Willenhall Town

Ground Directions: From M6 Junction 10 follow signs to Wolverhampton (A454) onto 'Black Country Route'. Leave at third exit, still on the A454 to Wolverhampton. After the first major island keep in right hand lane ready for right hand filter at the traffic lights (petrol garage on RHS). Turn right into Neachells Lane. Go over railway bridge and next right into Watery Lane. Continue and at the island turn left into Noose Lane - the ground is 200 yards on the left.

One of the biggest days in Willenhall Town's history was the 1981 FA Vase Final played at Wembley in front of 12,000 fans. Then in the West Midlands (Regional) League - Premier Division, Willenhall were unlucky to lose in appalling weather conditions, after leading at half-time 2-1, in fact they were 2-0 up after 11 minutes! They eventually lost to Whickham, from the North-East, 3-2 after extra time. During that season's Vase run Willenhall Town received some fantastic support from local people, the 361 who saw their second round replay home victory against Desborough Town swelled to 2,786 for the second leg of their semi-final at home to Irlingborough Diamonds. Willenhall then took around 6,000 fans to Wembley for the final. The Lockmen took part in one of the best ever Vase finals which not only included five goals but saw Willenhall use three different goalkeepers during the game! They lost first choice keeper Steve Newton with concussion after 26 minutes and replaced him with strike legend Gary Matthews. Matthews was himself replaced after the second Whickham goal after 57 minutes to lead the forward line for the last period of the game.

Willenhall Town were formed in 1953 with the amalgamation of two local sides, Aston Road Villa and RAF Association.

They joined the Wolverhampton League Premier Division for the 1953/54 season and remained there until the end of the 1967/68 season. They achieved the rather strange honour of being runners-up in the League Cup Final six times during this period.

In 1968/69 Willenhall joined the Staffordshire County League under ex-West Bromwich Albion player Johnny Green and two years later the club gained it's first trophy winning the JW Hunt Cup beating Whitmore Old Boys in the Final.

Willenhall joined the newly-formed Staffordshire County (South) League Premier League in 1974/75 and this signalled the start of the club's longest unbeaten run. From February to October 1975, the club won 28 games drawing just once and in the process hitting 115 goals whilst conceding just 12.

This form helped Willenhall gain entry into the West Midlands (Regional) League - Division One. During this time the club moved to their current Noose Lane ground. A stand had been obtained from Hall Green Greyhound Stadium and the ground was officially opened by ex-Wolves player Stan Cullis. In their first season in the West Midlands League promotion was gained to the Premier Division.

In 1978 Barry Stobart took over from Peter Clarke as manager at Noose Lane, assisted by Sammy Plant.

The 1980/81 season must go down as probably the most exciting in the clubs history.

The start of the season saw the erection of Ł20,000 worth of floodlights with a game against Aston Villa to celebrate the official turn on of the lights. However, the highlight of the season was to be the FA Vase Final appearance at Wembley Stadium, with Willenhall being the first West Midlands League club to achieve this feat. (See above for more on the Vase Final)

The following season, 1981/82, saw an FA Cup first round proper appearance draw a record crowd of 3,454 to Noose Lane, Crewe Alexandra spoiling the day with a narrow 1-0 win. This attendance record still stands. Willenhall were rewarded with promotion to the Southern League Midland Division where they finished a creditable fifth in their first season.

In 1983/84 they won the Midland Division title scoring 100 goals in the process and promotion to the Premier Division was assured. The highest position the club gained was in 1984/85 when they finished fourth just missing out on promotion to the GM Vauxhall Conference.

The next few seasons saw Willenhall Town suffer a downward turn and for the 1991/92 campaign they returned to the West Midlands League.

In August 1994 Chris Robinson and assistant Brian Fox, a former player, led the club into a more successful period as founder members of the Midland Football Alliance. Over the next few years Willenhall won the Alliance League Cup in 1997 and also picked up the award for the league’s best programme for the 1998/99 season.

In October 2000 a fire in the social club meant the loss of the Lockmen's main source of income, resulting in the inability to pay the players. The management and players left, leaving reserve team boss Martin Thomas to pick up the pieces. Using reserve team players and local youngsters Thomas built a young enthusiastic team who played attacking football. This led to him being given the job on a permanent basis, and in a remarkable re-build the club finished 8th in the league and won the Midland Invitation Cup, beating Stratford Town 1-0 in the final.

During their ten years in the Alliance Willenhall recorded their biggest ever victory beating Bridgnorth Town 11-1 during the closing stages of the 2001/02 season.

The 2003/04 season saw the Lockmen gain promotion out of the Alliance finishing runners-up behind Rocester and the following season Willenhall spent what was to be their only season in the Unibond League – Division One. The following season Willenhall were transferred into the Southern League achieving 9^th in their first season back. Willenhall remain in the Southern League and have recently lost their manager, former Wolves star, Mel Eves. Dean Edwards has taken over as caretaker manager.