Shelley C.F.C.

Shelley Community
Full nameShelley Community Football Club
Founded1903
GroundStafflex Arena, Storthes Hall
ChairmanCraig Leslie
ManagerMatthew Wright
LeagueNorthern Counties East League Division One
2023–24North West Counties League Division One North, 17th of 18 (transferred)

Shelley Community Football Club is a football club based in Shelley near Huddersfield, England but play in Kirkburton.[1] They are currently members of the Northern Counties East League having been moved from the North West Counties Football League in 2024 and play at The Stafflex Arena at Storthes Hall Park. The club is a FA Charter Standard Club affiliated to the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Football Association.[2]

History

The club was founded in 1903.[3] The club started their first season in the Huddersfield and District League.[4] The second season in the Huddersfield & District league, saw the club pick up their first silverware when they finished as champions of Division 2 Section A, however they lost the play off for promotion to Section B winners Meltham.[5] The club would then have to wait over twenty years for anymore success in the league, when they won the Division Two title in 1928–29.[6] Another long wait was required for more silverware, when 31 years later they clinched the Division Three title, something they would repeat again in the 1986–87 season.[6] Before their last title win in the Huddersfield and District league the club had folded in 1972, only returning to life for the 1980–81 season.[7]

Up until the end of 2010–11 season the club had stayed in the Huddersfield and District league, but the following season the club joined Division Two of the West Yorkshire League, going on to win the division at their first attempt and gaining promotion to Division one.[8] The following season the club gained promotion to the Premier division when they finished as runners up.[3] The club would then spend the next few seasons in the Premier division of the West Yorkshire league, until the end of the 2017–18 season, when they then joined Division one North of the North West Counties League.[9] Their first season in the North West Counties league, saw the club also make their debut in the FA Vase, making it to the second qualifying round, before being knocked out by Cammell Laird 1907.[8]

In 2020 Shelley resigned from the North West Counties League, with their reserve team, then in Division One of the West Yorkshire Association Football League becoming the new first team. They finished second in WYL Division One in 2021–22, earning promotion to the Premier Division. The following season they finished in 5th place but were elevated back to the North West Counties League, after one season back in the NWCL and after finishing second bottom Shelley were transferred laterally to Division 1 of the NCEL for the 2024–25 season.

Season-by-season record

Ground

Stafflex Arena

Since 2011 the club has played its home games at Stafflex Arena, which is Shared with Huddersfield Town W.F.C.[10] within the Storthes Hall Park[7] which sits in the grounds of the old Storthes Hall Hospital. The club's original ground was Back Lane in Shelley, moving to Westerley Lane in the 1950s and then Skelmanthorpe Rec in 2000.[6]

Honours

References

  1. ^ "Contact – Shelley Community Football Club". www.shelleyfc.co.uk.
  2. ^ Shelley : Details: Shelley : Details, access-date: 29 February 2020
  3. ^ a b Storthes Hall Park: The Wycombe Wanderer: Shelley – Storthes Hall Park, access-date: 29 February 2020
  4. ^ Examiner Live: Shelley football club reveals Storthes Hall expansion plan – Examiner Live, access-date: 29 February 2020
  5. ^ Championship Play-Off Final 1904/5: Championship Play-Off Final 1904/5, access-date: 29 February 2020
  6. ^ a b c d The story...: The story..., access-date: 29 February 2020
  7. ^ a b Welcome to Shelley FC: NWCFL | Welcome to Shelley FC, access-date: 29 February 2020
  8. ^ a b c d SHELLEY at the Football Club History Database
  9. ^ Stafflex: Shelley FC improve Stafflex Arena facilities for move to North West Counties League – Stafflex, access-date: 29 February 2020
  10. ^ "Stafflex Arena".

53°36′22″N 1°43′23″W / 53.606192°N 1.723151°W / 53.606192; -1.723151