The old main stand - it wasn't much, but it was better than nothing!

Why is this? The town of Telford is a thriving and fairly prosperous new conurbation. Although there are other clubs around the area they don't have a major club right on their doorstep to siphon off support. Their chairman is a mega-rich sugar-daddy who has been fairly free with his money. It is true that they have tended to chop and change managers recently; currently Jake King is the man in the hot seat for a second time; perhaps the chairman has been a little too impatient to see a return for his investment.

Two aspects dominate Telford's expectations for the future. They joined the current trend in the Conference and turned full-time the season before last. It paid off to the extent that their sixth place finish was the best for a decade and was a brave move on crowds that struggle to average 1,000 on a good day, but tensions soon emerged as chairman Andy Shaw found costs spiralling. An outsider might wonder what he expected to happen, but anyway.... Part way through the season he launched a stinging attack on the lack of support coming through the gates and from business sponsors in the Telford area. The message was somewhat diluted as the 800 crowd that occasioned his ire was minus one Telford chairman who happened to be doing his corporate entertaining at Old Trafford that very evening. Oops! Shaw basically said that he couldn't carry the burden of losing hundreds of thousands a year himself, and that the club would return to part-time football, and now that all full-time contracts at the club have run out that is exactly what has happened.

The second aspect is the project for a completely new ground costing £9.5 million with a 6,778 capacity and 2,510 seats. Shaw obviously hoped that this enormously ambitious project would coincide with and complement better performances on the pitch and therefore increasing crowds. The new stadium was in progress during the first season of the full-time experiment, and the first hiccup occurred when the grass on the new pitch didn't take. Telford had to play the first part of that season at Worcester to some of the lowest crowds ever recorded in the Conference, which couldn't have helped cash flow. Even when opened the pitch left a lot to be desired: when Yeovil played there, after not that much rain, pools of standing water meant a shot from Andy Lindegaard literally stuck in the mud on the goal-line, to be picked up by a well beaten but much relieved keeper. The new ground was supposed to be completed some time ago, but progress ground to a halt for a while with just the two ends finished - impressive as they are. After months of inactivity work has now begun on constructing at least part of the new Main Stand to ensure that club complies with Conference ground regulations. At the time of writing seating for 550 has been installed, with work to complete the stand scheduled to begin in the new year.

Away end full of the travelling Glovers faithful last season. A well appointed terrace - but don't expect to hear a word over the tin-pot tannoy system.

On the pitch the position for manager Jake King has gone from 'difficult' to very nearly 'impossible'. What was at one time a full-time squad of 23 has been reduced to a part-time squad of around 16, including some long-term loan players. Highly regarded players such as defenders Jim Bentley and Neil Moore have departed to Morecambe and Mansfield respectively, while striker Mark Quayle - whose wage was being paid by supporters at one point - has gone to Nuneaton.

Prediction corner : We forecast an 11th place finish for Telford last season, and in the event they did slightly better than that, ending up in 9th position - a creditable effort in the financial circumstances, and by no means the worst finish of the full-time clubs. This season however they will find things tougher. Part-time again, relying too much on loan signings and with one of the smallest squads in the Conference due to cost-cutting, they are at the time of writing struggling, unsurprisingly, in 17th place. We can't see it getting any better than that for them - indeed, this could well be the season that they lose that proud record of being ever-present in the top flight of non-league football.... maybe! We forecast a long season of struggle but think that there will be three worse sides in the Conference this season so they should survive - just. Final position: 19th!

General : For Telford's ground make sure you get off at Wellington, not at Telford Central or you will have one long long walk! Wellington station is situated just over a mile from the Bucks Head, and you'll find plenty of pubs on your way to interrupt your journey.

From Yeovil : The quickest route going up is from Pen Mill station going via Bristol Temple Meads and Birmingham New Street. This will take you about 4.5 hours going up. There is an alternative route from Junction station taking in Salisbury, then Temple Meads, but this adds an hour to your journey time and is not recommended. Going back you'll find yourself going via Shrewsbury and Newport (Gwent) for the earlier of the two trains available or via Birmingham New Street and Exeter St Davids for the later of the two (this obviously returns you to Junction station). Don't hang around though, as both trains depart between 5:00pm and 6:00pm!

From London : Two trains per hour, both leaving from Euston and taking 2.5 to 3 hours. You change at Birmingham New Street for all bar one train where you can save a bit of time by changing at Wolverhampton. Going back you'll find about one train per hour where you will usually change at Wolverhampton, but for one train you change at Stafford as well, whereas another one takes you to Birmingham New Street instead. Journey time back is generally three hours back to Euston.

Directions adapted from telfordunitedfc.co.uk

Telford's club bar was called Bentley's. It no longer exists - and is no great loss.

Local Pubs

The Bucks Head, right outside the ground. Look above the roof and you will see one of the ground floodlights. That's how close you are!

If you are coming in by car, you will only see two pubs on your way. The Bridge Builder (see Directions for a photo) is better than average, though don't expect scenic views! It's child friendly if you've got your own in tow, but is large enough so other people's sprogs aren't too intusive. There are several passable real ales on, and the food had more interesting options than is usual in such chain establishments. The Bucks Head which, as it's name suggests, is on the doorstep of the ground was good enough to feature in the lucky dip section of the 1999 Good Pub Guide, but has since been dropped. The lounge bar is set out for a more restauranty feel with food available whilst the public bar holds a pool table. They do accommodation if you are planning a serious session. It can get crowded on matchdays.

For those coming in by train, you'll find The Station Hotel right outside the station as you exit. Nothing special, but worth a stop if you are thirsty after your journey or waiting for friends. Wellington is quite a pleasant looking town centre, and most of the pubs look worth half a glance on your way through, but the more relevant ones are on their way to the ground.

The Cock Hotel, aka The Old Wrekin Tap. The best choice for serious lovers of good beer in our opinion.

Walking down hill out of the High Street, along the Mill Bank you'll pass the Railway Inn on your right, but this is only worth it if you are doing a pub crawl. Totally recommended at the foot of the Mill Bank, just as you turn into Watling Street (you're about five minutes walk from the ground now) is The Cock Hotel which suffers from an identity crisis by having The Old Wrekin Tap plastered on the side of the building. Inside you'll find a typical beer drinkers pub, with six real ales on tap, a feature that has no doubt contributed to its 1998 Campaign For Real Ale local pub of the year award. There is a no smoking lounge bar where children are welcome, and a main bar where a pool table is in regular use. They also do accomodation. The only down side to this pub is that they don't do lunchtime food (not when we were last in there anyway).

But fear not, for on the opposite side of the road is The Swan Hotel which does food in a Harvester/Beefeater sort of style. Nothing dramatically brilliant, but at least you know what you are getting for your money, and the portions were good.

The Station Hotel, Station Rd, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1BY
Tel: 01952 246855

Railway Inn, 42-44, Mill Bank, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 1SD
Tel: 01952 242791

Cock Hotel, 148, Holyhead Rd, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 2DL
Tel: 01952 244954

Swan Hotel, Watling St, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF 1 2NH
Tel: 01952 223781

Bucks Head, 82, Watling St, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 2NJ
Tel: 01952 244021

Bridge Builder, Wrekin Retail Park, Wellington, Telford, Shropshire TF1 2DE
Tel: 01952 243741

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You

Telford's clientele seem to comprise an awful lot of 50 something men who have been going there since the days when Telford were known as Wellington. Some wear cardigans. One wouldn't say the Telford Welcome was effusive, but generally the town's a friendly enough place, and there was never need for segregation in the old ground.

Top Tip

Don't, just don't expect to find the ground located in Telford!