There are a mixture of seated stands down this side of the ground. Visitors usually get the area at the far end that takes 500. Photo © 2004 Ciderspace

Despite more than half the club's existence having been spent in Non-league the club and its supporters seem to prefer not to acknowledge those days, and information is scarce. They played in the Shropshire & District Birmingham League and the Midland League. They were also regular entrants into the Welsh Senior Cup, first won in 1938. What their standing and aspirations were is less than clear, but by 1935 the Shrews felt ambitious enough to make their first application for election to the Football League (Division Three North). Thereafter they applied every year up until the Second World War, gradually increasing their vote each time from an initial six up to twenty-two in 1939, which left them only six short of Accrington Stanley on that occasion.

All that hard work seem to be for naught when, in the first time a proper election process was held after the War in 1948, their vote fell back to eight. The following season it was down again, to five. League status seemed rather a distant dream. However in 1950 the Football League decided to expand Divisions Three North and South to twenty-four clubs each, and with two places up for grabs in the Northern Section Shrewsbury sailed through in the first ballot. After one season they were transferred to the Southern Section, and there they remained until taking a place in Division Four on its creation in 1958, requiring re-election on one occasion, the only time they were to suffer this ignominy.

Only that one season in Division Four was required before they gained promotion to Division Three from fourth place. The achievement was celebrated with the installation of floodlights at Gay Meadow. Thereafter promotion and relegation places were reduced to two until the mid-Seventies, but it mattered little as Shrewsbury were generally mid-table, rarely troubling either end. There were a couple of trips to the Fifth Round of the F.A. Cup in the mid-Sixties, eventually losing out to Leeds United and Chelsea. The highpoint (er, maybe not) of this period of their history was the one and only competitive meeting with Yeovil Town at Huish. Shrewsbury won the First Round F.A. Cup tie 3-2.

Riverside Terrace - main location for the vocal amongst the local fans as the home terrace behind the goal is uncovered. Photo © 2004 Ciderspace

In 1974 the Shrews were relegated, but bounced straight back the following season. In 1978-79 Shrewsbury Town achieved their first ever Football League Championship, and would stay in Division Two for a decade though never troubling the higher reaches. They were relegated twice in four seasons at the end of the Eighties / beginning of the Ninties, though the second coincided with the creation of the Premier League so in name they remained a Division Three side. 1993-94 saw their second (and to date final) Championship, but three years of struggle saw them back down again.

The Shrews became pretty much mid-table fodder in Division Three, although they did need a last day win to retain League status in 1999-2000, until achieving fame by beating a Premiership club, Everton, live on TV in the F.A. Cup on 4th of January 2003. The money might have seen Shrewsbury kick-on, but instead, after going out to Chelsea in the next round,their league season collapsed completely and they went down in 24th place. Yeovil Town replaced them.

Manager Kevin Ratcliffe paid the price at the end of the season, to be replaced by Jimmy Quinn. In their first Non-league season since 1950 Shrewsbury finished in third, a mile behind the top two, but play-offs are no respecter of how many points you are adrift, and it was the Shrews who joined Champions Chester City in promotion, disposing of Barnet and Aldershot on the way. The Shrews thus met up with Yeovil Town again after much water had passed under the bridge for both clubs since 1969. In what would turn out to be a title winning season for the Glovers Shrewsbury did their bit by contributing six points. Ciderspace predicted Quinn would need to be sacked for the Shrews to survive in 22nd. For once we were uncannily accurate. The Shrewsbury board saw things the same way, brought in Gary Peters and stayed up in 21st.

The Station End Terrace - 2,000 capacity officially for away fans, but that seems optimistic. There's a roof, but don't expect too much cover towards the front. Photo © 2004 Ciderspace

Prediction Corner :Gary Peters looks to be doing a good enough job for the Shrews. Last season they consolidated as a solid mid-table League Two outfit in tenth, and this term will be hoping to kick on for the play-offs. Their new ground comes on apace and they should be moving into it over the summer, so unless we also draw them in the F.A. Cup this second visit to Gay Meadow will be our last. Despite the rules designed to deter clubs from fielding overly weakened sides in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy it's still hard to predict exactly how strong the sides put out will be in this competition. Providing we take it seriously a 28 place advantage in status ought to be enough, so the Glovers to progress: 0-1.

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FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

CLUB GOALSCORERS

Name

LGE

FAC

FAT

LGC

CC

Total

ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

Highest League Attendance: 0, vs ,
Lowest League Attendance: 999999, vs ,
Average League Attendance: Not Applicable

CURRENT LEAGUE SEQUENCE STATISTICS

Games Without A Win:	0		Games Without A Home Win:	0
Games Without An Away Win:	0		Games Without Defeat:	0
Games Without A Home Defeat:	0		Games Without An Away Defeat:	0
Games Without A Draw:	0		Games Without A Score Draw:	0
Games Without A No-Score Draw:	0		Games Without Scoring:	0
Games Without Conceding:	0		Home Results Sequence:
Away Results Sequence:			Overall Results Sequence:

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Local Pubs :

Right by Shrewsbury railway station © Hugh Gleave Albion Vaults: First pub you'll see when exiting Shrewsbury train station, across the road and almost underneath the railway bridge. Albion Vaults, 12, Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2DJ. Tel: 01743 354906. Map: Click Here.

