjunction with other local clubs including Tipton Harriers athletics club, opened the Tipton Sports Academy, a 19-acre multi-purpose sports complex constructed out of former waste and spoilage land.

Current squad

(as at 24 March 2008)

*Goalkeepers - Danny Watson, Wes Cox
*Defenders - Brett Love, Ross Miller, Andy Smith, Troy Douglin, Jon Worsey, Richard Huckfield
*Midfielders - Tim Johnson, Eric Bowen, Craig Davies, Ashley Langford, Craig Harris, Danny Bragoli, Chris Turner, Micky Eagles, Dave Bate
*Strikers - Nicky Campbell, Calum Martin, Michael Allen

Club honours

* West Midlands Regional League Premier Division Champions - 2004-05
* West Midlands Regional League Premier Division Cup Winners - 1999-00, 2004-05
* West Midlands Regional League Division 1 Winners - 1984-85
* West Midlands Regional League Division 1 Cup Winners - 1984-85
* Midweek Floodlit Cup Winners - 2002-03
* Wednesbury Senior Cup Winners - 1975-76, 1976-77, 1980-81, 1995-96

ources

*cite book | author=Mike and Tony Williams | title=Non League Club Directory 2006 | publisher=Tony Williams Publications Ltd| year=2006| id=ISBN 1-869833-54-6

External links

* [http://www.web-teams.co.uk/tiptontownfc Tipton Town FC Official Website]
* [http://tiptontownfcseason0506.mediaobject.co.uk/ Tipton Town FC Official Photo Gallery]
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