Stratford Town F.C.
{{short description|Association football club from Stratford-upon-Avon, England}}
{{redirect|Stratford Rangers|club from Stafford|Stafford Rangers}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Stratford Town
| image = Stratford-Town-FC-2021.png
| image_size = 250px
| fullname = Stratford Town Football Club
| nickname = The Bards
| founded = 1941 (as Stratford Rangers)
| ground = Knights Lane, Tiddington
| capacity =
| chairman = Jed McCrory
| manager = Paul Davis (caretaker)
| league = {{English football updater|StratfoT}}
| season = {{English football updater|StratfoT2}}
| position = {{English football updater|StratfoT3}}
| pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_collarnavy|pattern_ra1=
| leftarm1=000055|body1=FF6100|rightarm1=000055|shorts1=000055|socks1=FF6100
| pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_collarnavy|pattern_ra2=
| leftarm2=FF6100|body2=FFFFFF|rightarm2=FF6100|shorts2=FFFFFF|socks2=FFFFFF
| website = http://www.stratfordtownfc.co.uk/
| current = 2022–23 Southern Football League#Premier Division Central
}}
Stratford Town Football Club is a football club representing the town of Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire, England, but currently based in nearby Tiddington. They are currently members of the {{English football updater|StratfoT}} and play at Knights Lane.
History
The club was formed in 1941 as Stratford Rangers, changing their name in 1949. After playing in various local leagues they joined the Worcestershire Combination (which later became the Midland Football Combination) in 1954. In 1957 they switched to the Birmingham and District League, which became the West Midlands (Regional) League in 1962, but rejoined the Combination in 1970. In 1975 they took the unusual step of joining the Hellenic League, which does not normally include teams from Warwickshire. After two unsuccessful seasons they rejoined the Midland Combination once again, where they remained until becoming founder members of the Midland Football Alliance in 1994.
The club entered financial difficulty in 1998 and were reformed to become Stratford Town F.C.
On 20 April 2013, a 1–1 draw with Stourport Swifts sealed the Midland Alliance title and promotion to the Southern Football League for the first time in the club's history, where they initially played in Division One South & West. After two seasons in the Division One South & West, Stratford Town earned promotion to the Premier Division via the play-offs with a 3–2 win against Larkhall Athletic on 4 May 2015. They successfully retained their status the following season.
The 2021–22 season saw The Bards reach the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their history, defeating National League North side Boston United 3–2 in a fourth qualifying round replay after an initial 1–1 draw at the Boston Community Stadium.{{cite news |url=https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/football-fever-set-to-grip-stratford-after-town-make-fa-cup-history/ |title=Football fever set to grip Stratford after Town make FA Cup history |last=Hughes |first=Ian |website=Stratford Observer |date=2021-10-20 |accessdate=2021-11-09}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/fa-cup/409083/boston-united-1-1-stratford-town-united-find-bold-bards-so-hard-to-edge-past/ |title=Boston United 1-1 Stratford Town: United find bold Bards so hard to edge past |last=James |first=Christian |website=Non League Football Paper |date=2021-10-17 |accessdate=2021-11-09}} Stratford were drawn at home to League One side Shrewsbury Town, with the match televised on ITV4.{{cite news |url=https://www.stratfordtownfc.co.uk/news/bards-fa-cup-tie-vs-tie-vs-shrewsbury-to-be-shown-live-on-itv4! |title=BARDS FA CUP TIE VS SHREWSBURY TO BE SHOWN LIVE ON ITV4! |website=stratfordtownfc.co.uk |date=2021-10-21 |accessdate=2021-11-09}} Despite scoring first, they were eventually defeated 5–1 in front of a sell-out 2,800 spectators at Knights Lane.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59198599 |title=Stratford Town 1-5 Shrewsbury Town |website=BBC Sport |date=2021-11-07}}
Stadium
Stratford Town moved into the Knights Lane ground, Tiddington in the 2007–08 season. They played their first league match there against Barwell on 16 February 2008, losing 1–0 to a Stuart Spencer goal.[http://www.stratfordtownfootballclub.co.uk/first_team/reports_feb08.shtml Stratford Town match report] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724022837/http://www.stratfordtownfootballclub.co.uk/first_team/reports_feb08.shtml |date=2008-07-24 }}
