Ampthill welcome Birmingham Moseley to Dillingham Park This Saturday
Birmingham Moseley began life in 1873 as Havelock Football Club, an offshoot of Havelock Cricket Club some of whose younger members wanted to play a winter sport. Home matches were played at St. Paul’s Road, Balsall Heath.
In 1874 the club was renamed Moseley Football Club and the famous red and black colours were used for the first time. 7 years later Moseley visited Leicester for the latter club’s first-ever game. At the end of the match both sides claimed that they had won!
In 1883 the club played it’s first game at the Reddings while 1889 saw the club become the first team to defeat the first-ever international tourists to the British Isles, the New Zealand Natives or Maoris. A long term lease for the Reddings was negotiated in 1911, just in time for the Great War.
Moseley struggled during the first full post-war season but by 1924 the club was almost back to its pre-war strength with four XVs being fielded every week.
After some early season games in 1939 the club closed down for the duration of the Second World War and The Reddings was taken over by the War Agriculture Committee.
A new one thousand-seat stand was opened at The Reddings with a game against an International XV in 1957.
1965 saw the beginning of Moseley’s golden age with floodlights installed at The Reddings leading to a much extended fixture list which by the 1970s included the top Welsh clubs.
The advent of league rugby saw Moseley competing at the highest level but half of the main stand at The Reddings was destroyed by fire in 1994, at the same time the club became an industrial & provident society under the 1965 Act.
1996 saw the club become a private limited company under the 1985 and 1989 Companies Acts followed in 1997 by an ‘Administration’ event as the club struggled to deal with professionalism.
In 1998 the club was rescued from administration by a group led by ex player Simon Cooper celebrating it’s 125th anniversary season. However, the financial problems weren’t over culminating in 2002 in a creditors meeting which saw the business continuing to trade. Planning permission for the club’s current home, Billesley Common was obtained in the same year.
More recently Moseley have been a stalwart of the Championship, built a new stand and clubhouse complex but, after a number of close shaves, they finally succumbed to relegation at the end of season 2015/16.
The club’s first season in National 1 saw them record a 5th place finish with played 30 won 20 record. This season they lie 12th in the table with a played 13 won 4 record.
Last week Ampthill lost 10-6 away at Rosslyn Park after a performance in which, despite much possession & territory for the visitors, the hosts defence was in control.
Director of Rugby Mark Lavery comments “Our unbeaten run came to a halt last week when we were outplayed by a better Rosslyn Park team at the Rock. It’s important we bounce back against an inform Mosley team who’s position in the league is completely false. They are gaining momentum and pushing up table”
