Match Preview: Hednesford Town vs Moors (Pre-Season Friendly)

Chris Millington and his side are set to face Hednesford Town in their latest friendly as preparations for the upcoming 2026/27 National League season continue. Saturday afternoon’s game will see Solihull Moors face a team on the rise at Keys Park, with Kelvin Davis’ side having recently sealed a second consecutive promotion last term, which sees them now compete in the National League North. The Pitmen opened their pre-season with what was a commanding 6 – 0 triumph over Chasetown, a result that was secured thanks to the goals of Niall Maher, Jamie Cooke, Aaron Jarvis, and Josh Mabbley. This was then followed by a goalless draw in their second and most recent friendly against Stratford Town ahead of their encounter with Millington’s men. Hednesford have an extensive history, with the origins of the club able to be traced back to the 19th Century. They were founded all the way back in 1880 when the Red and Whites, also known as West Hill, completed a merger with a club named Hill Top. The club’s first home was ‘The Tins’, which was a site located just behind The Anglesey Hotel, with the name coming from the sheet metal that was found all around the ground. Then in 1889, the Pitmen would go on to become one of the founding members of the Birmingham & District League, going on to finish a very respectable 6th place in their maiden campaign. However, they did leave the league in 1891, despite having finished as high as third place the previous season, though they did go on to join the Walsall & District Junior League in 1894 after predominantly playing friendly matches during their football league hiatus. In the next three seasons, Hednesford would finish second in all three campaigns, with the league being renamed as the Walsall & District League in 1897. 1904 was a historic year for the club, as they moved to the Cross Keys Ground to move away from ‘The Tins’, with them making a deal with a local councillor who was happy to pay off the club’s debt of £40 to leave their previous home. A crowd of 900 watched their first ever game there, where they beat local side Stafford 3 – 1. Fast forward to after World War Two, Hednesford Town Football Club were now competing in the Birmingham Combination, finishing as league title winners in 1952/53, before then finishing as runners-up the following season in their subsequent 1952/53 campaign. The league then split in the 1954/55 season, with the Pitmen now set to compete in the Northern Division. Fast forward to the mid-1970s, they were crowned as the league champions of the West Midlands Regional League, and then in 1982/83 they were able to move up to the Midland section of the Southern League, narrowly avoiding relegation under the stewardship of their former Goalkeeper John Baldwin by the end of the decade in the 1989/90 campaign. The following season, 1990/91, saw them have a successful campaign, finishing third before then securing a historic promotion to the Beazer Homes League Premier Division after they only finished behind Solihull Borough in second place in 1991/92. They finished fourth in the league the following season, during which they were able to reach the Staffordshire Senior Cup Final after losing to Stoke City over two legs. They reached a domestic cup final again in 1993/94, with them going on to be beaten 3 – 0 by Walsall at the Bescot Stadium in what was the Birmingham Senior Cup Final on this occasion. In the following season, The Pitmen were promoted to the GM Vauxhall Conference as Champions. A victory against Leek Town was what secured them the crown, and it was also to be their final ever game at the Cross Keys, with them due to move into their current home, the aforementioned Keys Park. The 1996/97 season was one that would go down in history as one of the most successful campaigns for the Pitmen. They were able to reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup, the first time that they had done so for 72 years, only losing in the Fourth Round to Middlesbrough, and they beat the likes of Hull City. Then, on the turn of the century in 2000, the club suffered their first ever relegation in 2000/01. A succession of managers followed the departure of John Baldwin, with the likes of Neil Pointon, Colin Lambert, Paul Raynor, Kenny Hibbitt, and Ian Painter all taking the hotseat at Hednesford Town in the years that followed. Fast forward to the 2008/09 campaign, they did finish 8th despite being in great form at the start of the season, though they did still manage to go on to lift some silverware, lifting the Birmingham Senior Challenge Cup for only the second time in the club’s history after a 73 year long wait after beating Stourbridge 2 – 0 in the Final. Moving on to the 2011/12 season, they were able to finish as high as second place in the Southern League Premier Division whilst also going on to lift the Southern League Cup. They did, though, lose on penalties to Salisbury City in the Play-Off Final, before being moved across to the Evo-Stick Northern Premier League for the following campaign. 2012/13 was amazing for The Pitmen. They accumulated as many as 93 points, finishing second and winning promotion to the Conference, beating AFC Fylde and then FC United of Manchester on the way. They were then also able to win the Birmingham Senior Cup and the Staffordshire Senior Cup in what was a truly historic season for the Midlands-based club. In 2019/20, the season was of course curtailed by the Coronavirus pandemic, and in May 2020, a takeover of the Pitmen was completed by a pair of businessmen, Graham Jones and Hayden Dando, appointing Andy Morrell, who won the FA Trophy with Wrexham, as manager. A few years later, the club had a takeover fall through, with the club in financial trouble in March 2023, but they were saved by the aforementioned Hayden Dando, and the club was then reinstated into the Northern Premier League Division One West. It was announced that then-manager Danny Glover would be taking the Pitmen forward into the 2023/24 campaign. However, Glover and his management team were subsequently relieved of their duties by October 2023 following a poor start that saw them sat bottom of the league with Harry Harris and Steve Hinks taking over after departing Walsall Wood for Hednesford. Then, by March 2024, Craig and Amanda Gwilt completed a takeover of the Pitmen, which saved the future of the club in the process. They then subsequently avoided relegation in 2023/24 thanks to a reprieve. Steve King was appointed before leaving in October 2024. In the second half of the 2024/25 season, the duo of manager Gavin Hurren and assistant manager Lee Vaughan guided them from 14th place in the Northern Premier League West table all the way up to second place after a run of 18 wins and just 3 defeats in what were their final 27 league matches, which included going on a 14 game unbeaten run as well as 13 clean sheets. They had home advantage in the playoffs, beating Vauxhall Motors 3 – 1 in the semi-final, before then securing a place in Step 3 thanks to what was a deserved 2 – 0 triumph over Congleton Town in the Final. Last season (2025/26), they achieved a second successive promotion to the National League North after beating Warrington Rylands on penalties following a 1 – 1 draw in an enthralling and competitive game at Keys Park. They now look forward to their season at Step Two, where they will be looking to continue their progress as a club in the upcoming 2026/27 campaign. In the opposition dugout – Kelvin Davis Kelvin Davis has been manager of Hednesford Town on a permanent basis since 11th May 2026 alongside his assistant Danny Butterfield after initially joining the club on an interim basis back in February. They managed to lead the Pitmen to promotion to the National League North in the second half of last season, and will be looking to continue the momentum over the course of the upcoming season at Step Two. Previously in coaching, Davis spent time as a Football Development Executive and then First Team Assistant Coach at Southampton between 2017 and 2022, briefly being caretaker in 2018. He has also spent time taking charge of Eastleigh between 2024 and 2025 before eventually joining the Pitmen. Davis also had a 22 year playing career, spending time with the likes of Luton Town (1994 - 1999), Torquay United (Loan, 1994), Hartlepool United (Loan, 1997), Wimbledon (1999 - 2003), Ipswich Town (2003 – 2005, Sunderland (2005/06), and finally the aforementioned Southampton from 2006 until his retirement, playing a Testimonial Match in May 2016. His assistant manager, Danny Butterfield, also had a long playing career, which took place from 1997 to 2016. Playing predominantly as a defender, Butterfield was able to represent the likes of Grimsby Town (1997 - 2002), Crystal Palace (2002 - 2010), Charlton Athletic (Loan, 2009), Southampton (2010 - 2013), Bolton Wanderers (Loan, 2013), Carlisle United (2013), and finally Exeter City (2013 – 2016) during his playing career. Key Player – Ahkeem Rose Ahkeem Rose is most certainly one of the standout players for Hednesford Town, and it would be no surprise if he put in similar performances for the Pitmen in the coming season in the National League North. Last term, Rose was the top scorer in the league for the club with 13 alongside Montel Gibson, though the latter is no longer at the club. Rose’s career in football began as a youth player for Grimsby Town, though he has since gone on to play senior football for The Mariners from 2017 to 2020 following spells at the likes of Pelsall Villa (2015 - 2016) and Heather St. John’s during the same period as he was at Pelsall. Following his spell playing senior football for Grimsby, he went on to play for the likes of Boston United (Loan, 2018), Dover Athletic (2020 - 2021), Weymouth (2021 - 2023), Wimborne Town (Loan, 2021), Ayr United (2023 - 2024), Hamilton Academical (Loan, 2024), Hereford (2024 - 2025), and then finally current club Hednesford Town, who he joined back on 4th February 2025. Opposition preview written by Adam Holt

