Birtley Town
Full nameBirtley Town Football Club
Nickname(s)The Hoops
GroundBirtley Sports Complex, Birtley
ChairmanPaul Beat
ManagerPaul Foster and Paul Bryson
LeagueNorthern League Division One
2022–23Northern League Division Two, 5th of 21 (promoted via play-offs)

Birtley Town Football Club is a football club based in Birtley, Tyne and Wear, England. They are currently members of the Northern League Division One and play at the Birtley Sports Complex.

History

The original Birtley Football Club were founder members of the Northern League in 1889. However, they left after finishing second-from-bottom of the league in its inaugural season.[1] The club then joined the Northern Alliance, again leaving after a single season.[2] They rejoined the alliance in 1895 and finished bottom of the league in 1897–98, before leaving again in 1900. The club returned for a third spell in the league in 1909, and were runners-up in 1913–14.[2] After World War I, they were champions in 1923–24,[3]

In 1926 the Northern Alliance merged into the North Eastern League, with Birtley becoming members of Division Two.[4] They remained in the North Eastern League until transferring to the Wearside League in 1935.[5] Following World War II the club was renamed Birtley Town, and went on to win the Wearside League in 1945–46.[6] However, after finishing bottom of the league in 1949–50, 1950–51 and 1951–52, the club dropped out of the league.[6]

A new Birtley Town was established in the early 1990s and joined Division Two of the Wearside League in 1992.[7] They were Division Two champions in 1994–95, earning promotion to Division One.[7] In 1997–98 the club won the League Cup,[8] and in 2001–02 they won both the League Cup and the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup.[9] The following season saw the club win the Wearside League title.[7] After finishing as runners-up in 2003–04 and 2004–05 and winning the League Cup for a third time in 2005–06, they were champions again in 2006–07, resulting in promotion to Division Two of the Northern League.[7]

In 2009–10 Birtley finished bottom of Division Two, but were not relegated. However, in 2015–16 the club finished second-from-bottom of the division and were relegated to the Premier Division of the Northern Alliance. They were Premier Division runners-up and League Cup winners in 2017–18,[10] and were promoted back to Division Two of the Northern League.[7] The 2022–23 season saw the club finish fifth in Division One, qualifying for the promotion play-offs. After defeating Horden Community Welfare 5–4 on penalties (after a 2–2 draw) in the semi-finals, they won the final against Billingham Town on penalties after another 2–2 draw, earning promotion to Division One.[11]

Honours

  • Wearside League
    • Champions 2002–03, 2006–07
    • Division Two champions 1994–95
    • League Cup winners 1997–98, 2001–02, 2005–06
  • Northern Alliance
    • League Cup winners 2017–18
  • Monkwearmouth Cup
    • Winners 2001–02

Records

See also

  • Birtley Town F.C. players

References

  1. ↑ Birtley at the Football Club History Database
  2. 1 2 Northern Alliance 1890–1915 Non-League Matters
  3. ↑ Northern Alliance 1919–1960 Non-League Matters
  4. ↑ North Eastern League 1906–1933 Non-League Matters
  5. ↑ North Eastern League 1933–1964 Non-League Matters
  6. 1 2 Wearside League 1919–1960 Non-League Matters
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Birtley Town at the Football Club History Database
  8. ↑ The History of the Wearside League: 1990s Wearside League
  9. ↑ The History of the Wearside League: 2000s Wearside League
  10. ↑ Roll of Honour Northern Alliance
  11. ↑ "Birtley promoted after penalty shoot-out". Northern League. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2023.

54°53′16.3″N 1°34′50.6″W / 54.887861°N 1.580722°W / 54.887861; -1.580722

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