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The Vics History |
The first record of Football being played at Tunstall Road was in 1933 when miners from the Victoria Colliery formed Knypersley FC. In 1946 they won the Staffordshire Challenge cup defeating RAF (Cheadle) 3-0, however the club was to disband.
In 1969 football returned to Tunstall Road the new club taking on the name of the Knypersley Victoria. Over the next few years the club played at various levels of local football winning a number of minor trophies. Then in 1979 they fielded teams in Division 1 and 2 of the Staffs County League (North). A number of trophies were won and then in 1983 ex Stoke City, Everton and England star Mike Pejic arrive at the club initially to give advice, but Mike willingly took over the control of the first team , he instilled some pride in the club and got everyone thinking more professionally. Mikes training and coaching put the Vics well on the way to the Final of the Staffs FA Vase before he was lured away by Leek Town to become their manager. Goalkeeper Alan Ryder took control of the team and the Vics went on to beat Hednesford Progressive in the Staffs FA Vase Final.
In 1984 the club became founder members of the Staffs Senior League with the reserves taking the place of the first team in the County League Div 1. Again several trophies came the clubs courtesy of both the first team and reserves. In the 1986/87 saw the club achieve further successes in what has been described as one of the best in the clubs history. The first team winning the Staffs FA Vase (the first club to win it twice) beating Rocester. The Sentinel Cup was won by an under 21 side, the reserves a five a side competition and also came runners up in the League Cup. In the ensuing years just a couple more trophies were won and then for the start of the 1991/92 season it was felt that a fresh challenge was needed, the club applied for and were accepted in to the West Midlands (Regional) League being placed in Division 1 where they finished in a creditable 6th place.
1992/93 saw the club fighting for the championship with Darlaston, but the Vics eventually won it on goal difference. Floodlights were erected and the Vics took their place in the WMRL Premier Division for the start of the 1993/94 season. Manager Rob Horton strengthened the team and took them to 6th place. The Vics were then fortunate to be invited to become a founder member of the Midland Football Alliance for the 1994/95 season. They finished in 9th place and were Runners-up in the Walsall Senior Cup where they lost on penalties to local rivals Newcastle Town. At the end of the season Rob Horton resigned his position moving on to Stafford Rangers. Reserve team duo Dave Nixon and Terry Greer were to take over but internal problems saw Terry Greer leave soon after the start of the season. Dave Nixon took them to the brink of the 1995/96 season but a few poor late season results saw the Vics drop into 5th place. The club also reached the 3rd qualifying round of the FA Cup. That very same season the Vics had the honour of playing their preliminary round tie against Stewarts & Lloyds at Stoke City’s Victoria Ground. That game incidentally was the last FA Cup match to be won by a Potteries side on the ground before it was demolished and Paul James scored the first FA Cup hat-trick on the ground since 1958.
1997/98 was the Cup Achievement Year for the Vics. The fans were treated to some great FA Cup Giant Killing with Dr Martens Premier Division Atherstone United defeated, followed by the Dr Martens League Champions Gresley Rovers. The Vics turned Gresley over 3-1 a feat which earned them the Littlewoods Pools/Adidas Team of the Round Award. United Counties Spalding United were the next to leave Tunstall Road defeated and then the 4th qualifying round pitched them against Boston United at Tunstall Road. Boston beat the Vics by a single goal but a tremendous day was experienced by the club as a whole. With the FA Cup out of the way all eyes were on the FA Vase and although the Vics failed to set the competition alight they did progress through to the 2nd round, the furthest they had ever done before. The quarter final of the Staffs Senior Cup and the Walsall Senior Cup were reached both times the Vics going out to Blakenall after very tight replayed games. The Vics finished of a great run of 18 Cup matches throughout the season when they reach ed the Final of the Industrial Rewinds League Cup where they met League Champions Bloxwich Town. Two great first half goals from the man of the match Steve Griffiths were enough To give the Vics their first piece of silverware since 1986/87. With the League Cup in the bag everyone was anticipating the Joe McGorian Cup which was to be played the week prior to the commencement of the 1998/99 season, between the League Champions and the League Cup Winners. Unfortunately Bloxwich Town were unable to fulfil the fixture so the League Runners-up Rocester stepped in. The cup fighting spirit again in evidence and a second trophy was lifted for the cabinet.
