Knowle F.C.

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = Knowle

| image = File:Knowle FC.png

| fullname = Knowle Football Club

| nickname = The Robins

| founded = 1926

| ground = Robins' Nest, Knowle

| capacity =

| chairman = Darryl Saunders

| manager = Clive Seeley

| league = {{English football updater|Knowle}}

| season = {{English football updater|Knowle2}}

| position = {{English football updater|Knowle3}}

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}}File:KnowlevFairfieldNov18.jpg

Knowle Football Club is a football club based in Knowle Solihull, in the West Midlands, England. They are currently members of the {{English football updater|Knowle}} and play at the Robins' Nest.

History

The club was established in 1926 as Knowle Men's Institute.[http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/knowlefc/a/knowle-fc-history-40514.html History] Knowle F.C. They played in the Birmingham Youth & Old Boys League, winning the league and league cup double in 1946–47. In 1966 the club, now known as Knowle Football Club, joined Division Two of the Worcestershire Combination, which was renamed the Midland Combination in 1968.{{fchd|id=KNOWLE|name=Knowle}} Although they finished as Division Two runners-up in 1968–69, they were not promoted. However, following a fifth-place finish the following season, the club moved up to Division One.[http://nonleaguematters.co.uk/nlmnet/Regs_2_M/MidCom68.html Midland Combination 1968–1982] Non-League Matters

In 1982–83 Knowle finished bottom of Division One, but avoided being relegated to Division Two. The club adopted the name Knowle North Star prior to the start of the 1983–84 season, which saw them finish bottom of the renamed Premier Division again. They also finished bottom of the division the following season.{{fchd|id=KNOWLENS|name=Knowle North Star}} In 1985 the club reverted to their previous name. In 1996–97 they won the league's Challenge Cup, beating Kings Heath 5–4 on penalties after the final had ended 3–3.[http://www.midlandfootballleague.co.uk/cup-history.html Cup History] Midland League The club remained in the Premier Division until the end of the 1997–98 season, when they were demoted to Division One due to a lack of floodlights.

The 1998–99 season saw Knowle finish as runners-up in Division One and win the Birmingham Saturday Vase, beating Alveston Town 5–2 in the final.{{cite web|url=https://fchd.info/cups/birminghamsummary.htm|title=Birmingham|website=Football Club History Database}} They went on to win the division in 2002–03 and 2005–06, but were unable to take promotion due to the lack of floodlights at their ground. In 2007–08 the club won the league's Presidents Cup and the Division One title, and were promoted to the Premier Division after agreeing a groundshare with Studley. However, they were demoted again at the end of the 2009–10 season despite finishing eleventh in the Premier Division, returning to their home ground in Knowle.

Knowle were Division One runners-up in 2010–11, also winning the Birmingham Saturday Vase with a 2–1 win over Shirley Town in the final. They won the Challenge Cup again in 2013–14. At the end of the season the Midland Combination merged with the Midland Alliance to form the Midland League, with Knowle placed in Division Two. In 2022–23 they won the Les James Challenge Cup, beating Hampton 3–1 in the final,{{cite web|url=https://solihullobserver.co.uk/sport/football-robins-secure-les-james-challenge-cup-trophy/|title=FOOTBALL - Robins secure Les James Challenge Cup trophy|website=Solihull Observer|access-date=12 May 2023}} and the Birmingham Saturday Vase with a 1–0 win over Sutton United.{{cite web|url=https://solihullobserver.co.uk/sport/football-knowle-complete-cup-double-with-saturday-vase-victory/|title=FOOTBALL - Knowle complete Cup double with Saturday Vase victory|website=Solihull Observer|date=23 May 2023}}

Ground

The club play at the Robin's Nest ground on Hampton Road. A clubhouse was built on one side of the pitch shortly after World War II. An overhang from the building's roof provided cover to two rows of seating and a small covered standing area was provided on the same side of the pitch. However these were destroyed in 2017 during Storm Doris, leaving the club with no clubhouse or covered seating.{{cite web|title=Storm Doris blows roof off football clubhouse - here's how neighbours came to the rescue|date=2 March 2017 |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/storm-doris-blows-roof-football-12679505|access-date=22 May 2018}} In October 2018 a temporary modular unit building was installed on site to serve as a clubhouse.