Alvechurch - The Early Years

The earliest mention of a Football Club in Alvechurch dates back to 1913 when a team called Alvechurch Juniors was recorded. By the 1920s, the team were known as Alvechurch Swifts and were playing football on Crown Meadow and using the Red Lion Inn as their headquarters.

1926 brought the General Strike followed by the depression. The club folded until late in 1929 when a team of young players, resurrected the Alvechurch Juniors name, but was disbanded following the outbreak of war.

It took a little while after the war for Alvechurch Football Club to re-establish itself. The club became the hub of village life and matches were still being played at the Meadows, but as this venue belonged to the village no admission charge could be made. So, when the opportunity arose to move to a new ground at the Guants, situated below the Church, off Snake Lane, the club took the decision to do so. But when the land was required for building houses a further move was necessary. Mr Philip Palmer sold the field adjoining his house on Redditch Road to the club for £1,000. As a result of determined fund raising, the club was able to raise this sum in five years, this providing a permanent home – Lye Meadow.

Lye Meadow - The Glory Years

The move to Lye Meadow in 1957 was the turning point in the club’s history and it began to go from strength to strength. In 1961 under the guidance of Rhys Davies they joined the Worcestershire Football (now Midland) Combination and claimed their first league title the following year. In twelve seasons they won the championship four times and were runners-up on five other occasions. They also claimed the League Challenge Cup five times and were runners-up twice in this period.

The club captured the imagination and enthusiasm of the Midlands in the mid-sixties with the team’s giant-killing runs in the FA Amateur Cup. In the 1964/65 season Alvechurch were the first side in the history of the Worcestershire FA to reach the quarter finals, before losing 3-1 at home to Enfield before an estimated crowd of 16,000. The following season they were one step from Wembley, reaching the semi-final, played at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge before losing 1-0 to Wealdstone in front of a 14,225 gate.

In their second year in the FA Cup Church reached the 1st round proper in 1971/72 after the 11 hour, 6 match marathon in the Fourth Qualifying Round against Oxford City. This tie is now recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. However, Alvechurch then went down 4-2 to Aldershot in the first round proper, in a match that was the 12th in 3 weeks for some of the team.

1973/74 was, in fact the most successful season in the club’s history. Joining the West Midlands (Regional) League, the club won the Premier Division Championship, the League Challenge Cup, the Birmingham Senior Amateur Cup and the Worcestershire Senior Cup. In the FA Cup Church reached the Third Round Proper, going down 4-2 at Bradford City after beating Exeter City at St James Park in the First Round Proper.

The club gained entry into the Southern League for the 1978/79 season and as the only true village club playing in the league finished in a creditable third position.

1980/81 saw another milestone for Alvechurch with the winning of the Midland Division and the Championship of the Southern League having beaten Southern Division Champions Dartford in the two legged final.

The 1981/82 season produced a seesaw battle to retain the League Championship but Nuneaton finished the stronger to push Alvechurch into the runners-up position. During that season Alan Smith gained international honours when representing the England Non-league team and subsequently joined Leicester City. He then joined Arsenal for £800,000 where he gained full international honours playing for England.

It was back to success in the 1982/83 season when having gaining promotion to the Southern League Premier Division, the club won the Southern League Cup following a 7-2 aggregate win against Waterlooville. The club achieved it’s highest Southern Premier league finish in 1985/86, finishing 4th.

The Decline

Following the demise of benefactor Philip Palmer and the president Alan Wiseman, the club were relegated to the Midland Division of the Southern league at the end of the 1989/90 season, and there began a gradual decline. Geoff Turton of the Rockin’ Berries pop group stepped in to keep the club alive aided by the sale of Andy Comyn to Aston Villa for a club record fee of £30,000

At the end of the 1991/92 season, the club were relegated to the WMRL Premier Division. Financial speculators gained control of the club in 1992 resulting in closure the following November 1993.

The Resurrection

In 1994 a dedicated band of supporters resurrected the club as Alvechurch Villa, rebuilding the seated stand and refurbishing the clubhouse to gain admission to the Midland Combination Premier Division, finishing in fifth position in the league.The team went onto reach the League Cup Final the following season, only to lose out to League Champions Bloxwich Town.

In 1996 the club reverted back to its original name and became simply, Alvechurch F.C.

The next few seasons were a struggle but the 2000/01 season ended with clubs first trophy since being reformed, when the Smedley Crook Cup was won.