The record attendance is 2,800 for the FA Cup first round match against Shrewsbury Town on 7 November 2021.{{cn|date=November 2021}}
Players
=Current squad=
{{updated|17 August 2024}} {{Cite web
| title = Stratford Town
| url = https://www.stratfordtownfc.co.uk/teams/Stratford-Town/Players
| work= stratfordtownfc.co.uk
| access-date = 19 August 2022}}
{{football squad start|nonumber=y|bg=000055|color=FF6100|border=000000}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=GK | name=Maxx Clutterbuck}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=GK | name=Callum Smith}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=DF | name=Finley Brennan}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=DF | name=Paul McCone}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=DF | name=Dan Vann}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=DF | name=Lewis Wilson}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=DF | name=Alex Worley}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=MF | name=Jack Cund}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=MF | name=Josh Hawker}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=Northern Ireland | pos=MF | name=Dan Lafferty}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=MF | name=Lewis Ludford-Ison}}
{{football squad mid|nonumber=y|bg=000055|color=FF6100|border=000000}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=MF | name=Michael McGrath}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=MF | name=Devonn O'Sullivan}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=MF | name=Tom Solanke}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=FW | name=Kieron Berry}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=FW | name=Callum Ebanks}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=FW | name=Andre Wright}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=FW | name=Owen James}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=FW | name=Jamie Molyneux}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=FW | name=Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton}}
{{football squad player | nonumber=y | nat=England | pos=FW | name=Charlie Williams}}
{{football squad end}}The Southern Football League does not use a squad numbering system.
Management and coaching staff
=Boardroom=
=Current staff=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| style="background:#000055; color:#FF6100; border:2px solid #000000;" scope="col"|Position
! style="background:#000055; color:#FF6100; border:2px solid #000000;" scope="col"|Name |
|---|
| Manager
|Paul David (caretaker) {{Fb cs staff |bg= |p=First Team Coaches |s= Dale Belford}} {{Fb cs staff |bg=y |p=Goalkeeper Coach |s= Kieron Williams}} {{Fb cs staff |bg= |p=Physio |s= Amanada Sibanda}} |
=Managerial history=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |
| style="background:#000055; color:#FF6100; border:2px solid #000000;" scope="col"|Period
! style="background:#000055; color:#FF6100; border:2px solid #000000;" scope="col"|Manager | |
|---|---|
| 1993 | style="background:#efefef;"| Alan Campbell |
| –2005 | style="background:#efefef;"| Lennie Derby |
| 2005–2006 | style="background:#efefef;"| Ian Britton |
| 2006–2007 | style="background:#efefef;"| Dennis Mulholland |
| 2007–2009 | style="background:#efefef;"| Micky Moore |
| 2009–2010 | style="background:#efefef;"| Rod Brown |
| 2010–2012 | style="background:#efefef;"| Morton Titterton |
| 2012–2014 | style="background:#efefef;"| Morton Titterton Carl Adams |
| 2014–2018 | style="background:#efefef;"| Carl Adams |
| 2018 | style="background:#efefef;"| Darren Byfield |
| 2018–2019 | style="background:#efefef;"| Thomas Baillie |
| 2019 | style="background:#efefef;"| Tommy Wright |
| 2019–2021 | style="background:#efefef;"| Paul Davis |
| 2021–2022 | style="background:#efefef;"| Tim Flowers |
| 2022–2023 | style="background:#efefef;" | Dean Holdsworth Gavin Hurren |
| 2023-2024
|Gavin Hurren |
See also
References
- {{cite book | author=Mike and Tony Williams | title=Non League Club Directory 2006 | publisher=Tony Williams Publications Ltd| year=2006| isbn=1-869833-54-6}}
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.stratfordtownfc.co.uk/}}
{{Southern League}}
{{coord|52|11|38.94|N|1|40|34.90|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}
Category:Southern Football League clubs
Category:Midland Football Alliance
Category:Association football clubs established in 1941
Category:Football clubs in Warwickshire
Category:1941 establishments in England