Full name | Shrewsbury Town Football Club |
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Nickname(s) | Salop, The Blues, The Town, The Shrews |
Founded | 1886 |
Ground | New Meadow |
Capacity | 9,875 |
Chairman | Roland Wycherley |
Manager | Paul Hurst |
League | League One |
2016–17 | League One, 18th |
Website | Club home page |
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. The team compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system.
The club was formed in 1886 and was elected to the Football League in 1950. The club has since competed in each of the lower three tiers of the Football League, in addition to one season spent in the Conference Premier in 2003–04. It has also competed in the Welsh Cup, winning it six times, a record for an English team.
Between 1910 and 2007, the club was based at Gay Meadow on the banks of the River Severn; since 2007, the club have played at the New Meadow, a UEFA Category four stadium with a capacity of 9,875.
Shrewsbury Town were formed in 1886, following the demise of first Shropshire Wanderers and later indirectly Castle Blues. The Blues were a rough team, leading to their demise after several games were marred by violence. The new team hoped to be as successful but without the notoriety. Press reports differ as to the date the new club was formed, The Eddowes Shropshire Journal of 26 May 1886 reported the birth of the club at The Lion Hotel, Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury. The Shrewsbury Chronicle reported the club's being formed at the Turf Hotel, Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury. It may be both accounts are true, with a get-together at The Lion being finalised at the Turf.
After friendlies and regional cup competitions for the first few seasons, Shrewsbury were founder members of the Shropshire & District League in 1890–91, later admitted to the Birmingham & District League in 1895–96. Many of the teams Town faced in the early days have vanished, however Shrewsbury met many of today's Football League and Conference teams, including Crewe Alexandra, Coventry City, Stoke City, Kidderminster Harriers and Stafford Rangers.