Birtley_F.C.

Birtley Town F.C.

Birtley Town F.C.

Association football club in England

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.

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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

References

  1. [1]
    Birtley at the Football Club History Database
  2. [2]
    Northern Alliance 1890–1915 Non-League Matters
  3. [3]
    Northern Alliance 1919–1960 Non-League Matters
  4. [4]
    North Eastern League 1906–1933 Non-League Matters
  5. [5]
    North Eastern League 1933–1964 Non-League Matters
  6. [6]
    Wearside League 1919–1960 Non-League Matters
  7. [7]
    Birtley Town at the Football Club History Database
  8. [8]
    The History of the Wearside League: 1990s Wearside League
  9. [9]
    The History of the Wearside League: 2000s Wearside League
  10. [10]
    Roll of Honour Northern Alliance
  11. [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
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