Birmingham City came out comfortable 3-0 winners in our annual Arthur Cup game at Damson Park. Played in loving memory of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, a local young boy and Birmingham fan. Arthur tragically lost his life in June 2020, in the place that should have been safest for him, his home. On a day where the Solihull sun was shining almost as brightly as Arthur's smile, Birmingham City fielded a strong team, featuring internationals and regular starters, as well as some exciting young talent. Birmingham came flying out of the blocks, with August Priske having a header ruled out for offside in the opening 3 minutes. The referee then awarded a penalty after Briar Bateman was taken down after bursting into the box on 5 minutes. Priske stepped up and made no mistake from the spot, going straight down the middle to put Blues 1-0 up. Goalkeeper Nat Ford then did well to deny a curling effort from Bateman as Blues continued to dominate possession. Several chances followed for the away side, before Taylor Gardner-Hickman went close with a long-range attempt that went just over the bar. A couple of changes at the break saw The Moors bring on Ben Worman and young attacker Ben Wodskou in an effort to add more creativity and pace to the attack. Birmingham changed their whole starting 11, giving plenty of the squad more minutes as they step up their preparations for the upcoming Championship season. It was Blues that struck next in the 51st minute. A corner was taken short, and after a quick one-two, Alex Cochrane fizzed a dangerous low cross into the six-yard box that hit the unfortunate Matty Carson and ended up in the back of the net. Chances were at a premium for The Moors against a tough, well organised defence. As the game became more stretched in the energy-sapping heat, Solihull pressed for opportunities and Birmingham had long spells of possession. Blues should have extended their lead when the lively Demarai Gray did well to find Carlos Vicente in the box, only for him to fire wide at the back post. Kanya Fujimoto and Gray had further chances, the latter been denied by a fantastic Alex Whitmore block. In the closing stages, Gray picked up a loose ball just past the halfway line and showed pace and power to see off several challenges, before having the composure to fire the ball into the far corner of Ford's goal. In a game that is more about the cause than the result, we'd like to thank all 1186 of you that attended the fixture. Your support provides vital funds to the NSPCC and the Solihull Moors Foundation to continue their preventative work with vulnerable and at-risk children across Birmingham and the surrounding areas. Congratulations to Birmingham City on retaining the Arthur Cup. Next up for The Moors is an away trip at Keys Park on Saturday, 18th July to face Hednesford Town. Match report written by Scott Cattell

