Club History

Club History


Pershore Town Football Club was formed on the back of three local clubs; Pershore United, Pershore Rec. Rovers and a junior club, Pershore Bullets, getting together to form a club that could play in a better standard of football and to improve the facilities at King George IV Playing Fields.

The new club, Pershore Town 88 FC, joined the Midland Football Combination in 1989, initially in Division Two, where they were champions at the first attempt with just four league defeats all season to their record - finishing eleven points clear under the guidance of the clubs first manager, John Judge.

The following season, in Midland Combination Division One, Pershore Town would finish third with seventeen wins from twenty eight games. The club was promoted by the League Management Committee to the Premier Division for the 1991/92 season.

Ahead of the 1991/92 season, John Judge stood down from the managerial role and Colin Shephard was appointed First Team Manager.

Off the field, the clubs commitment to improving facilities remained true; a new function room "Abbey Suite" that was able to cater for 120 people was built, whilst a 140 all seater stand was also added to the Kings George IV Playing Field.

Two top half finishes would follow until the 1993/94 season where the club were crowned champions with twenty five wins in forty two games, a 2 - 1 away win over Meir KA on the last day of the season, capturing the league title.



The same season, Pershore Town recorded their best run in the FA Cup, entering for the first time, by reaching the fourth qualifying round, beating Racing Club Warwick, Northampton Spencer, Pelsall Villa and Atherstone United before Yeading proved one step to far.



The Atherstone United fixture will live long in the history of the football club, a victory in front of the BBC cameras and a then club record attendance of 730. The club were also previewed on both the BBC's "Road To Wembley" and on Central News.

During these formative years, the club also won the Robert Biggart Memorial Cup, and incredible three times, the Worcestershire Junior Cup and the Jack Mould Cup - alongside this, being runners-up in the Worcestershire Senior Urn.

Following the league win, Pershore Town would become one of the founder members of the Midland Football Alliance - the top ten teams from both the Midland Combination Premier Division and the West Midland Premier League created this league.

Whilst the club finished in the bottom half during the next two seasons, periods of success were enjoyed at one point in the 1995/96 season, Pershore Town were third in the division. Nevertheless, the club found the step up tough.



Progress in the league wasn’t easy for Pershore, however during that 1995/96 season the club made tremendous progress in the FA Vase, reaching the third round proper. Away wins over Knowle, West Midlands Police and Nettleham were recorded before a trip to Burgess Hill Town would prove to be the clubs undoing, going down 2 - 1.



A bottom placed finish during the 1996/97 season, but no relegation, was backed up by finishing second from bottom the following two seasons.



In 1998, Pershore Town added another club to it’s merger with Worcester Athletico absorbed. Worcester themselves had an impressive record in a brief stay in the Midland Combination, winning the Premier Division during the 1997/98 season.



Pershore’s stay in the Midland Alliance would come to an end following the 1999/00 season however, finishing bottom of twenty two teams with just seven wins from forty two games and conceding one hundred and three goals. After several managerial changes over a six year period, the club were relegated back to the Midland Combination Premier.



The following two seasons looked to be positive for Pershore, a fourth placed finished followed by a sixth place finish - it was hoped that the fortunes of the football club were going to swing back in their favour.



Nevertheless, the next five seasons would see Pershore Town finish in the bottom half of the Midland Combination Premier. Whilst the 2007/08 season showed a little revival, an eighth placed finish which could’ve been joint fifth but for the deduction of three points.

Whilst the league was a constant struggle for Pershore Town, during the 2013/14 season the club did win the Worcester Royal Infirmary Cup, beating Malvern Town 2 - 1. Phil Marsh converted from the penalty spot whilst veteran substitute Richard Congrave scored the winner.



By the 2014/15 season, the Midland Alliance and Midland Combination had merged to create the Midland Football League, Pershore were placed in Division One. After a poor start to the campaign, a managerial change brought about a better style of football and results began to improve. By March, the team had won MFL March Team of the Month and eventually went on to finish in its highest position for several years.

A disappointing start to the following season would again see a managerial change, with former Wolves and Hereford United player Quentin Townsend taking charge.


Ahead of the 2018/19 season, Pershore Town were moved from the Midland Football League and joined the West Midland (Regional) League Premier Division, finishing 14th in their first season before the next two were abandoned for COVID-19.



A league move wasn’t the only change at Pershore Town, former Malvern Town manager Les Jones was appointed First Team Manager along with Derek Doyle as his Assistant Manager.



Les stood down from his role as First Team Manager during the 2020/21 season, Stewart Watkins was his replacement whilst Les took on the role as Director of Football.



By December 2020, Neil Parton, former Worcester City Reserve Team manager, was challenged with the role of pushing Pershore Town forwards.



With the league restructure, Pershore Town were moved from the West Midland Regional League to the Hellenic League ahead of the 2021/22 season.

During the 2021/22 season and following a poor start, Neil was replaced in November with former Pershore Town player, Danny Janes. Janes joined the club from fellow Hellenic League side, FC Stratford - a club he had taken to the top of the league before returning to the Community Stadium.