The town of Shepshed, adjacent to Junction 23 of the M1 in the north of Leicestershire, has had football teams associated with it since 1879. Whilst many of these teams achieved local recognition over the years it was with the formation of the Charterhouse club in the mid-1970’s that the name of Shepshed became known nationally.
Between 1978 and 1984 the club rose from the lower reaches of the Leicestershire Senior League to the Southern League Premier Division, winning seven consecutive Promotions (including six successive championship titles). During this period they also reached the Semi-Final of the F.A. Vase, and the 1st Round Proper of the F.A. Cup. The club became widely travelled during the 1980’s. After leaving the Leicester Senior League in 1981, they joined the Midland Counties League for a season, then spending a single season in the Northern Counties East League. Members of the Southern League until 1988, the club then moved to the Northern Premier League, where they were to stay until 1993. Unfortunately the Charterhouse club, then known by its original name of Shepshed Albion, closed down in 1994.
The current Dynamo club was formed in the summer of that year in an attempt to resurrect the town’s former glories on the football field.
Initially playing in the newly formed Midland Alliance, the club enjoyed a successful first season, finishing 4th in the new league. The following season, under Manager Mark O’Kane, the club won the title by eight points. The season included a remarkable 23 game unbeaten start, which stretched into March.
After a hectic summer of improvement works, completed with financial help from Charnwood Borough Council and many hours of labour by club staff and supporters, the club took up their place in the Dr Martens League for the 1996/97 campaign.
Whilst league success proved harder to come by in it’s first season in the Dr Martens League, the club more than made up for this in the F.A. Cup, emulating their famous predecessors by reaching the 1st Round Proper. Despite a heavy defeat at the hands of Carlisle United, 0-6 being the final score, the memory of the day will live long with all that were there.
The second season in the Dr Martens proved less successful, and with the team struggling near to the bottom of the league, Manager Mark O’Kane was replaced in February 1998, by John Hanna. The change of leadership had the desired effect with the club climbing to a creditable 16th place by the end of the campaign.
1998/99 saw the best season to date. The club were in the top six in the league for most of the season, but slipped to a final placing of 10th, after a poor run-in that was not helped by player availability problems.
1999/2000, the Centenary year for the club’s ground ‘The Dovecote’, saw a season-long battle against relegation, a final placing of 18th and the resignation of Hanna in July 2000. His Assistant, Dave Williams, was immediately appointed as Manager. His first season in charge, on a reduced budget, saw a creditable 15th place finish. The last two seasons have seen the financial purse strings tightened even further, however the management and players remained loyal and whilst Shepshed flirted with relegation, a 16th place position was comfortably achieved in both seasons and the prestigious Loughborough Charity Cup was also won twice.
Last season, Shepshed also became the first non-league club to play at Leicester City’s new Walkers Stadium, where they narrowly lost 0–1 in the County Cup Final against a host side containing six first-team players. The 2002/03 season saw Dynamo finish in 16th place, averaging a point a game from their league programme.
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SHEPSHED DYNAMO AN AT A
GLANCE GUIDE 1879 First Shepshed club formed. (Shepshed Town) 1888-First trophy (Leicestershire Senior Cup) 1897First Shepshed Albion FC formed 1899Albion move to the Dovecote 1901First Bankruptcy (Shepshed Town) 1920Albion turn professional 1927Albion fold 1940/41Second Shepshed Albion formed from Shepshed Home Guard team. 1946-1975Albion fluctuate between first and second division of Leicestershire Senior League. 1975Club change name to Shepshed Charterhouse after sponsorship by local textiles company. 1978Champions of Leicestershire Senior League Div 2 1979Champions of Leicestershire Senior League Div 1 1980Champions of Leicestershire Senior League Div 1 1981Champions of Leicestershire Senior League Div 1 1982Champions of MCL, transferred to Northern Counties East League and reach FA Cup 1st Round, losing 5-1 at Preston 1983Champions of Northern Counties East Premier Division 1984Promoted to Southern League Premier Division 1988Transferred to Northern Premier League in restructuring. 1989 – JulyAppoint Martin O’Neil as manager 1989 - OctoberSack Martin O’Neil as manager. Wonder what became of him 1991Change name back to Albion 1993Join Midland Combination 1994Albion fold 1994/95Finished 4th in newly formed Midland Alliance 1995/96Champions of Midland Alliance, by eight points, promoted to Dr Martens League Midland Division 1996/97Finish 12th in first Dr Martens campaign. Reach First Round Proper of FA Cup. Lose 0-6 to Carlisle United at Brunton Park 1997/98John Hanna becomes manager, in Feb 1998, finish 16th in league. 1998/99Despite being 4th at Christmas, fall away at the end to finish 10th 1999/2000 2000/01 2001/02
and 2002/03 |
