Northfield Town F.C.

Northfield Town
Full name Northfield Town Football Club
Nickname(s) The Town
Short name NTFC
Founded 1966
Ground Shenley Lane Community Association, Selly Oak
Capacity 250
Chairman George Whigham
Manager Richard Field
League Midland League Division Two
2017–18 Midland League Division Two, 10th of 16

Northfield Town F.C. is a football club based in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham, England. The first team play in the Midland League Division Two.

History

Although Northfield Town F.C. came into being in 1966, its origins go back to the early 1950s. After spells in the Kings Norton League, Warwickshire & West Midlands Alliance and the Mercian League, they joined the Combination in 1957 (then the Worcestershire Combination). Playing under the name of Allen’s Cross they won the League Challenge Cup in their first year and the League Championship in 1961–62. Following amalgamation with another successful local side, Castle Rovers, the club played briefly as Cross Castle United before adopting the present title of Northfield Town.

In 2013 Northfield Town F.C amalgamated with Shenley Radford Youth F.C to create a youth system. This was the beginning of Northfield Town Juniors F.C, with the teams competing in the Central Warwickshire Youth Football League.

The 2013–14 season was the last season in the Midland Football Combination, in which Northfield Town finished 13th before entering the newly formed Midland Football League for the 2014–15 season.

Northfield Town finished the 2016/17 season in 4th place in Midlands Division Three, narrowly missing out on promotion. The team also finished runners-up in the Challenge Vase, losing the final 2-1 to NKF Burbage. Also that season, the club twice broke its record for largest attendance, firstly against Paget Rangers when 101 people watched the game, and then again against Montpellier on the last day with an attendance of 124 people.

Club badge and colours

The Northfield Town F.C's Logo is based on the history of the club. The red cross representing Allen's Cross F.C and the castle representing Castle Rovers F.C who amalgamated to form Northfield Town F.C in 1966.

The club used to wear black and white due to the amalgamation with Shenley Radford Youth F.C. However, for the start of the 2016/17 season they reverted to their yellow and blue kit, with the black and white strip being used as an away kit.

Club badge and colours

The Northfield Town F.C's Logo is based on the history of the club. The red cross representing Allen's Cross F.C and the castle representing Castle Rovers F.C who amalgamated to form Northfield Town F.C in 1966.

The club used to wear black and white due to the amalgamation with Shenley Radford Youth F.C. However, for the start of the 2016/17 season they reverted to their yellow and blue kit, with the black and white strip being used as an away kit.

Ground

The home games for both Northfield Town F.C and Northfield Town Juniors F.C are played at Shenley Community Association and Sports Centre, based in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham.

Kings Heath Old Boys F.C who play in the Birmingham & District Football League and Northfield Town S G F.C who play in the Coronation Football League & Alliance[1] (formerley Shenley Green F.C) also pitch share at the Shenley Community Association and Sports Centre.

The present sports ground was initially the playing fields for The Allens Cross Community Association and they remained the "parent body" until 1983.

The field was opened in 1935, that year King George V and Queen Mary were celebrating the Silver Jubilee of their reign to mark the event a fund was set up, called the King George V Playing Fields Fund. At Allen's Cross funds were also obtained from the Birmingham Branch of the National Playing Fields Association, the Birmingham Civic Society, Bournville Village Trust and other kind donors.[2]

Eventually, in 1937, work started on a clubhouse pavilion, provided by the Feeney Trust, tarmac tennis court and caretakers house, all of which were officially opened on 27 August 1938 by Mr George Cadbury. The ground itself was laid out for two football and one cricket pitch.

When Cadburys formed a partnership with Schweppes in the early 1970s three of their properties, the Allens Cross Sports ground, Weoley Hill Cricket and Tennis Club and the Cadbury Club in Bournville Lane were allowed to have a bar. The sports club then went from strength to strength while the Community Hall was struggling and in the red.[3]

In 1983 the committee from the sports ground requested to break away from Allens Cross Community Association. Discussions took place and Mr Chris Cadbury, who was President of the Association reluctantly agreed on the understanding that they became a Community Association. With that, the sports ground "broke" from the "parent body", Allen's Cross and became a registered charity in its own right and was renamed Shenley Lane Community Association & Sports Centre. It originally comprised Northfield Town F.C, Allens Cross Cricket and Shenley Radford Youth Club.

From this time Cricket was the longest surviving sports group at the Ground. Allen's Cross Cricket Club (1938–2002). In the latter years they survived by recruiting many immigrant cricketers of considerable ability, but these had no permanent connection with the Association and sadly the Club folded completely in 2002. Cricket is still played regularly at Shenley Lane by a number of local clubs.

At the same time a development plan was put into place and with the help of the Prince's Trust a brand new changing block, entrance, stand and toilets. Later an all-weather pitch was built.

Various developments have taken place over recent years, most significantly the security fencing but are usually limited to "refurbishments" due to limited funds.

Honours

  • Midland Football Combination Premier Division
    • Champions 1975–76, 1994–95
    • Runners-up 1989–90
  • Midland Football Combination Division One
    • Champions 1998–99, 2005–06
  • Midland Football Combination Challenge Cup
    • Winners 1983–84, 1988–89
  • Midland Football Combination Presidents Cup
    • Winners 1980–81
  • Birmingham Senior Amateur Cup
    • Winners 1974–75
  • Tony Alden Memorial Cup
    • Winners 1976
  • Smedley Crooke Cup
    • Winners 1989–90
  • Lord Mayor's Charity Cup
    • Runners-up – 1990–91, 1992–93
  • Birmingham County Youth Cup Winners (Saturday & Sunday Combined);[4]
    • 1969/70, 1970/71, 1971/72 and 1987/88
  • Birmingham County Youth Cup Runners Up (Saturday & Sunday Combined);[4]
    • 1972/73, 1981/82, 1982/83 and 1985/86
  • Worcestershire County Youth Cup Winners;
    • 4 times
  • Mercian A.F.A. Premier Championship;
    • 1982/83
  • Mercian A.F.A. Division One Champions;
    • 1973/74
  • Mercian A.F.A. Senior Cup;
    • 1979/80
  • Aston Villa Shield;
    • 1973/74 and 1979/80
  • Queens Hospital Cup;
    • 1985/86
  • Birmingham A.F.A Youth Cup Winners;
    • 1989/90, 1990/91, 1991/92 and 1993/94[5]
  • Birmingham A.F.A Youth Cup Runners Up;
    • 1988/89 and 1992/93
  • Birmingham County Minor Cup Winners;
    • 2013/14 (Under 16's "Colts"[6])

Records

References

  1. ↑ "Keeley Cup - Ground Details". Full Time F.A. Coronation Football League & Alliance. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "Allens Cross - About Us".
  3. ↑ Wood, Donald. "Voices From Allens Cross". Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Birmingham County Cup Winners.Docx". Birmingham County AFA. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  5. ↑ name="Birmingham AFA Youth Cup" reflist|group=P.79-P.80"Birmingham Amateur Football Association" (PDF). Birmingham AFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-05-14.
  6. ↑ "Minor Cup 2013_14 Season". BCFA.
  7. ↑ Northfield Town Football History Database

Coordinates: 52°25′27.04″N 1°57′57.90″W / 52.4241778°N 1.9660833°W / 52.4241778; -1.9660833

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