With the clock quickly ticking down to the historic move of Shrewsbury Town from the site which has been their home for almost a century, a new Shropshire Star booklet recalls the drama and the glory of the Gay Meadow era.
Meadow Memories is a nostalgic trip through the archives charting the initial arrival of Shrewsbury Town at the Gay Meadow in 1910, and the twists and turns in the club’s fortunes over the next 96 years right up to the present day.
It also features a look to the future with the forthcoming relocation to the New Meadow on the outskirts of town.
Meadow Memories recalls such times as the reign of Arthur Rowley, the goalscoring machine who, as manager, took the club to the fifth round of the FA Cup for two consecutive seasons in the 1960s, and the golden years of the 1980s when Shrewsbury were enjoying their best-ever league position and holding their own in encounters against glamour clubs packed with household names.
The Great Escape, relegation, and the bounce back to Football League status at the first attempt… all are there.
Among special contributors are veteran journalist Brian Binnersley, who shares his memories and picks his “dream teams” from the 1950-75, and 1975-2000 eras - teams packed with such Shrewsbury Town stars of yesteryear as Ted Hemsley, Alf Wood, Peter Broadbent, Paul Maguire, and John McGinlay.
Another chapter puts the spotlight on Shrewsbury Town’s 10 greatest matches, going back over 60 years.
Shropshire Star sports editor David Ballinger says: “During the research for this book we uncovered an archive of pictures, many of them colour, dating back 20 years or more.
“These include cup games in the 1960s against Arsenal and Chelsea to the glory days of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Most have not been published since they were taken, so here is the chance to see them again in all their glory. And bring back some of those Meadow Memories.”
Meadow Memories is a full colour, 68-page booklet which is a must for all Shrewsbury Town fans - it would make a fantastic Christmas gift.
It costs just £2.99 and is being sold through newsagents and is also available from the Shrewsbury and Telford offices of the Shropshire Star.
Alternatively, it is available through mail order. Mail order price, to include postage and packing, in the United Kingdom is £3.50; in Europe, £4.70; and to other destinations, £6.
Cheques and postal orders should be payable to Shropshire Newspapers Limited.
To get a copy of Meadow Memories, send your full name and address, including postcode, together with remittance, to: Meadow Memories, Circulation Department, Shropshire Star, Ketley, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 5HU.
If the delivery address is different (for example, if you want it sent directly to somebody as a present), don’t forget to include the full name, address, and postcode of the recipient.
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