Shildon A.F.C.

Shildon A.F.C. is a football club established in 1890 based in Shildon, County Durham, England. They compete in the Northern League Division One and play at Dean Street.

History

Established in 1890, Shildon joined the North Eastern League in 1907 and have won the Northern League title five times in their history. They had a very successful history in the 1930s.

In November 2003, Shildon reached the FA Cup first round proper for the first time in 42 years. However, they were beaten 7–2 on the day by Notts County.

Shildon's nickname is The Railwaymen after the wagon works that was the major employer in the town for many years. They are sometimes called by the nickname The Shells.

Reserves

Shildon will also enter a Reserve team in the Durham Alliance League for the 2014-15 season

Ground

Shildon play at Dean Street. Bishop Auckland also played at Dean Street for a couple of years in a groundsharing agreement whilst building their new stadium, Heritage Park. The Reserve Team will play home games at Shildon Leisure Centre

Shildon

Coordinates: 54°38′N 1°39′W / 54.63°N 1.65°W / 54.63; -1.65

Shildon is a town in County Durham, in England. The population taken at the 2011 Census was 9,976. It is situated 2 miles (3.2 km) south east of Bishop Auckland, 11 miles (18 km) north of Darlington, 13 miles (21 km) from Durham, 23 miles (37 km) from Sunderland and 23 miles (37 km) from Newcastle upon Tyne. Shildon is part of the Bishop Auckland parliamentary constituency, which has been represented since 2005 by Helen Goodman MP for the Labour Party.

History

Shildon's earliest settlers were groups of people who lived during the Mesolithic period some 6,000 years ago. They lived by collecting wild plants and hunting wild animals. There was a small prehistoric flint tool found in the Brusselton area which may have been of this date.

Romans arrived in County Durham in the 1st century AD and built a line of forts along the Roman road leading north to Hadrian's Wall. Traces of Roman roads have been found at several places in Shildon, such as Brusselton Wood. Small settlements grew up in places alongside the course of the road.