Shrewsbury

The first club in the town was the Shrewsbury Football Club, founded in 1868, which in the 1877–78 football season won both the Birmingham Senior Cup and Shropshire Senior Cup, and was captained by John Hawley Edwards. It disbanded in around 1880.

The present Shrewsbury Town were formed in 1886, following the demise of first Shropshire Wanderers and later indirectly Castle Blues. Press reports differ as to the exact date the new club was formed, The Eddowes Shropshire Journal of 26 May 1886 reported the birth of the club at The Lion Hotel, Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury. The Shrewsbury Chronicle reported the club being formed at the Turf Hotel, Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury. It may be both accounts are true, with a get-together at The Lion being finalised at the Turf.

After friendlies and regional cup competitions for the first few seasons, Shrewsbury were founder members of the Shropshire & District League in 1890–91, later admitted to the Birmingham & District League in 1895–96. Many of the teams Town faced in the early days have vanished, however Shrewsbury met many of today's Football League and Conference teams, including Crewe Alexandra, Coventry City, Stoke City, Kidderminster Harriers and Stafford Rangers.

In 1910, Shrewsbury looked to move to a new ground, having spent early years at locations across the town, notably near Copthorne Barracks west of the town. The club moved to Gay Meadow on the edge of the town centre, within sight of Shrewsbury Abbey, and stayed 97 years.

Shrewsbury's Birmingham League days were mostly mid-table, with a few seasons challenging near the top, the club being league champions in 1922–23.

A move to the Midland League in 1937–38 saw the club enjoy one of its most successful seasons, winning a league and cup treble. Shrewsbury were league champions, scoring 111 goals . In addition, the Welsh Cup was won following a replay, the team enjoyed a run in the FA Cup, and won the Shropshire Senior Cup.

After a run of good seasons in post-war years, Shrewsbury were admitted, alongside Scunthorpe United to the old Division 3 (North) of the Football League in 1950, after being Midland League champions in 1949–50, following the decision to expand from 88 to 92 clubs.

Elevation to the football league in 1950 saw the club play one season in the Northern section of the third division, followed by a further seven in the Southern section, this before they became founder members of the newly formed fourth division in 1958–59, gaining immediate promotion as runners-up to Mansfield Town at the first attempt. Shrewsbury gained their first promotion, to the Third Division, in 1958–59. They remained in the third tier 15 years, slipping back to Division Four at the end of 1973–74.

1960–61 season saw Shrewsbury Town reach the Semi Final of the League Cup. After beating Everton in the quarter-finals, they narrowly lost over two legs 4–3 on aggregate to Rotherham United. This era was also remembered for Arthur Rowley. He arrived from Leicester City in 1958, the club's first player/manager. During his playing and managerial career, he broke Dixie Dean's goal-scoring record, scoring his 380th league goal against Bradford City at Valley Parade on 29 April 1961. Retiring from playing in 1965 he remained manager until July 1968.

Shrewsbury were promoted to the Third Division in 1974–75 as runners-up, before another successful season in 1978–79, when they were league champions under Ritchie Barker and later Graham Turner. Over 14,000 fans packed Gay Meadow on 17 May 1979 to see Shrewsbury seal promotion with a 4–1 win over Exeter City. In addition, the club beat First Division Manchester City 2–0 in an FA Cup run that saw them reach the quarter-finals for the first time, before they lost in a replay to Wolverhampton Wanderers. Turner is the team's most successful manager, winning the Third Division Championship in 1978–79 – his first season in charge – to take the club into the Second Division for the first time. They remained in the division for ten years, although Turner departed for Aston Villa in 1984. Shrewsbury again reached the FA Cup quarter-finals in 1981–82, defeating the UEFA Cup holders Ipswich Town in the fifth round before losing 5–2 away to Leicester City.

The 1980s saw many big teams defeated by Shrewsbury, including Fulham, Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United and Chelsea. Shrewsbury beat Middlesbrough 2–1 at Gay Meadow at the end of the 1985–86 season to relegate their opponents, who went out of business and almost out of existence. The match was marred by violence from Middlesbrough fans, with many of them later having to return to Shrewsbury for court appearances.

In the early to mid-1980s the club enjoyed its most successful Football League run. Shrewsbury survived through the sale of players, including Steve Ogrizovic, David Moyes, John McGinlay and Bernard McNally. They were relegated at the end of 1988–89 after ten years. In the Third Division, on 22 December 1990, Gary Shaw scored the quickest Town hat trick – 4 minutes and 32 seconds – against Bradford City at Valley Parade. At the end of 1991–92, three years after relegation to the Third Division, the club was relegated to the Fourth – the first time since 1975. However, two seasons later Shrewsbury won the new (fourth tier) Division Three championship under Fred Davies in 1993–94, and remained in Division Two (third tier) for three seasons.

The 1990s saw Shrewsbury make their first appearance at Wembley as finalists in the 1995–96 Football League Trophy final. They lost 2–1 to Rotherham United, with future Shrewsbury striker Nigel Jemson scoring both Rotherham goals. Shrewsbury remained a mid-table team before slipping down to the bottom division again at the end of 1996–97. Davies was sacked in May 1997 to make way for the former club captain Jake King to return to the club where he began his career, following a successful reign at local rivals Telford United.

In 1999–2000, Shrewsbury endured a poor season, and in mid-November 1999 King was sacked as the club neared relegation. The former Everton captain and Welsh international Kevin Ratcliffe joined from Chester City as manager and saved Shrewsbury from relegation on the final day of the season with a 2–1 victory away to Exeter City. The season was known as the 'Great Escape'. Subsequently Town made steady progress with Luke Rodgers emerging as a regular goalscorer, and they narrowly missed the 2001–02 league play-offs after a final-day defeat to Luton Town.

