Walsall Wood F.C. – their spectator stand is a classic period piece. Image from The Groundhog.

In honour of the great footballing occasion currently bestowed upon Walsall Wood, the inexhaustible Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler, assisted by young David Evans has been making busy with the newspaper archives, and unleashed a deluge of historical articles about our favourite local soccer club.

This one particularly caught my eye; the stand at Walsall Wood has survived against the odds and is a landmark known and loved by all locals. Interesting to see how it came about.

As ever, note some important local names in the mix; Mycock, Roson, Seedhouse, Peake. Several of these people are recorded in local street and civic nomenclature.

Remember folks, kickoff at 7:45pm. Let’s all cheer on the lads… we’re all so proud of them.

From the Lichfield mercury of Friday, 31st July 1936. Click for a larger version.

WALSALL WOOD F.C.

SUPPER AND PRESENTATION.

NEW STAND TO BE ERECTED.

The annual supper and presentation of medals of the Walsall Wood Football Club was held on Thursday evening of last weelc at the Walsall Wood Working Men’s Club. The chairman was Mr. H. C. Woodfield who, in congratulating the club on another successful season, made special mention of the work done behind the scenes by the hon. seceretary and committee.

The secretary, Mr. G. Mycock, in presenting hie report, said that twelve months ago they were in debt to the sum of £47, due chiefly to the provision of new dressing-rooms and heating apparatus for supplying the home players with hot baths. Thanks to several successful efforts, including a shilling fund which realised £20, they we re now in the happy position of having a credit balance of £3.

This season they were giving their attention to the comfort of the spectators, and the President (Mr. F. C. Peake) had generously consented to finance the scheme for the erection of a stand with seating accommodation for 400.

The plans were paesed and hopes were entertained that t1ie work would be completed for the opening of the season with voluntary labour under the supervision of Mr. W. Holyman.

During the evening Councillor J. Robson, Mr. T. Booth and Mr. H. Burns (vice presidents of the club) made the presentations of the medals of the Birmingham Junior Cup (runners-up), Rugeley Charity Cup (winners), and ‘Express and Star’ Cup (joint-holders with Wrockwardine Wood). The presentations were interspersed with musical items by Messrs. W. Osborne, Art. Hindley, A. Greaves, and W. Seedhouee, Mr. O. Green being the accompanist.