OpponentSpotlight ColeshillTown

Coleshill Town History

Coleshill Town was founded in 1894 making them one of the oldest clubs in nonleague football and the oldest in Warwickshire.

Until 1964 Coleshill played mostly in junior leagues, but then local rivals Coleshill Hall Hospital F.C. folded and the cream of their players joined Town. As the standard improved, Coleshill joined the Mercian League and then the Combination in 1968 winning Division Two in 1969/70, and the Combination Cup in 1970.

Playing at the Memorial Park, the club needed its own ground to get promotion and in 1974 they moved to their present site Pack Meadow, due to the determination and dedication of Percy Hastings.

Promotion to the topflight of the Combination soon followed in 1975 and there they stayed, apart from one season in Division One, for more than thirty years. Coleshill’s greatest achievements during that time saw them as M.F.C. Premiership runners-up in 1983/84 and winning the Walsall Senior Cup in 1983. Other highlights included a run in the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1988/89 beating Birmingham City then holding Wolverhampton Wanderers to a draw. The replay at Molineux was against the Wolves first team including the outstanding young strikers Steve Bull and Andy Mutch.

The Colemen more than matched their Black Country opponents for over an hour. Although Town tired and conceded late goals they prevented Steve Bull from scoring.

Players at the time included Danny Hagen, the former Irish International who played in the UEFA. Cup Final for Wolves in 1972, but our greatest is without doubt Gary Shaw who was picked up by Aston Villa whilst playing for Coleshill as a sixteen-yearold.

In more recent times the club enjoyed the 1997/98 season under Martin Socket who led the side to the top of the Premiership before leaving to join Dr Martin’s VS Rugby.