Courtesy of Atherstone Town FC:
The earliest record of football in the midlands town of Atherstone was in 1882 when friendly matches were organised prior to the forming of local leagues in 1894.
Drifting between local leagues, the club finally moved into the Birmingham Combination in 1911 and stayed there until 1954. Early years brought cup success to Atherstone, the most notable period being between 1907 and 1910 when the Birmingham Junior Cup final was reached three times, winning in 1909. During this period the Adders also gained national recognition by reaching the semi-final of the FA Amateur Cup in both 1907 and 1909. In the Combination, Atherstone finished runner up to Cradley Heath at their first attempt.
Following a period of varying success, the 1947-48 season brought glory when Atherstone Town won the Birmingham Combination League and Cup double.
A move to the West Midlands League in 1954 brought little success until 1972 when they finished runners up and joined the Southern League the following season. The 1973-74 season saw a superb runners up spot.
In the 1975-76 season, under the former England goalkeeper, Gill Merrick (former Bromsgrove Rovers' manager), the Adders finished third behind Wimbledon and Yeovil Town as well as winning the Birmingham Senior Cup. Sadly, Atherstone Town was forced into liquidation in the summer of 1979.
A group of local enthusiasts would not the football club die and managed to fulfil the teams reserve league fixtures in the West Midlands League as Atherstone United.
Two years later the Division one League and Cup double were won, followed in 1986-87 by the Premier Division title and promotion to the Beazer Homes (Southern League) Midland Division. As runners up in 1988-89, the Adders were promoted to the Southern League Premier Division, finishing sixth in their first season.
The next ten seasons saw Atherstone United compete with teams with a much larger town and structure than Atherstone. FA Cup success came to Atherstone with the Adders reaching the second round proper in 1990-91, before going out to Crewe Alexandra and then the following season in round one to Hereford after a replay.
The end of the 1999-2000 season saw Atherstone relegated for the first ever time in their entire history. The situation at the club worsened and in September 2003 Atherstone United were put into liquidation. Again, against all the odds, a group of local supporters, headed by Graham Read, banded together and formed Atherstone Town. In their inaugural season (2004/2005), competing in the Midland Combination they won Division One and were subsequently promoted to the Premier Division.
The momentum continued and in the 2005/2006 season they won the Midland Combination Premier Division and were promoted to the Midland Alliance. This season also saw the Adders win the Midland Combination League Cup at the Hawthorne's and the BCFA Midland Floodlit Cup.
In their first season in the Midland Alliance they finished eighth but in the following 2007/2008 season they won league and were promoted for third season in four but this time to the Southern League Midlands Division. In their first season back in this league they finished third behind Leamington and Nuneaton Town and reached the playoffs but only to lose to Chasetown. However, they did win the Southern League cup beating teams from all three divisions before mastering Bridgwater Town 5- 2 in a 2 leg final.
Financial constraints and fortunes in recent years have seen Atherstone Town move back through the Midland Alliance to the Midland Combination League.
