Date: 29.09.2018 Ground: 45 Match: 12 (69) Venue: The Fortis Stadium Teams: Wellington Amateurs V Sikh Hunters Competition: West Midlands Regional League Division One Admission: £4 Final Score: 0-3 (H/T 0-2) Referee: Not Known Attendance: 98 (Official) Mileage to venue and return: 35.2 Miles Programme: £1 Introduction I needed to take in a local game this weekend due to other commitments, having had a look at the fixtures available I was delighted to see that Wellington Amateurs were playing a home fixture against Sikh Hunters. This meant that I could take in a local fixture and add another tick to my ground visits. Having dropped Jodie off at work on the outskirts of Shrewsbury, I then went into Shrewsbury to do a bit of shopping. I headed over to Wellington and arrived in the town at 1:00pm, now you would think that Wellington Amateurs play in Wellington, Telford. Well, they don’t, the club actually plays in the nearby town of Oakengates. I am familiar with both towns as I was born and raised in Telford but for the purposes of this blog report I spent a short amount of time taking a few pictures of both towns. The following segment of this report gives you the reader a bit of information on both Wellington and Oakengates. Wellington Wellington is a town in the unitary authority of Telford and Wrekin and is situated in the County of Shropshire. Wellington also forms a part of the larger area of Telford. Following the 2011 census, Wellington was recorded as having a population of 25,554, making the town by far the largest in the borough and the third largest in Shropshire, when counted separately too Telford. The town is thought to have derived from a Saxon Settler, namely Weola. Wellington’s first market charter was granted to, Giles of Erdington, Lord of the Manor and is dated back too 1214. A market still runs in Wellington to this day. The second Shropshire Olympic Games, organised by the celebrated revivalist, Dr William Penny Brookes, were held in Wellington in 1861. Wellington boasts many shops within the town and has a good choice of Public Houses, restaurants, small Hotels and Bed and Breakfasts. The Wrekin Hill, situated just two miles from Wellington Town Centre, attracts many visitors to the area, including walking and cycling enthusiasts. Another attraction only a short walk away from the town is, Sunnycroft. Sunnycroft is a Victorian Villa and mini-estate, this is now run by the National Trust. The New Bucks Head Stadium, the home of AFC Telford United is in Wellington, the town is also home to, Wellington Cricket Club who are members of the Birmingham League. Wellington Cricket Club Oakengates The Fortis Stadium, home of Wellington Amateurs is situated in the Town of Oakengates which is, four miles and only a ten, minute drive away from Wellington. Following the 2011 census, it was recorded that Oakengates had a population of 8,517. The name, Oakengates, in fact has nothing at all to do with Oak or even, Gates but is actually derived from the Ancient Brythonic (Brythonic was an ancient Celtic Language) name for the valley which was Uscon. Uscon, meaning the Lake (Usc(Water) and the confluence (Cond) of two streams, and from the Old Norse gata, path; see gh- in Indo-European routes, meaning boundary or Road. So Usc-con gait is at the Road of the Vale of Usc-con. Some time ago, a history of Oakengates was written and produced by local Historian, Reverend J.E.G. Cartlidge whose name is remembered and commemorated in the name of the retirement home in the town, namely, Cartlidge House. There is a railway station in Oakengates and the Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton railway line runs through the town Oakengates was once also served by the Coalport Branch Line and had a second station called, Oakengates Market Street Railway Station, sadly this closed in 1952. During the latter part of the 18th Century the Ketley Canal was constructed in order to carry coal and ironstone from Oakengates to nearby, Ketley works. The canal has long since gone with little trace of it found today. Oakengates is the home of Telford’s main theatre and nearby are the Council’s headquarters along with the United Reformed Methodist Church. The Theatre in Oakengates The former Wolverhampton Wanderers and England International, Johnny Hancocks was born in Oakengates on 30th April 1919. As well as playing 343 games for Wolves, Hancocks also played for Oakengates Town, Walsall, Wellington Town, Cambridge United and Oswestry Town. There is a road in a housing estate in Oakengates, named after him. The Fortis Stadium Wellington Amateurs play their home games at The Fortis Stadium. The ground is well sign posted from the main road and is situated at the back of a Housing Estate in the Cul-de-sac of School Grove, Oakengates. There is a small car park at the ground which runs alongside the touchline next to the impressive on-site club house and covered seated stand. The stand is complete with 50 seats and provides a good view of the pitch. On the opposite side of the ground you will find the dugouts and on the same side a small covered area for people to stand and watch the game from. Hard standing is available on three sides of the ground. Pictures of the Fortis Stadium Wellington Amateurs FC The club was founded in 1950 by former students of the Wellington Grammar school. During these early years the club was known as, Old Wellingtonians. The headmaster at the school later changed the clubs name to Wellington Amateurs after he discovered that the club has begun to accept players to play for the club that were not former pupils of Wellington Grammar School. The club spent 31 years in the Wellington League before joining The Shropshire County Football League Division One in 1981. The Amateurs tasted great success immediately by winning the league and cup double. By winning the Division One title they were subsequently promoted to the Premier Division. They won the Premier Division title in the 1982/83 season and again in 1988/89 season. The 2005/06 season saw the club finish as runners-up, thus enabling them to apply for membership of The West Midland Regional League Division Two. Membership was granted, and Wellington Amateurs won the Division Two League Championship in their first season, gaining promotion to Division One. The club won the Division One title in the 2008/09 season and again in the 2009/10 season. Unfortunately, they were not promoted due to their ground not being up to the required standard to host West Midlands Regional League Premier Division football. Ground improvements were duly made by the club and by winning the Division One title for a third time in the 2011/12 season, they were promoted to the Premier League. A difficult season for the club in 2017/18 saw, them finish bottom of the Premier Division and relegation to Division One. The club has won many honours since they were formed in 1950, some of which include: Wellington Senior Cup Winners – 1969/70 and 1970/71 Shrewsbury Town Directors Cup – 1991/92 West Midlands Regional League Division One Cup Winners – 2010/11 Earlier this season Wellington Amateurs reached the First Round of the FA Vase, losing in a home game against Leicester Nirvana. Match Report Since my visit to the Fortis Stadium, I have got married and enjoyed a great honeymoon with my Wife Jodie in, Montenegro. Somewhere during this period, I have managed to lose my groundhopping notes that I have made this season, including those I made during my visit to Wellington Amateurs. Therefore, my usual inclusion of match statistics and report is not up to my usual standard. What I do remember from the game is that the visitors, Sikh Hunters took a two-goal lead in the first half with two very well taken strikes. I think it is fair to say that they controlled large parts of the first half and deserved to go into the break with a two goal. The home side made a strong start to the second half and if they could have taken one of their chances it would have made for a very interesting game. Unfortunately for them they didn’t, and Sikh Hunters made the game safe with their third goal of the afternoon. Summary I enjoyed my first visit to The Fortis Stadium and I was pleased to get another Shropshire Ground tick. It was good to see Dave Tranter at the game, Dave is a fellow groundhopper and programme enthusiast from Shropshire who also helps out a lot with various jobs during the week at Wellington Amateurs. It was also good to see and talk to Dave and Jason Simpson at the game. Dave was my first ever football manager when I was 9 years old and his son Jason played for the same team. Last but not least, I was fortunate to meet Matty Lovatt, who is the manager of Sikh Hunters. We enjoyed a short chat before the game, Matty kindly gave me a programme for their game at the start of last season, away at FC Darlaston. .