Solihull Moors are delighted to welcome Slim Chickens as an Official Club Partner ahead of the 2026/27 National League season. As part of the partnership, the Slim Chickens logo will feature proudly on the Club's Youth and Junior kits, supporting the next generation of Moors players throughout the upcoming campaign. Founded on bringing fresh, cooked-to-order chicken and Southern-inspired hospitality to communities across the UK, Slim Chickens has quickly become one of the country's fastest-growing restaurant brands. Known for its hand-breaded chicken tenders, signature sauces and welcoming family atmosphere, the brand continues to expand its presence nationwide. The partnership comes at an exciting time for Slim Chickens, with the opening of its newest restaurant at Birmingham Grand Central coinciding with this year's Arthur Cup on Wednesday, 15th July, further strengthening the brand's presence within the local community. Richard Pigott, Managing Director of Slim Chickens UK, said: "We're delighted to be partnering with Solihull Moors ahead of the new season. At Slim Chickens, we're passionate about becoming part of the communities we serve, and supporting the Club's Youth and Junior teams is a fantastic way to invest in the next generation of local talent. With our new restaurant now open at Birmingham Grand Central, this partnership is a great opportunity to strengthen our connection with the local area, and we look forward to working with Solihull Moors throughout the season.”  The partnership reflects both organisations' commitment to investing in young people and supporting the local community, while helping to enhance opportunities for players within the Club's Youth and Junior pathway. Everyone at Solihull Moors is delighted to welcome Slim Chickens to the Club and looks forward to working together throughout the 2026/27 season.

Solihull Moors are pleased to announce that Konsileo will become the Club's official sleeve sponsor for the 2026/27 season. Having partnered with the Club throughout last season, Konsileo's support has now grown into its first official shirt sponsorship, with the company's branding featuring on the sleeve of the new home shirt. The expanded partnership reflects the strength of the relationship built over the past year and demonstrates Konsileo's continued confidence in the Club's vision and ambitions. As Solihull Moors continue to grow both on and off the pitch, partnerships such as these play a vital role in supporting the Club's long-term success. Dan Ingram, Director at Konsileo, added: “We're absolutely delighted to be partnering with the club as its new sleeve sponsor. From the very first conversation, it was clear that this is a Club with a genuine ambition to get results. Those shared values made this partnership a very easy decision for us. We can't wait to be part of the journey and do everything we can to support the Club in achieving great things, both on and off the pitch.” If you would like to get in touch with Konsileo to find out more, please email moors@konsileo.com Everyone at Solihull Moors would like to thank Konsileo for their continued support and looks forward to building on the partnership throughout the 2026/27 campaign.

Solihull Moors are delighted to confirm Blues 4 All as the Official Match Ball Sponsor for this year's Arthur Cup, which takes place at Damson Park on Wednesday 15th July. An award-winning, community-led Birmingham City supporters' group, Blues 4 All has strong roots across Solihull and Hall Green, with many of its members having long-standing connections to Solihull Moors dating back to the Moor Green FC days. Over the years, the group has worked closely with the Club through Non-League Day initiatives, Fans for Diversity events and a variety of community projects, using football as a platform to bring people together and promote inclusion. This year's Match Ball Sponsorship is particularly fitting as Blues 4 All celebrates its 11th anniversary on the same day as the Arthur Cup. By supporting the fixture, the group is also helping to raise vital funds for the NSPCC and Solihull Moors Foundation, two charities at the heart of this annual event. Everyone at Solihull Moors would like to thank Blues 4 All for their support of this year's Arthur Cup and for their continued commitment to making a positive difference within football and the wider community.

