FA VASE PREVIEW: HANLEY TOWN v COVENTRY UNITED...

PREVIEW:

Hanley Town FC v Coventry United…

FA Vase, 1st Qualifying Round.

Step 6 Hanley currently sit 8th in the North West Counties League, with nine points from four games, having won three matches and lost one.

Town lost at home to Stockport Town, 2-3 but beat Widnes 4-3 on their own patch and they were also successful on the road at Barnton, 1-0 and Eccleshall, 2-1. Hanley beat Shawbury United in the FA Cup, 4-2 but sadly lost in the next round at Tividale last Saturday, 1-0.

Their home ground is at Abbey Lane, postcode: ST2 8AJ…

Coventry are involved in their inaugural season at Step 6, but are having to play their home games by renting Coventry Sphinx’s ground, after leaving The Cage at the Alan Higgs Leisure Centre, which lacks floodlights and the necessary requirements for the higher level. They hadn’t played a single pre-season ‘home’ game at Sphinx Drive but now find themselves top of the Midland League Division One with eight wins from eight matches.

The Cagemen won away at Littleton (2-0), at title favourites Hinckley (4-0), at Bolehall Swifts (5-1) and at Leicester Road (2-1) but the home wins have been against Lichfield City (2-1), Pilkington XXX (3-0), Atherstone Town (6-1) and Pershore Town (1-0).

This tie will be Coventry’s historic first adventure in the FA Vase…

HANLEY TOWN...

Hanley’s history began in Victorian England, possibly in 1882, when they were beaten 5-0 by Leek in the North Staffs Charity Cup. Hanley also lost 3-1 to Port Vale, before Vale turned pro’, in a semi-final of the same tournament, before 2,000 spectators in those early times. Town also beat Smallthorne in the Staffs Junior Cup by 4-3 but it is possible that the club folded around 1912. 

In the late 1940s Hanley were up and running again and in 1950-51 lost a May Bank Cup semi-final to Low Hamil (now Leek Town), in front of a crowd of around 1,000 at The Old Recreation Ground in Hanley.

The present Hanley Town has its origins in 1966, when the team was based at The Trumpet pub, now McDonald’s (why am I not surprised?) The club won six trophies in 1967-68, whilst playing in the North Staffs Division 2, on a rented pitch in Victoria Road belonging to the engineering firm, Copestick and Farrell. Changing facilities were built there, making it one of the first grounds in the area to boast such amenities.

After winning Division 1 in 1968-9, also three Cup competitions, the team was unfortunately beaten by Pelsall Villa in the Staffs Junior Cup Final during that season. Hanley’s venue was lost in 1971 to developers and subsequently the club shared a ground with Eastwood Hanley, who played in the West Midlands League. Hanley won the Premier Division in 1972-3 but the rent at Eastwood Hanley became too expensive in 1974-5 and the club moved on again, to share with Leek Town this time. The team beat Roebuck to win the Staffs FA Challenge Cup in 1972-73.

In 1976-77, the club finally moved to Abbey Lane and developed it, taking part in the Mid-Cheshire League Division 2, finishing 4th and winning the Division 2 Cup, 1-0 v Knutsford. Despite a disappointing 1980-81, Chasetown were conquered over two legs (0-0 away and 2-1 at home in front of 1,000 spectators) to clinch the new Staffs FA Vase and the League Cup was secured with a 2-1 victory over Linotype. 

Losing only twice in 1981-2, they were crowned Mid-Cheshire League Champions, with only two defeats but they were unable to retain the Vase, losing over two legs to Eastwood Hanley, 2-0. 1986-87 and 1987-88 saw League Cup success v Kidsgrove, by 3-1 and also victories in the Leek Cup, the Newcastle Charity Cup and the players were the first winners of the Congleton Floodlit Cup. 

The ground wasn’t considered good enough for the club to join the North West Counties League in 1988, however and the first team ended up representing Nantwich in that league instead. Ex-Stoke City, Port Vale and Crewe player Terry Lees took the reins for a rebuilding period but there was a decline leading to Hanley nearly folding in 1995. 

A new Manager, Neville Chamberlain (the ex-Port Vale player, not the ex-Prime Minister…), who would become Chairman too, took the club from the Mid-Cheshire League to the Midland League, actually the Staffs County Senior League. Under the management of Darren Stair and Dave Price, they were beaten by Norton/Adderley Green in the League Cup Final but in 2004-5 they won the league, also the Midland League Cup, beating Hanford 2-0, plus the Staffs FA Vase, 1-0 v Audley. They retained the league title the following season but lost the Leek Cup Final to Ball Haye Green.

Recent history has seen Hanley win the 2011-12 Staffs County Senior Premier League title under manager Colin Stair. They retained the title the following season and clinched the League Cup 2-1 v Wolstanton and the Staffs Vase 3-1 over the same opposition plus the Leek Cup, beating Audley 4-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw. During that season, sadly, Manager Colin Stair died four games from the end of the campaign.

Finishing 4th in the North West Counties League in 2013-14, Hanley lost the North West Counties Trophy on penalties to Formby. Last season , the club finished 4th in the league but after beating Holker Old Boys 3-1 in a play-off Semi-Final, they were denied promotion by AFC Darwen, who won the Final by 5-3.

Dean Owen will look to bring success to this 2015-16 season and I would like to thank him for his blessing in writing this preview, also giving me permission to use information and images from the club’s website @ www.pitchero.com/clubs/hanleytown/

Good Luck to the club from The Mowdog…

COVENTRY UNITED...

Coventry United: as told by Secretary Graham Wood…

Towards the end of the 2013 playing season, I was Chairman, Secretary and treasurer of Coventry Spartans, with the support of Edwin Greaves and we had two teams running and playing from Westwood Heath. The first team was in the Midland Combination and the reserves were in the Coventry Alliance.

As with all football Clubs, we struggled to get by financially, but we refused to increase the players subs, as our philosophy was football for all, and making it affordable for everyone. Edwin and I took pride and still do, in our modest achievements, albeit we were existing (just) rather than striving and excelling. As with all clubs you dream of financial backing, that extra support behind the scenes and someone else to come in and with a vision to push the club forward.

The Cage...

Mine and Edwin’s dreams came true when I received an email in 2013, from a businessman by the name of Peter Schofield with the subject being ‘Interest in Coventry Spartans’. At the time Coventry Spartans were near the bottom of the table and as Peter rightly pointed out in his email: "Looking at your league table it does not read well but that is not of a concern to me". Of course Edwin and I were sceptical but after a few meetings we realised that Peter and three other businessmen were serious and they had plans and a vision, also a passion for football.

Scary...

We agreed to join forces and re-name Coventry Spartans and use ‘Coventry United’. From then until now, myself and Edwin are enjoying the ride and witnessing how officials Jason, Marcus, Peter and Jason have grown this club way beyond all of our wildest dreams. I am sure when we first sat down, even they did not expect the club to grow as much as it has. I have massive admiration for their passion and desire to keep this club evolving and succeeding.

(Of course Coventry were promoted from the Midland League 2 two seasons back, finishing 2nd to Kenilworth but last term won Division 2 and also the President’s Cup, 4-2 after extra-time, v Knowle FC…)

The Cagemen wear the Coventry civic colours of red & green...

League Winners...

President's Cup Winners...
(Spot the Olympic Gold Medallist???)