Season 2001/02 introduced the management duo of Andy Hibbert and Neil Bryan, after a management and player exodus. The club struggled through the season, just escaping relegation finishing 20th. The board kept faith however and season 2002/03 witnessed Church’s best season in 20 years with the League and Cup double, winning the Midland Combination Premier League and Challenge Cup, a feat last completed in 1971/72. At the end of the season, Church where promoted into the Midland Football Alliance.

The MFA years

In season 2003/04 the Worcestershire Senior Urn was won for the first time and then retained the following season.

In season 2009/10 Church reached their highest league position since reforming by finishing 7th in the Midland Football Alliance. In the cup the Worcestershire Senior Urn was won for the 4th time of asking and the final of the Birmingham Senior Cup was reached, falling to a stoppage time winner against Nuneaton Town.

Season 2010/11 proved to be a tumultuous one – with three sets of managers running the first team throughout the campaign. Church’s lowest MFA finish resulted in a run of poor results leading up to the end of the season could have seen the club in relegation trouble – but just enough points had been secured in the first half of the campaign proved sufficient to maintain league status.

A new beginning - The MFL

2014/15 saw the Midland Football Alliance and Midland Combination Leagues merge into the newly formed, Midland Football League, with Alvechurch playing in the Premier Division. The club finished a disappointing 15th.

The Revival

2015/16 saw the start of the Church revival, with yet another new management team in place, with former Tividale, title winning management team of Ian Long and his assistant, Richard Colwell taking charge and bringing most of their squad with them from Tividale. The club amassed a record 101 points and 99 goals scored, finishing runners-up to phoenix club, Hereford F.C. The club also won the Worcester Senior Urn, beating Bromsgrove Sporting 3-0 in the final.

2016/17 saw the club finally win the Midland Football League Premier Division, beating Coleshill Town by six points with 92 points to gain promotion to step 4. They won the league and cup double by beating Hinckley AFC 2-1 in the Polymac Packaging League Cup Final at Walsall F.C. and completed a historic treble when they beat Wednesfield 4-1 in the final of the J.W. Hunt Cup at Molineux.

2017/18 saw the club promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One South and achieve back-to-back promotions, finishing runners up to Basford United and gaining promotion to Step 3 at the first attempt.

2018/19 with the re-organisation of Non-league at steps 3-4, the club competed in the new Southern League Premier Division Central. After finishing 4th, they beat Stourbridge 2-1 in the play-off semi-final, before losing to Kings Lynn Town 3-0 in the final. They also beat Redditch United pre-season, to claim the Worcester Senior Cup for the first time since 1977.

The Covid Years

2019/20 started under new management with Darren Byfield taking over after Ian Long took his staff and majority of the team to Stourbridge. Dean Holtham took over in November, but with only 4 league wins from 30 games, the team found themselves in deep relegation trouble, before Ian Long returned for 1 game in March. Covid-19 put a premature end to the season and saved Church from almost certain relegation.

2020/21 saw Church play only 9 league games before the season was again cut short due to the Covid pandemic.

Post Covid

2021/22 saw Longy’s team reach the final play-off spot losing 2-1 to Peterborough Sports who went on to clinch promotion. We also reached the semi-final of the Birmingham Senior Cup, losing 3-0 to Stourbridge

2022/23 witnessed Church’s best FA Cup run since they reached the 3rd round proper in 1974, beating 1st division side Cheltenham Town away 1-2 in 1st round proper, before losing to Forest Green Rovers 2-1 away in round 2 and missing out on a lucrative 3rd round home draw v Birmingham City. The club also reached the semi-final of the Birmingham Senior Cup again, losing 3-2 to Coventry City.

Season 2023/24 started with another team rebuild and after a poor start the club parted company with manager Ian Long and assistant Richard Colwell. New manager Jimmy Fry came in and despite the club struggling, managed to steer clear of relegation, finishing 16th, whilst winning the Worcester Senior Cup, beating Evesham United on penalties.

Season 2024/25 saw Jimmy Fry leave in November with ex Blackburn Rovers, England and Premier League winner, Tim Flowers taking over. The team finished in 13th in the league and lost in the Worcestershire Senior Cup Final to Worcester City 3-1.

Season 2025/26, saw Tim Flowers in charge for first 17 league games and despite a great start saw the team plummet before Kyle Storer took over in late November, with the team eventually finishing in 14th on 50 points and reaching R4 of the FA Trophy before going out to Yeovil Town on penalties.

Season 2026/27 starts with Storer in charge and we look forward once again with optimism and to continue our proud history.


1	Alvechurch	-
2	Anstey	-
3	Banbury Utd	-
4	Bishop's Stortford	-
5	BromsgroveSporting	-
6	Bury Town FC	-
7	Halesowen Town	-

Alvechurch

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