Johnny Phillips: Future is looking bright for resurgent Dudley Town

In their halcyon days Dudley Town could attract crowds in excess of 10,000 after moving to the Sports Ground in 1932, with more than 5,000 in attendance for an FA Cup first round clash with York City in 1976.

‘We had 8,500 in when the new floodlights were unveiled in a friendly against Wolves in 1981”, director Steve Austin recalls. “We got into the Southern Midland Division and won it in 1984/85 and were promoted to the Southern Premier, which was the feeder into the Vauxhall Conference in those days, that’s how far we got.”

But then the club hit problems. Just days after the final game of that promotion season a large crater formed in the adjacent cricket ground after mine works collapsed. The Sports Ground was deemed unsafe and the club has remained homeless ever since.

Austin has been involved with Dudley Town for 46 years. Alongside fellow directors Jon Edwards and Dave Ferrier, he has worked tirelessly to help put the club on more solid ground after some dark days.

“It was only about eight years ago when, if we had a midweek game, I’d have to go to the cashpoint to pay the referee,” Austin continues. “We went from season to season with a zero bank balance just hoping for sponsorship to start each season. Since then we’ve got ourselves on a firm footing with some really good sponsors, including our main club sponsor BCTG who have been magnificent.”

Manager Matty Lovatt is masterminding the promotion push, with Dudley Town sitting top of the Midland Football League. Promotion to the Premier Division would see the club move up to Step Five of the pyramid guaranteeing a place in the FA Cup qualifying rounds.

“We’ve had quite a bit of hardship during the past couple of seasons and I lost ten or 11 of the squad in the summer,” Lovatt explains. “We were unlucky not to be promoted during the 2019/20 season, missing out on ‘points per game’ after the league initially expunged the results during the pandemic. Last season we lost out to Darlaston Town in the play-off semi-finals.

“I’m really proud of the way we are playing. We’ve got great chemistry and balance in the side but the word I keep using is character. They’re fearless guys. When we concede a goal I don’t feel any anxiety, they just go back to the centre circle and they get on with the game.”

Alex Perry made his debut aged just 17 and, now 31, is the captain hoping to lead the players to the title.

“We’ve got the perfect mix of experience and youth with a squad that doesn’t know when they’re beaten,” he says. “The Hinckley game recently when we won 2-0 away was a big highlight, we didn’t play well in the first half but really put it together in the second half. At Bilston over Christmas we won 3-1 in front of a decent crowd at their place. The atmosphere was incredible and it helped us get over line.

“I have grown up in the Black Country area. It was the first ever club that gave me the opportunity in adult football. There’s so many hard-working volunteers here who deserve some success after the lows. I remember playing away at Malvern Town and we fielded six under 18s and three or four under 16s and we lost 9-1. We haven’t got many players who have enjoyed success and we keep getting written off but the amount of late goals we’ve scored shows that we believe in ourselves.”

Lovatt is a traffic signal engineer in his day job, you may have driven past him during those Merry Hill roadworks last year but don’t hold that against him. As somebody who spends his time out and about in the region, the manager understands the role local non-league football clubs play in the community.

“It’s hard doing a nine to five job and then putting the extra leg work in for evenings, watching the youth team, taking training, doing some scouting and prep for the Saturday matches,” he admits. “My missus is a bit of a football widow to be honest. What’s happening now is testament to the directors who have bought into my vision. Dudley has such a heritage, it’s one of the biggest boroughs in the country not to have a Football League team and it’s been going since 1888. When we do ticket promotions around town the amount of people we chat to who all have a story about the club, it’s amazing, the locals are great.”

Dudley’s most famous football son, Duncan Edwards, once played on the former ground as a schoolboy. Since then, former Wolves goalkeeper Phil Parkes, Villa winger Mark Walters and Albion midfielder Richard Sneekes have all represented Dudley Town at some stage. Today’s squad is pulling in the right direction as the promotion chase hots up.

“We have more than 20 players at training every week, it’s definitely going on the right track,” Perry explains. “The management team have helped changed the club for the better with the support of the board. They’ve instilled the history of the club in us, and our manager is all about family and hard work and that’s the foundation of it.

“The squad has tons of ability and the youth coming through is fantastic. If you’re thinking about coming down to the match today you’ll see a club with a lot of history and a group of players who will show you what it means to play with pride in the local community.”