Shropshire Wanderers | The FA Cup's Unluckiest Club?

This is the story of a former football club in Shropshire by the name of Shropshire Wanderers, and although now long gone, the holders of one local football record and one unique and unwanted F.A. Cup record that will never be beaten!

It is open for debate when it comes to establishing when Shropshire Wanderers Football Club was founded with some reports suggesting 1870 whilst others state the year as 1871. Whatever the year, the forming of the club was done under the guidance of Mr J.H. Edwards. The club played their home games at The Racecourse Ground in Monkmoor, a suburb of Shropshire’s County town, Shrewsbury. Monkmoor is also known for being the family home of the famous World War One poet, Wilfred Owen, with the family living at 71 Monkmoor Road.

Early FA Cup Action

The club were only in existence for around ten years but in that short space of time they more than made their mark on the beautiful game! The club’s unique F.A. Cup record was made during the 1873/1874 competition, only the third ever time that the famous old knockout tournament was held and one which saw only 28 entrants. In the first round of that season’s competition, Shropshire Wanderers were drawn away from home against Sheffield FC, who are now known to be the world’s oldest football club. The game played at Bramall Lane on 30th October 1873 finished 0-0 and was watched by approximately 600 spectators. With the game finishing all square, it meant that a replay would be needed to separate the two teams with the date for the game at Shropshire Wanderers Racecourse Ground being set for Monday 17th November 1873 with a 3:30pm kick off.

The replay attracted a crowd of 100 spectators with the game finishing in another 0-0 stalemate. Despite the lack of goals, the report published on 21st November 1873, in the local newspaper, The Shrewsbury Chronicle, made for some very interesting reading:

“For the first quarter of an hour or so, nobody came close”

“Struggling vigorously inch by inch, however, the Shropshire men gradually drove the ball into the Sheffield half of the ground, and the goalkeeper had several times to exercise his privilege of bringing his hands to the rescue, in order to avoid defeat”

“One kick of the Wanderers; about this time of the game, drove the ball out of reach of the goalkeeper and between the posts, but, unfortunately for the credit of the Salopians, just over the tape”

The report continued to describe some of the events that unfolded during the second half:

“After the half time break, the Sheffield men came up with renewed vigour before in the final part, the goalkeeping of Ellison, together with the fine back play of Chambers, and another gentleman, frustrated all attacks of the Wanderers”

They don’t write football reports like that anymore do they!

Following the game, the players from both sides met to enjoy dinner together at the Raven Hotel in Shrewsbury which was once a very popular place for people to stay overnight in Shrewsbury, but sadly closed in December 1959 and was taken over by Woolworths.

As the evening at the Raven Hotel progressed, a quite remarkable thing happened, one which is almost certain to never happen again in the history of the beautiful game. The respective captains agreed to toss a coin to determine the outcome of the cup tie, the Sheffield captain won the toss, and it was his team that would go onto face the Clapton, London based club, Pilgrims FC in the second round of the competition. All of this meant that Shropshire Wanderers would be the first and reportedly only club in the history of the game to be eliminated from the F.A. Cup in such a manner.

Sheffield FC

Despite that amazing turn of events in the 1873/1874 F.A. Cup (which for the record was won by Oxford University), Shropshire Wanderers would go on to enter further F.A. Cup competitions, up to and including the 1877/1878 edition. The club’s greatest success was to come in the 1874/1875 season when they made it all the way to the semi-finals, the only football club from Shropshire to ever achieve this. Somewhat ironically, and following the events of the previous season, Shropshire Wanderers were drawn to play Sheffield FC again in the First Round. This time around though the Salopians progressed to the second round courtesy of a walkover.

The second round saw them drawn against Civil Service FC from London and in a tight game at the Racecourse Ground, Shropshire emerged victorious by a goal to nil. On to the third round they marched, which in effect was the Quarter-Finals as there were only eight teams remaining in the competition at this stage. In this round the Wanderers were given a home tie to be played on 23rd January 1875 against Woodford Wells FC from Essex which resulted in a 1-1 draw. The replay in Essex took place at the clubs’ Monkhams Lane ground two weeks later and saw the Wanderers returning to Shropshire with a 2-0 win. This set up a semi-final against the Old Etonians, a club later to be decorated with two FA Cup victories. Unfortunately for the Shropshire club, a 1-0 defeat would see their FA Cup dream of a first final end. 

Sadly, Shropshire Wanderers Football Club folded in c.1880 but in their short existence they certainly made lots of local and national headlines and ensured they would always be remembered in FA Cup folklore!

This article was kindly written for @TFHBs by Gareth's Football Writing - you can follow him on Twitter @Gareth19801 and read more of his work here - garethsfootballtravels.wordpress.com 

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