In October following a disastrous start to the 1998/99 season with the Vics lying in bottom place in the MFA, and out of the FA Cup Dave Nixon resigned from his managerial position. Long time club servant Terry Stanway was entrusted with the vacant managers position and Mick Biddle was appointed as his number 2. They set about lifting the club away from the bottom finishing in a creditable 13th position at the end of the season. The management team were retained for the first full season in the new Millennium, they kept most of the previous seasons squad as well as making a couple of additions. Another mid-table finish was the outcome but the highlight of the season was the terrific run the Vics had in the Industrial Rewinds League Cup when they reached the final for the second time where they faced Willenhall Town, both clubs looking to be the first to win it twice. The Vics looked like they had the game sewn up by half time when they were 3-0 up, but Willenhall had other ideas and they ended up winning the game 4-3.
For the start of the 2000/2001 season the manager found that too many clubs were chasing too few good players, so he set about looking closer home for young players that looked to have the ability to progress with the Vics. Results were poor for most of the early part of the season and the Vics found themselves in the relegation zone all season. Results did pick up from the February which coincided with the return of John Burndred to the club. A number of players were brought in with the aim of stopping the slide towards relegation but fortunately for the Vics Bloxwich Town resigned leaving just 2 relegation places clubs to worry about which West Midland Police and Sandwell Borough took.
Following the second defeat of the season Terry Stanway and Mick Biddle gave notice that they wanted to resign. Adrian Dunn was given the chance to become number 1, he immediately accepted. After around three months at the helm and following a disastrous result at Bridgnorth Town, Dunn and his assistant Don Nicely stepped down straight after the game.
The former Midland Football Alliance manager of the year, Terry Greer was spoken to and he agreed to become the next Vics manager just 3 days later. Terry brought with him Trevor Mullett a coach who had a wealth of experience at Stoke City and Burnley. The new management team set about ringing the changes releasing some of the in-disciplined players the club had accumulated and bringing in new ones. The Vics season ended with them third from the bottom again and narrowly missing relegation due to clubs resigning. Trevor Mullet left the club at the end of the season due to work commitments so Terry Greer brought in former
Leek Town player Matt Beeby as player/coach. With the Vics attempting to become an FA Charter Standard Club they changed their name to Biddulph Victoria which reflects on the whole area and not just one part of it.
The newly formed duo saw their team get off to a terrible start to the season but a number of very good signings saw the squad finish in a healthy mid-table position.
A superb astro turf area was built at a cost of over £70,000 with a surface unrivalled any where in the area and possibly the midlands.
The 2003/04 squad saw all the previous seasons players sign forms along with a couple of new faces and it was hoped that the club could improve on the last years 13th spot finish. As the season has wore on Terry and Matt have brought in a number of fresh faces to bolster the squad and the Vics The end of the 2003/2004 season saw the Vics in 16th place, not one of their better seasons but another one where they were not figuring in the relegation battle as had been seen on three previous occasions. .
For the 2004/05 season in an attempt to get a good sponsor the Vics ran a lottery where they invited 21 companies throughout North Staffordshire to take part the winner becoming the main sponsor. The Lottery was subscribed very quickly and in July the draw was made the winners being PSCA International, Publishers of Newcastle under Lyme. The Vics management were pleased to have kept all but one player from the previous season but the 2004/05 season didn’t go at all well for the Vics early exits from the FA Cup and Vase were a major blows and League form was hit and miss throughout the season, as usual we had the super wins against the top clubs but found it difficult to beat clubs around the bottom of the league. In the end we had to thankful that Ludlow Town had a worse goal difference.
2005/06 got off to a poor start with a team full of young lads having problems stepping up to open age football and it was found that apart from 2 or 3 of them they were not good enough for Midland Alliance football. The management found it difficult to bring in the calibre of player required due excessive money being in local North Staffs football Around xmas time several decent players joined the club. Results picked up and a decent run towards the end of the season saw the Vics climb safely away
from the relegation zone winning the April team of the Month Award. That same season saw Vics forward Tom Pope move into professional football at Crewe Alexandra the first player to do so from the club.
For the 2006/07 season Terry Greer set on Stuart Heeps as manager, Stuart immediately enlarged squad signing a number players and pre season games appear to show that things could get exciting when the season kicked off. However it wasn’t to be and we suffered a season where the Vics were constantly in the bottom three despite having a good late run the club dropped back into the relegation zone after losing their last 2 games. More fortune came the clubs way. The re-organisation of the pyramid at step 4 saved the Vics and the other 2 relegation zone clubs yet again and we live to fight again.
The 2007/08 has got to see many changes from previous seasons where the Vics have struggled to keep their senior status.
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