Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury (ⁱ/ˈʃroʊzbri/ or ⁱ/ˈʃruːzbri/) is the county town of Shropshire, England. It is on the River Severn and has a population of approximately 72,000.

Shrewsbury is a market town whose centre has a largely unaltered medieval street plan and over 660 listed buildings, including several examples of timber framing from the 15th and 16th centuries. Shrewsbury Castle, a red sandstone fortification, and Shrewsbury Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery, were founded in 1074 and 1083 respectively by the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery. The town has historically been a centre for the wool trade and brewing. Horticulture remains popular, and the Shrewsbury Flower Show is one of the largest horticultural events in England.

9 miles (14 km) east of the Welsh border, Shrewsbury serves as the commercial centre for Shropshire and mid-Wales, with a retail output of over £299 million per year and light industry and distribution centres, such as Battlefield Enterprise Park, on the outskirts. The A5 and A49 trunk roads cross near to the town, and five railway lines meet at Shrewsbury railway station.

Shrewsbury Town F.C.

Shrewsbury Town Football Club is a football club in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, which plays in League One, the third tier of the English football league system.

The club was formed in 1886 and was elected to The Football League in 1950, where it has played in all of its bottom three divisions, apart from spending the 2003–04 season in the Conference Premier. It has also competed in the Welsh Cup, winning it six times, a record for an English team.

From 1910 onwards, the club was based at Gay Meadow on the banks of the River Severn; since 2007, they have played at the New Meadow, a UEFA Category four stadium with a capacity of 9,875.

History

Early history

Shrewsbury Town were formed at a meeting on 20 May 1886 at the Turf Hotel in Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury. This was following the demise of first Shropshire Wanderers and later indirectly after Castle Blues. The Blues were a rough team, leading to their demise after several games were marred by violence. The new team hoped to be as successful but without the notoriety. Press reports differ as to the 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's 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.

Bristol Rovers F.C.

Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club, based in Bristol, that competes in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The team plays its home matches at Memorial Stadium, in Horfield, a suburb of Bristol, and is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.

The club was founded in 1883 as Black Arabs F.C., and were also known as Eastville Rovers and Bristol Eastville Rovers before finally changing its name to Bristol Rovers in 1899. The club's official nickname is The Pirates, reflecting the maritime history of Bristol. The local nickname of the club is The Gas, from the gasworks next to their former home Eastville Stadium, which started as a derogatory term used by fans of their main rival Bristol City but was affectionately adopted by the team. According to a survey conducted in December 2003, Cardiff City and Swindon Town are considered their second and third biggest rivals.

Rovers were admitted to the Football League in 1920 and have played there ever since, apart from spending the 2014–15 season in the Conference Premier. They previously came close to losing their league status in 1939, when they were re-elected after finishing bottom of Division Three (South), and in 2002 when the team finished one league position away from relegation to the Football Conference. Their highest finishing positions were in 1956 and 1959, on both occasions ending the season in 6th place in Division Two, then the second tier of English football. Rovers were Football League Trophy finalists in 1990 and 2007.

Aston Villa F.C.

Aston Villa Football Club (/ˈæstən ˈvɪlə/; also known as Villa, The Villa, The Villans, The Lions) is a professional football club based in Witton, Birmingham, that plays in the Premier League, the highest level of English football. Founded in 1874, they have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were the originators and founder members of the Football League in 1888. They were also founding members of the Premier League in 1992, and have remained there ever since. The club were floated by the previous owner and chairman Doug Ellis, but in 2006 full control was acquired by American businessman Randy Lerner.

Aston Villa are one of the oldest and the most successful football clubs in the history of English football. Villa won the 1981–82 European Cup, and are thus one of five English clubs to win what is now the UEFA Champions League. They have the fifth highest total of major honours won by an English club, having won the First Division Championship seven times, the FA Cup seven times, the Football League Cup five times and the UEFA Super Cup in 1982. The club have also produced a record 73 England national team players, equalled only by Tottenham Hotspur.