Club History

Club History


There has been Saturday senior football, as well as thriving Sunday and Junior League football for many years now in the historic brine town of Droitwich Spa. The records date back to 1896 when Droitwich Town won the Worcester Saturday Junior Cup.

Other sides representing the town over the years included: Droitwich United, Droitwich Sports, Droitwich Comrades, Droitwich Juniors and Droitwich St. Peters.

Droitwich Spa FC were formed in 1985 (originally named Droitwich St. Peters as a Sunday side) as an open aged team when the then Under 16's side had no other junior league to participate in.

The club spent its early years in the Worcester Leagues and in 1999 joined the Midland Combination Division 3.
A 4th placed finish ensured promotion at the first attempt to Division 2, when the club also changed names to Droitwich Spa FC.

The first season under the new name saw the club attain a respectable 7th placed finish.
In 2002-03, the club finished 3rd - narrowly missing out on promotion, however 4 years later the Spa repeated that feat and with the necessary facilities in place, were promoted to Division 1 and remained there for the next 15 seasons, initially flirting with relegation with the occasional mid-table finish, but in the latter years the Saltmen were a permanent fixture at the right end of the table.

In 2004-05 season, Spa reached the Worcestershire Junior Cup Final for the first time in their history, losing 1-0 to Bewdley Town.

In season 2013-14, after a long yet eventually succesful struggle against relegation, the club acheived a Cup double - winning both the Worcestershire Junior Cup and the Evesham Nursing Cup.

In 2014-15, a poor start to the season culminated in Colin Rudge being replaced by the management team of Mark Owen and Wayne Oliver, the latter had previously managed Pershore Town, Malvern Town and Bromyard Town, as well as having a spell at Hednesford Town as an assistant.
Several new players were brought in from the former Worcester City Academy.

When the new managers took over, they found the club at the foot of the table.
In a remarkable turnaround, the Saltmen ended the season in their highest ever league position (8th) with 46 points, reaching the Worcestershire Junior Cup Semi Final.

The Saltmen continued to progress in an upward trend: in 2015/16 - Spa finished 3rd and won the Presidents Cup for the first time.

In 2016/17, the club won the Midland Football League Division 2 ahead of Paget Rangers & Alvis Sporting, however were penalised with a points deduction one month after the season had finished, after a lengthy investigation & appeal process for "fielding an ineligible player".
The deduction was ironically just enough to send the Saltmen out of the promotion places by 1 point and consign them to another season in Division 2.

The club moved away from their home at KGPF due to re-development plans, and for the next 5 years played home games at Walshes Meadow, Stourport.

In 2017/18, the Saltmen finished 3rd in Division 2, runners-up in the Worcestershire Junior Cup and made a first foray in to the FA Vase - eventually losing out in the 2nd Qualifying Round at Step 5 side Shifnal Town after extra time.

In 2018/19 season, the club moved across in to the West Midlands (Regional) League Division 1, finished 3rd, and won the Worcestershire Junior Cup.

2019/20 season saw the club produce its best ever run in the FA Vase where they reached the 2nd round proper. Spa defeated opponents 2 divisions higher in previous rounds: Wednesfield (A - Won 0-2), Tividale (A- Won 1-2), Whitchurch Alport (H- Won 2-0). The run came to an end at MFL Premier club Lye Town, as the Flyers scored a stoppage time winner to progress 2-1.

The following two seasons were curtailed due to Covid measures, but with 8 games to play, Droitwich were 13 points clear at the top of the West Midlands Regional League, but with no promotions except for a few examples, had another year at Step 7.

When football resumed in 2021-22 season, with a new Manager at the helm in former player & Assistant Manager Andy Crowther, the Saltmen won the League, and achieved promotion to Step 6 for the first time.

Spa reached the League Cup Final losing to Bromyard Town on penalties.
After 5 years in Stourport, the renovation at Kingy's was completed, and the club moved back to Droitwich Spa in 2022-23 enjoying a fantastic season with crowds averaging over 300.
On the field, the Saltmen reached the Worcestershire Senior Cup Semi Final having defeat Worcester City, Bewdley Town & Pershore Town and just missed out on a second successive promotion having lost in the play-off Final to a late Ashby Ivanhoe goal in front of over 1000 spectators.

With all but one of the previous seasons' squad retained for 2023-24 season, Spa will be re-entering the FA Vase and looking to go one better in the League.

HONOURS:

Presidents Cup:
Winners - 2015/16

Pershore Hospital Cup:
Runner Up - 1992/93

Worcester League Premier Division:
Winners-1996/97, 1997/98

Baylis Cup:
Winners- 1997/98, 2002/03 (Reserves)

Worcester Nursing Junior Cup:
Winners- 1993/94, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10 (Reserves) Runner Up-1997/98

Worcestershire Junior Cup:
Winners- 2013/14, 2015/16, 2018/19
Runner Up- 2004/05, 2007/08, 2017/18

West Midlands Regional League Division 1:
Champions - 2021/22

WMRL League Cup
Runner Up
- 2021/22

Record victory:
05/01/2019 vs Bustleholme (A) 10-0

Record points tally:
79 points - West Midlands (Regional) League Division 1 - 2021/22

Record number of goals scored:
115 - West Midlands (Regional) League Division 1 - 2018/19

Record goals scored in one game:
6 - James Lemon v Earlswood Town - 2015/16 & Nick Seabourne v Sutton Utd 2016/17

Best FA Vase run:
2nd Round proper 2019-20 (lost 1-2 vs Lye Town)

Club record appearances:
Nick West

Record Attendance: 972 vs Worcester City (2022/23 season)