Market Drayton Town F.C.
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| Full name | Market Drayton Town Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Gingerbread Men | ||
| Founded | 1969 (as Little Drayton Rangers) | ||
| Ground | Greenfields Sports Ground Market Drayton | ||
| Capacity | 1,000 | ||
| Chairman | Bob Mellor(acting Chairman) | ||
| Manager | Martyn Davies | ||
| League | Northern Premier League Division One South | ||
| 2015–16 | Northern Premier League Division One South, 11th | ||
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Market Drayton Town F.C. is a football club based in Market Drayton, Shropshire, England. They play in the Northern Premier League Division One South.
History
They joined the West Midlands (Regional) League Division One North in 1998. In 2003, they changed their name from Little Drayton Rangers to their present name. In the 2005–06 season, they were champions of the West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division and were promoted to the Midland Football Alliance. The club won this league in 2008–09 to gain promotion to the Northern Premier League First Division South. After an eight-year spell, the club's most successful manager in its short history, Simon Line, left to join Hednesford Town in October 2009. Following his return in early 2010, Drayton stabilised their position in the division. The 2010-11 campaign began disastrously, with no points picked up in the first 10 games. A change in fortunes and the introduction of a number of new players lifted them from the foot of the league as results picked up. They finished the season in 18th and won the Shropshire Challenge Cup. Line and his backroom staff were relieved of their duties in the close season, with the board deciding a refresh was needed. Neil Wooliscroft was subsequently appointed, bringing with him assistant Darren Williams. Mick Murphy was reinstated as first team coach.
The new management team were unable to bring about the desired change at the club. After a single win in fourteen league games, the duo resigned at the end of October. Former manager Jimmy Mullen was placed in temporary charge. Mullen later left the club in March 2013 after the club were safe from relegation and was replaced by Martyn Davies as interim manager until the end of the season. At the start of the 2013-14 season the club appointed Shawbury United manager Dave Richards, but he resigned a week later due to work commitments. Just as pre-season was getting underway, the club announced Lee Ebden as manager with former Wigan Athletic and Walsall manager Chris Hutchings as assistant, but only a month into his reign the club sacked Ebden. Former manager Simon Line took temporary charge of the team while the search for Ebden's successor began. The club appointed former Stafford Rangers manager Greg Clowes, along with his assistant Dorrian Garner. Due to their struggles at the start of the season, the objective for Clowes and Garner was to keep the club in the division. Drayton finished the season safe from relegation in 19th place. At the end of the 2013-14 season manager Greg Clowes resigned and was replaced by his assistant Dorrian Garner. Garner brought in Martyn Davies as assistant and former Crewe Alexandra and Shrewsbury Town midfielder Kevin Street as player-coach for the upcoming 2014-15 season. After a disappointing start to the 2014-15 campaign, with the club lying one place above the relegation zone, manager Dorrian Garner was replaced by the club's Director of Football Mick Murphy early in December on a temporary basis while a search for a permanent successor began. On 26 December assistant manager Martyn Davies was appointed as the club's new manager.
Ground
The Greenfields Sports Ground features a small all-seater stand, some hard standing, dug outs, and floodlights. Its unusual wooden dugouts, set into a fence surrounding the pitch, were featured in David Bauckham's book Dugouts.[1]
Players
Current squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Management and coaching staff
Current staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Martyn Davies |
| Assistant Manager | Anthony Garrat |
| Director Of Football | Mick Murphy |
| First Team Physio | Kelvin O'Reilly |
| Coach | Nick Porter |
Former managers
See Market Drayton Town F.C. Managers
Honours
- 2004–05 – West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division runners-up
- 2005–06 – West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division champions
- 2006–07 – Shropshire Senior Cup finalists
- 2008–09 – Midland Football Alliance champions
Club records
- Best league performance: 13th in Northern Premier League First Division South, 2009–10
- Best FA Cup performance: Second Round Qualifying, 2007–08, 2010–11
- Best FA Trophy performance: First Round Qualifying, 2010–11
- Best FA Vase performance: 5th Round, 2008–09
See also
References
- ^ Bauckham, David (2006). Dugouts. New Holland. ISBN 1-84537-478-9.
- Market Drayton Town at the Football Club History Database