Stourbridge F.C.

History

Stourbridge Football Club, known as the Glassboys because of the town's history with cut glass, was founded in 1876 as Stourbridge Standard. By the late 1880s, the club had adopted its current name and was playing in the Birmingham and District League. While they never won that league title, they did lift the Worcestershire Senior Cup three times. The 1923–24 season stood out as a high point, with the club winning both the Birmingham League championship and another Worcestershire Senior Cup.

The period after World War II brought the Glassboys their best non-league success. They won the Birmingham Combination Championship in 1952, along with the Birmingham, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire Senior Cups. When the Birmingham Combination disbanded in 1954, the club returned to the Birmingham League and finished as runners-up in 1955–56. A second Birmingham Senior Cup win came in 1958–59, and the 1967–68 season saw them complete a double by winning both the Worcestershire and Birmingham Senior Cups.

In 1971, Stourbridge joined the expanding Southern League. Under manager Alan Grundy, they found immediate success in 1973–74, winning the Division 1 (North) title and the Merit Cup for the league's top scorers. Forwards Ray Haywood and Chic Bates each scored 50 goals that season before moving to Shrewsbury Town, where Bates later spent 13 years as a player and manager. That same season, the team enjoyed a memorable Welsh Cup run, beating Swansea City and Wrexham away before losing a two-legged final to Cardiff City.

A record crowd of 5,726 watched the home leg, which ended 1–0, and the Glassboys also lost 1–0 at Ninian Park. Stourbridge spent ten seasons in the Southern League Premier Division between 1974 and 1984, regularly finishing in the top six. Under manager Tony Freely, they won the Worcestershire Senior Cup for the 9th time in 1981, beating Kidderminster Harriers 2–1 on aggregate with a winning goal from Stourbridge-born Brendan Drummond in the second leg.

The club also became one of the first English semi-professional sides to tour the South East of the US in the early Eighties. After a relegation in 1987–88, the club was re-elected to the league and went on to win the Midland Division championship in 1991, though promotion was refused due to ground-sharing with the local cricket club. A new chairman arrived in October 1997, and under manager Steve Daniels the Glassboys spent much of the 1998–99 season in the top three and reached the FA Cup 4th qualifying round for the first time in 15 years.

However, budget cutbacks led to player departures, and in 2000 a new owner appointed Mark Serrell as chairman and Mark Harrison as manager. Despite new signings, poor results ended Stourbridge's 29-year spell in the Southern League with a defeat at Hinckley United in May 2000. Re-grouping in the Midland Alliance, the club finished fifth in its first season and won the League Cup by beating Bridgnorth Town on penalties after a 1–1 draw. The 2001–02 season began with a 2–1 victory over Stourport Swifts for the Joe McGorian Cup, but in November 2001 the club parted company with Mark Harrison, appointing former Bilston Town boss Joe Jackson.

On the final Saturday of the season, a last-gasp stoppage time goal by Brian Gray earned the point needed at Stafford Town to pip Bromsgrove Rovers to the title. Despite chairman Serrell leaving in January, Jackson led the club to another Midland Football Alliance championship in 2002–03, though promotion was again refused due to ground grading regulations. Jackson declined a third title push in 2003–04, and local duo Jon Ford and Gary Hackett took over.

Hackett took sole charge in May 2005, and after a mixed start, a run of 14 league games unbeaten secured a runners-up spot and promotion back to the Southern League. Victories over Burton Albion and Moor Green also took the team to the Birmingham Senior Cup Final for the first time in 30 years, though they lost 1–0 to Willenhall Town. Back in the Southern League Midlands Division in 2006–07, Stourbridge finished seventh and reached the Worcestershire Senior Cup final, losing 2–1 after extra time to Evesham United.

The 2007–08 season saw a third-place finish and a play-off campaign. A narrow 1–0 win over Sutton Coldfield Town set up a final at second-placed Leamington, where a goal from Leon Broadhurst four minutes from the end of extra time sealed a 2–1 victory, earning promotion to the Southern League Premier Division after a 24-year gap. After a difficult start in the Premier Division, Stourbridge finished 16th to secure another season. They also reached the Birmingham Senior Cup final, beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–3 after extra time at home and winning a penalty shootout at Tamworth, before losing 2–0 to Hednesford Town at Burton Albion's Pirelli Stadium.

In the 2009–10 season, the club reached the FA Cup first round for the first time in 133 years, drawing Walsall at home and losing 1–0 in front of 2,014 fans, the biggest gate at Amblecote for 35 years. In 2010–11, Hackett guided the club to eighth in the league and a Worcestershire Senior Cup win, beating Worcester City 2–0 at Aggborough Stadium. The 2011–12 season saw another FA Cup first-round appearance, drawing 3–3 away at League Two side Plymouth Argyle.

The replay at the War Memorial Ground was chosen for live coverage by ESPN, netting the club over £33,000. Two temporary stands were erected, and a highest crowd for 37 years of 2,519 attended to see Stourbridge win 2–0.