Bilston Town F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Bilston Town


Division Two, 2nd (promoted)
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Bilston Town Football Club is an English football (soccer) club based in Bilston, West Midlands. In the 2006–07 season they played in the West Midlands (Regional) League Division One. In 2007 the club folded but was rescued by a consortium, re-formed as Bilston Town (2007) and accepted into the West Midlands (Regional) League Division Two.

History

The club was founded in 1894 simply as Bilston F.C. In 1954 the team joined the Birmingham & District League and won the championship in 1960-61 and again in 1972-73 (by which time the league had been renamed the West Midlands Regional League). In 1983 the club's name changed to Bilston Town F.C.

After finishing as West Midlands Regional League runners-up in 1984-85, the Steelmen were promoted to the Southern Football League, where they spent seventeen seasons in the Midland Division (later re-organised as the Western Division). Their best finish (3rd place) came in 2000-01, but the following season they could only finish 17th, after which they resigned for financial reasons and dropped three levels to the West Midlands League Division One.

Bilston were the first ever opponents of Rushden & Diamonds. [ [http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Rushden_and_Diamonds/Rushden_and_Diamonds.htm www.historicalkits.co.uk] ]

After the 2006–07 season Bilston resigned from the West Midlands (Regional) League. In June the club's chairman issued a statement on the club's future: [ [http://www.bilstontownfc.co.uk Official website] , retrieved on 28 June 2007] cquote|I have had several discussions/meetings and I am now drawing up final details with four interested parties. Three out of the four interested parties have a strong desire to continue a Bilston Town FC. I will post further details as & when a conclusion has been reached

Shortly after this the club's official website was shut down. The club was taken from the owners, and reformed as Bilston Town (2007) and accepted back into the West Midlands (Regional) League for the 2007–08 season, albeit in Division Two. The club finished the season in second place behind Wellington Amateurs. [ [http://full-time.thefa.com/Index.do?selectedSeason=9662627&selectedDivision=7582798 WMRL Division Two at FA Full Time] ]

Club records

*Best league performance: 3rd in Southern League Western Division, 2000-01
*Best FA Cup performance: 2nd round proper, 1972-73
*Best FA Trophy performance: 4th round, 2000-01
*Best FA Vase performance: Quarter-finals, 1992-93 [fchd|name=Bilston|id=BILSTON] [fchd|name=Bilston Town|id=BILSTONT]

Ground

In April 2006 the BBC reported that the club's Queen Street ground had been vandalised over 120 times in six years. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blackcountry/content/articles/2006/04/11/bilston_town_mowers_feature.shtml BBC Feature] ] In 2007 council officials ruled that the ground was unsafe, forcing the club to move out and play their matches in Bantock Park, a public recreation ground. [cite web|url=http://www.expressandstar.com/2007/10/08/park-home-for-bilston-town-fc/|publisher=Express and Star|title=Park 'home' for Bilston Town FC|accessdate=2007-10-17|date=2007-10-08]

In May 2008 Wolverhampton City Council announced plans to redevelop the football ground with a new hotel, restaurants and shops, allowing a complete overhaul of the pitch and terraces. [ [http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/26/12m-plan-for-football-club Express and Star article £12m plan for football club] , accessed 28 May 2008] Work on the terraces, clubhouse and dressing rooms was completed in August 2008. [cite web|url=http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/08/21/football-club-ris-going-home/|title=Football club is going home|publisher=Express and Star|accessdate=2008-08-26|date=2008-08-21]

References

External links

* [http://www.pyramidpassion.co.uk/html/bilston_town_fc__bustleholme_f.html Pyramid Passion feature on Queen Street]