West Midlands Police F.C. is a football club based in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
.
History
They were established in 1928 and were formed out of Birmingham City Police. They first entered the
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase, usually referred to as the FA Vase, is an annual football competition for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English National League System (or equivalently, tier 9 or 10 of the overall English footbal ...
in 1975 and the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
in the 1990–91 season.
They won the
Midland Combination Premier Division in the 1990–91 season and reached the quarter-finals of the FA Vase the following season. They were league runners-up in 1993–94, and transferred to the
Midland Football Alliance, in which they played for seven seasons before returning to the Combination. As a result of a decline in membership and a lack of funding, the
West Midlands Police folded the club in 2014.
The side competed in the Police Athletic Association Cup against other forces. Moreover, in previous years, the Police have played against the Queen's Royal Hussars for the Hydrabad Cup. West Midlands Police are the current holders of the cup and games take place on remembrance Sunday each year.
The team in the past had many players who have represented the British Police side – notably
Mark Bellingham, Ben Smith and Ollie Latchford.
The team is now run by Johnny Norgrove (manager) and Tony Campbell (club secretary). The police side is now solely for Police officers and others from inside the Police family. The team compete in two national competitions which are The Emergency Services Football League and the Police Sport UK Cup. They also play in the newly formed regional competition the Combined Midland Police League.
The team has grown in size and now also supports two veterans teams that also compete in the veteran edition of the ESFL and PSUK competitions.
The 2021/22 season saw great progress across the club where the sides were involved in 4 semi finals and won the ESFL national 5 aside tournament. The Veterans side lost a narrow semi final to holders and eventual winners Glasgow Strathclyde in their first ever attempt in the competition. The force team reached the semi final of the inaugural ESFL European Championships in a narrow 3 - 2 loss to Mersyside Fire & Rescue. They again reached the semi-final of the CMPL shield and lost to eventual winners Leicestershire Police on penalties. West Mids B team also lost on penalties of the CMPL Daniel Rigley plate semi final losing 4-5 on penalties to Northants Police.
Striker Kyle King finished top scorer for the 1st team.
Mark Bellingham finished top scorer for the veterans netting 16 goals, Center half Rich Faulkner won Players player award, Captain Rory McFarlane won Managers player and Danny Hitchmough won the play-maker award.
The club currently play in Red and Black striped tops for home matches and Blue and Black striped tops for away matches. The alternative kit is all orange.
Ground
The team play home matches at Tally Ho! Police Sports and Social Ground, Pershore Rd, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Honours
*
Midland Combination
The Midland Football Combination was an English football league covering parts of the West Midlands. It comprised five divisions, a Premier Division, Divisions One and Two and two Reserves Divisions. The league was one of three official feeder le ...
Premier Division
**Champions 1990–91
**Runners-up 1993–94
ESFL National 5aside
Champions 2021
Records
*
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
**Second Qualifying Round 1993–94, 1998–99
*
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase, usually referred to as the FA Vase, is an annual football competition for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English National League System (or equivalently, tier 9 or 10 of the overall English footbal ...
**Quarter-finals 1991–92
References
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Football clubs in England
Association football clubs established in 1928
Midland Football Combination
Sport in Birmingham, West Midlands
Football clubs in the West Midlands (county)
1928 establishments in England
Midland Football Alliance
Police association football clubs in England