Redditch United FC
‘The Reds’ is one of the Midlands’ oldest football clubs, having formed as Redditch Town in the Birmingham Combination League in 1891 and becoming the first winners of the Worcestershire Senior Cup in 1894.
more than 2o years
The club then spent more than 20 years in the Southern League, the highlight of which was another run to the first round of the FA Cup in 1989, where they were defeated 3-1 by Conference side Merthyr Tydfil in front of another sell-out crowd.
Beginning
The club thrived as Redditch in the 1930s, and then again 20 years later as Birmingham Combination champions in 1952 and 1955.
United was added to the club’s name in 1971, and in November of that year, the club advanced to the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in its history. A record crowd of 4,500 packed the Valley Stadium to watch the Reds draw 1-1 with Peterborough United before losing 6-0 in the rematch.
They joined the Southern League the following season and were promoted to the Premier Division at the end of the 1975-76 season, having scored more than 100 goals.
At the start of the 1979/80 season, the Reds were one of the founding members of the Alliance Premier League, but they struggled against the likes of Barnet and Yeovil Town in what would become the Football Conference.
Headlines
The club made headlines at the end of the 1997-98 season when it played nine games in nine days due to a backlog of fixtures caused by bad weather.
Under the direction of manager Rod Brown, the Reds won a historic double promotion at the end of the 2003/04 season. After winning the Southern League Western Division, the club went on to win two play-off matches to earn a spot in the newly formed Conference North, where they stayed for seven seasons.
Chris Swan
Chris Swan, an entrepreneur, took control of the club in March 2011, clearing outstanding debts to ensure its survival. Swan began a strategy of developing the club's community links, working with schools and other organizations throughout the town and surrounding area, with his wife Sallie as vice-chairman. The Redditch United Junior section was relaunched, and there are now 50 teams playing under the Redditch United banner, including boys, girls, and disabled sides, as well as a thriving academy offering full-time courses at the club.
Strategic Alliances
With the first community hub established, the Club has worked hard to forge strategic alliances with the likes of Redditch Borough Council, West Mercia Police, Birmingham City Girls, and West Bromwich Albion Foundation. The Reds won the Worcestershire Senior Cup under manager Liam McDonald, and a number of players moved on to full-time football, including Jermaine Hylton, who joined Swindon Town, and Omari Sterling-James, who joined Cheltenham Town.
play-offs
After narrowly missing out on the play-offs in 2014/15, the club finished runners-up the following year, only to lose in the play-offs to neighbours Leamington. In 2016, the club collaborated with Redditch Borough Council, the FA, and the Football Foundation on a £900,000 investment program that included the installation of a cutting-edge 3G playing surface as well as significant upgrades to changing facilities. Sports Minister Tracey Crouch officially opened the new facilities.
Former striker
Former Aston Villa and Walsall striker Darren Byfield took over as manager at the start of the 2016/17 season, and a number of exciting commercial deals were signed, including one with new stadium sponsors Trico. Before the 2017/18 season, a long-term partnership with kit suppliers Sondico was also agreed upon.
The future of the Reds has never looked brighter, with 1,000 people playing on the 3G pitch each week, 50 different teams, excellent community links, and an exciting first team looking to challenge under the guidance of an up and coming manager.