Shropshire Wanderers F.C.


Shropshire Wanderers F.C. was an amateur association football club based in Shrewsbury, England. The club was active during the 1870s and once reached the FA Cup semi-finals.

History

The club was founded out of the Shropshire Wanderers cricket club. It entered the FA Cup competition in each of the years from 1873–74 to 1877–78.
Its greatest success came in 1874–75, when it reached the semi-finals. In the second round the club conceded a late equalizer to the Civil Service F.C. at the Kennington Oval, but the Service scratched from the replay, being unable to travel to Shrewsbury. The only match the club won in the tournament - and the only one the club would ever win in the Cup - was a replay win against Woodford Wells. The initial tie ended 1–1, even after the sides played an optional 15 minutes of extra-time. The replay, at the same venue, was an easier match for the Salopians, a goal from Randall and an own goal from Frazer putting the club into the last four.
The club played the Old Etonians at the Kennington Oval in the semi-final; unfortunately the Countrymen were without their star half-back John Denning, and lost 1–0. This was the club's only defeat in its first five years of existence.
The club also has a unique place in FA Cup history, as the only team to be eliminated from the competition by coin toss, after two draws with Sheffield F.C. in 1873–84; the fateful coin toss took place at the Raven Hotel in Shrewsbury, where the two clubs had retired to dine together after their replay.
The Shropshire Wanderers were notable as a team that employed passing as early as 1875, although it was also "notorious" for a hard-charging approach. The club shared a number of players with the Shrewsbury football club, which focussed on more local competition.
The club had ceased activity after the 1877–78 season, but reformed for a handful of matches at the start of the 1880s. The last recorded match of the club was a 5–3 defeat to Druids F.C. in March 1882. A match was scheduled against a club named Shrewsbury Town the following week but seems not to have taken place; this was not the current club.

Colours

The club's colours were white jerseys, blue serge knickerbockers, and maroon stockings.

Ground

The club played at the Racecourse, using the Raven or the Lion hotels for facilities.

Notable players

FA Cup history