Supporters welcome team back to ground
The sun shone as a new dawn broke for Bilston Town FC. At 3pm on Saturday, fans were in the seats and anticipation was in the air as The Steelmen's long-awaited comeback match got under way.
The sun shone as a new dawn broke for Bilston Town FC. At 3pm on Saturday, fans were in the seats and anticipation was in the air as The Steelmen's long-awaited comeback match got under way.
The club have spent more than a year playing matches at Bantock Park following an estimated 120 vandal attacks in five years. The season's first three home matches were postponed after it emerged a gas main near the building had been cut.
A joint effort between politicians, fans and the club meant the ground was given the all-clear by league bosses ahead of Saturday's 2-1 victory over Stafford-based Riverway. Fan John Thomas, aged 68, has been watching the club for 10 years and was among 100 or so supporters at the game. Mr Thomas, of East Park, said: "It's wonderful, and it will get progressively better. What we need now is bums on seats. The damage is not insurmountable but it is demoralising."
His friend Ken Dolman, 68, of Earl Street, Bilston, said: "We want to see it used as a facility every day of the week." Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden arrived shortly before the kick-off. He said: "You can't really put a figure on the value of a football team that's been there for 100 years. This is the day Bilston came home."
He was joined by Steve Simkins, the city council's shadow chairman of leisure and a Bilston East councillor. Councillor Simkins used to watch the matches at the ground with his father when he was five. The 41-year-old said: "It's absolutely fantastic."
Former company rep George Langford, 64, who lives in Lower Bradley, said: "I've got good memories of this place and it's absolutely brilliant to see it back." Dean Cartwright, 13, of Bilston, was one of the younger fans there. The Moseley Park School pupil said: "Everything is better."
Dave Austin, 57, lives in Yorkshire but used to live in Rosemary Avenue, Bilston.
The cycle instructor was back in the area at the weekend and was not going to miss the homecoming. He said: "They are still the team I support."
The club recently signed a new 99-year lease for the ground and announced a £500,000 refurbishment package to revamp the clubhouse, stands and dressing rooms.