The 2002–03 season saw Shrewsbury enjoy an FA Cup run. After dispatching non-league sides Stafford Rangers and Barrow, they hit the headlines when Nigel Jemson struck twice to beat Everton 2–1 at Gay Meadow in the third round in front of 7,800 spectators. Watched by a near-capacity crowd of 7,950, Town lost 4–0 in the fourth round to Chelsea in a match televised on BBC's Match of the Day, with Gianfranco Zola scoring twice. The side's form then disappeared, and they picked up just two further wins as they were relegated from the Football League after 53 years. Following angry demonstrations from fans, Ratcliffe resigned, and Mark Atkins took temporary charge for the club's final League game, a 2–1 defeat to Scunthorpe United, who coincidentally had been Shrewsbury's first League opponents in 1950.

The Northwich Victoria manager Jimmy Quinn was appointed Shrewsbury's manager in May 2003. With most of the previous year's players released, Quinn assembled a whole new squad, with experienced non-league players such as Darren Tinson and Jake Sedgemore joined by Colin Cramb, Scott Howie and former League Cup finalist Martin O'Connor. The league title went to Chester City, but with 74 points, Shrewsbury finished third and defeated Barnet on penalties in the play-off semi-finals to set up a final against Aldershot Town, at Stoke City's Britannia Stadium. After a 1–1 draw, Shrewsbury's goalkeeper Scott Howie saved three consecutive Aldershot penalties in another penalty shoot-out, and the defender Trevor Challis scored the winning kick.

Quinn departed 14 league games into the 2004–05 season, and was replaced by the former Preston North End manager Gary Peters, who preserved Shrewsbury's Football League status in League Two. Meanwhile, the club had unearthed two talented local players in Joe Hart and David Edwards, who both went on to become experienced internationals.

Despite the departure of their goalkeeper Hart to Manchester City, Shrewsbury went on a 14-match unbeaten run in the 2006–07 season. Following a 2–2 draw against Grimsby Town in the final League match to be held at Gay Meadow, they finished in seventh place to qualify for the play-offs, where they defeated Milton Keynes Dons in the semi-finals. The team lost to Bristol Rovers in the final on 26 May 2007 at the new Wembley Stadium in front of a record crowd for any fourth-tier game of 61,589.

The club chairman Roland Wycherley had cut the first sod of soil at Shrewsbury's New Meadow ground in the summer of 2006 and club moved permanently for the 2007–08 season. Peters left the club on 3 March 2008 by mutual consent, and his replacement, Paul Simpson, led the club to an 18th-place finish in the league. After the season, the kit manufacturer Prostar earned the naming rights of the stadium.

The 2008–09 season saw Shrewsbury reach the play-offs again, after they beat Dagenham and Redbridge on the final day of the season. They beat Bury 4–3 on penalties in the semi-finals, with Luke Daniels making two saves to send Shrewsbury through, but lost 1–0 to Gillingham in the play-off final, with a goal in the 90th minute by Gillingham's Simeon Jackson. On 30 April 2010, after a disappointing 2009–10 season, Simpson was dismissed with two games remaining.

Graham Turner returned to Shrewsbury Town as manager in June 2010. The club finished the 2010–11 season in fourth place, missing automatic promotion by one point. They lost 2–0 on aggregate in the play-off semi-final to Torquay United. In the 2011–12 season they finished second on 88 points, and beat Dagenham & Redbridge 1–0 with a James Collins header in the penultimate game of the season to achieve promotion to League One after a 15-year absence. Shrewsbury also enjoyed a notable run in the League Cup, beating Derby County at Pride Park and Premier League Swansea City, before losing 3–1 to Arsenal after James Collins headed them in front at the Emirates Stadium.

Shrewsbury exceeded expectations in the 2012–13 season and sealed League One safety with two games to spare by beating Oldham Athletic 1–0, finishing 16th. The first half of the following season was disappointing, and Turner quit in January and relegation was confirmed after a 4–2 home defeat against Peterborough United.

In May 2014 the ex-Fleetwood Town boss Micky Mellon was appointed manager. Town were promoted back to League One on 25 April 2015 with a 1–0 victory away to Cheltenham Town via Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro's goal. Mellon left for Tranmere Rovers in October 2016, and was replaced by the Grimsby Town manager Paul Hurst, with Shrewsbury bottom. In 2017–18, Hurst led Shrewsbury to the EFL Trophy Final, which they lost to Lincoln City. He also led the team to the League One play-offs, but they lost to Rotherham United after extra time. Hurst left to join Ipswich Town on 30 May 2018. He was replaced by former Macclesfield boss John Askey, who was sacked in November 2018 having won just five of their opening 21 games. His successor, Sam Ricketts was appointed manager in December.

A highlight of the 2019–20 season was a fourth round FA Cup tie against the European champions Liverpool, which Shrewsbury drew 2–2. Town narrowly lost the replay 1–0 at Anfield in front of an attendance of 52,399. However, following disruption to the season in March 2020 due to COVID-19, final League One standings were decided on a points per game basis with Shrewsbury finishing in 15th place. In November 2020, Ricketts was sacked with Shrewsbury in 23rd place and was replaced by Steve Cotterill. He helped Shrewsbury to a five-year high of 12th place in 2023, then stepped down in June 2023 and was replaced by Matt Taylor, who lasted less than seven months as manager. On 24 January 2024, the club confirmed the reappointment of Paul Hurst as head coach.