Quality food, but take a credit card - preferably someone else's © Hugh Gleave Armoury: Huge high quality pub just off a nice park down by the river. The food is tremendous - voted Dining Pub of the Year 2004 - but not cheap. Starters are around a fiver, main courses from £7.50 upwards (with potatoes and vegetables extra on top of that), puddings £4-£5; but worth every penny (of my Dad's money!) when we ate there ahead of the play-off semi v Barnet. Food is available 12.00 - 9.30 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays (12.00 - 9.00 p.m. Sundays). Opening is 12.00 - 11.00 p.m. There are up to eight real ales on, including a house badged bitter. The lager is Hoegaarden. Children are allowed up to 9.00 p.m. providing they are well behaved and stay away from the bar area. There's a no smoking zone, and the place is wheelchair friendly though you need to use an entrance to the rear as the front one has steps. The other side of the town centre, so about three-quarters of a mile from the ground. Armoury, Victoria Quay, Victoria Avenue, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1HH. Tel: 01743 340525. Fax: 01743 340526. Email: armoury@brunningandprice.co.uk. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

Bull's Head: Right by the castle, as the address suggests, two minutes from the railway station up the hill on the left. Does ales from Banks's Brewery out of Wolverhampton and Dudley, Britain's largest remaining independent regional brewers. Bull's Head, Castle Gates, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2AB. Tel: 01743 344148. Map: Click Here.

Quiet back street pub © Hugh Gleave Coach & Horses: Victorian back street pub, with two bars. Up to eight ales are available, mostly guests, with the excellent Phoenix Arizona and local Salopian brews appearing frequently. Lagers were Hoegaarden, Stella and Carling. Addlestone's Cloudy cider is usually available. Food is served up until 2.30 p.m. and in the evenings, with reasonably priced bar snacks and fuller meals. Under ten minutes walk to Gay Meadow. Children welcome. Opening is 11.30 a.m. - midnight (12.30 a.m. Friday and Saturday). Coach & Horses, Swan Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1NP. Tel: 01743 365661. Map: Click Here.

Packed with home fans but friendly © Hugh Gleave Crown Inn: Almost opposite the Abbey, and about the closest pub to the ground on the side away from the town centre. A 'traditional boozer' style, and football fan friendly. Crown Inn, 28, Abbey Foregate,, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6BT. Map: Click Here.

Yards from the ground © Hugh Gleave Lion & Pheasant Hotel: Hotel/ pub just across the bridge from the ground towards the town centre. Could hardly be closer. Lion & Pheasant Hotel, 49-50, Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1XJ. Tel: 01743 236288. Map: Click Here.

Friendly locals, up for a chat © Hugh Gleave Loggerheads: Old fashioned town centre pub full of passageways, serving hatches and four separate rooms. A notice at the entrance states 'no colours', but we had no problem. Food is 'pub grub' style, served lunchtimes (not Sundays). Beers are Bank's Original and Bitter, Mansfield Cask, Bass, Marston's Pedigree and a guest. Lagers are Hoegaarden, Carling and Harp. Opening 11-11 (midnight Thursday - Saturday). Around five minutes walk from the stadium. Loggerheads, 1, Church Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1UG. Tel: 01743 355457. Map: Click Here.

Shrewsbury Hotel © Hugh Gleave Shrewsbury Hotel: Large hotel / pub in the centre of town on the edge of the one series of open "squares" and car parks. The bar is the Wetherspoon outlet in town, so cheap beer, some real ales, and a standard value-for-money but unexciting food range. Children allowed during the day. Shrewsbury Hotel, Bridge Place, Mardol, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1PU. Tel: 01743 236203. Map: Click Here.

A rather pleasant location...... © Hugh Gleave The Boat House: On a meander in the River Severn the beer garden goes right down to the water. Lovely on a nice day. Not far from the Armoury (above) on the northern edge of the central part of town, one can get to it by road or across the park via a footbridge over the river. The Boat House, New Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY3 8JQ. Tel: 01743 231658. Map: Click Here.

The Dun Cow Steak Bar: A little further along Abbey Foregate from the stadium than the Crown Inn (above). Obviously red meat dominates the menu in the no-smoking restaurant, though there is some concession to vegetarians, but there are also all-day-breakfasts, curry, pasta dishes and lighter snacks in the bar. Breakfast is served from 10.30 a.m., with the rest of the menu kicking in from 11.30 a.m. - 2.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. - 9.30 p.m. Beers are mainly a pretty standard range of keg, but does include Abbot. Carries Sky Sports. The Dun Cow Steak Bar, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6AW. Tel: 1743 356408. Email: enquiries@theduncow.co.uk. Website: Click Here. Map: Click Here.

Good beer and food © Hugh Gleave The Old Lion Tap: On the stroll down from the town to the ground, a few hundred yards short of the stadium, and easy to miss as it's through an arch down a narrow alley. The Old Lion Tap, Barracks Passage, Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1XA. Tel: 01743 245522. Map: Click Here.

Three Fishes: Just off the other side of the High Street a few yards from Loggerheads (above). The first thing to note is that this pub health farm is no smoking throughout. According to the banning enthusiasts this should ensure the place is absolutely heaving from the first minute of opening until last orders, whilst every other pub in the area is virtually empty. Oddly a quick glance through the door, before walking on to a proper pub, didn't bear this out - it had a grand total of two customers - but who are we smokers to argue with the health facists. It carries up to six real ales: Deuchars IPA, Taylor Landlord and guests, always including one from the local area. Food is freshly cooked to order and served lunchtimes and early evenings (except Sunday evening). Opening is 11.30 a.m. - 3.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, and 11.30 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Three Fishes, Fish Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 1UR. Tel: 01743 344793. Map: Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

Dangerously close to Wales.

Top-Tip :

You can't lose in the JPT, cuz if you do you can rightly say: you don't care........

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[No responsibilty is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]

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