TICKETS Season Tickets Season tickets are not valid for this fixture. All tickets can be purchased here Opening times and turnstile access The car park will open at 3:00 pm The box office for ticket collection will be open from 4:00 pm The turnstiles will be open from 4:00pm for home and away supporters to gain entry into the stadium. When you purchase a match ticket, you must sit or stand in the area where you bought your ticket. The main bar and the Trevor Stevens Bar will be open at 4:00 pm. Hospitality/Executive Boxes Hospitality doors for this fixture will open at 4:00 pm. Junior Tickets 14-year-olds and under must be accompanied by a full-paying adult on the day of the match; otherwise, U14 ticket holders may be refused entry to the venue: to turn up to the match without a full-paying adult is a safeguarding issue. SAFEGUARDING RE ADMISSION: Note for reference, those supporters aged 14 and under MUST be accompanied by an adult to enter the ground, i.e. individual must be 14 or over. ENGLAND SEMI-FINAL: Supporters can stay after the Arthur Cup to watch England take on Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals. The match will be shown at: Main Bar The scoreboard/big screen Trevor Stevens Suite Jerroms/Hospitality REFRESHMENTS Supporters can purchase alcohol and refreshments from the Main Bar and the Trevor Stevens Suite. There will be food available at: Soho Tavern Food Truck Hot Food Bar in the old reception GETTING HERE PARKING The Car Park is open from 3.00 pm Please do not park on the Damson Parkway dual carriageway – this is a red route and parking here is strictly prohibited. Supporters will receive tickets for parking illegally, so we stress the importance of utilising the NCP Car Park and planning your journey well in advance. If fans forget to pay before leaving, they will still be able to pay via Post Pay within 24 hours of exiting the car park however this will charge them the original tariff. Failure to pay will result in a Parking Charge. To learn more, including tariffs and PostPay, please visit: https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/parking/freeport-car-park . Any supporters' coaches must drop fans off at the NCP parking point, as the Damson Parkway dual carriageway is a red route. It is at the coach driver’s discretion to drop supporters off on the red route; supporters must then walk from the NCP Car Park to the stadium. Travel by Bus The X12 bus runs to the ground every 15/20 minutes from Solihull Town Centre, the NCP and Birmingham International. In night matches, this increases to every 30 minutes. Click here to view the X12 bus route, stops and full timetable . Travel by Train Solihull Railway Station is served by trains from Birmingham Moor Street and London Marylebone. The ground is situated two and a half miles away from the station in a roughly north-easterly direction. Birmingham International Station is roughly one and a half miles from the ground and is on the Euston to Birmingham New Street line. Kick It Out You can report an incident of discrimination via the Kick It Out App, which can be used on iPhone and Android devices. Phone – 0800 169 9414 Twitter - @kickitout , or by contacting the organisation’s Reporting Officers on @kickitoutreport. Solihull Moors Supporters Association Click here to find out more about the Solihull Moors Supporters Association.

After two winless matches thus far, Solihull Moors are back on home soil on Wednesday evening as we welcome Championship side Birmingham City for the fifth annual Arthur Cup contest at Damson Park. The Moors were held by Alvechurch on Saturday, shortly after they were beaten in a narrow defeat to Knowle, ensuring Chris Millington’s side will be targeting a win this week. Due to England’s advancement to the FIFA World Cup Semi-Final, the kick-off for Wednesday’s game has been brought forward to 5:30pm – with the bar open after the game for supporters to stay and watch the match against Argentina. If the game finishes level after 90 minutes, it will go straight to a penalty shootout rather than extra time. This is to ensure that the game is completed before England face Argentina at 8pm. Here is everything you need to know ahead of our clash against Birmingham City. —— An overview of Birmingham City: Chris Davies’ side finished 10 th in the Championship last season, seven points shy of the play-off places in what was their debut campaign back in the second tier – following a record-breaking promotion prior. Blues have already begun their own respective pre-season preparations with a 3-1 victory against League One side Huddersfield Town, with goals from Demarai Gray and a brace from Kyogo Furahashi. They did end the campaign with a five-match unbeaten run, though had lost three straight games which saw their late play-off push come to an end before it could really get going. It has been a quiet summer transfer window for the Blues thus far; however, the night is still very much young. —— Head-to-head: Wednesday’s game between the two sides will be the fifth instalment of the Arthur Cup, with the clubs continuing to raise money for both the NSPCC as well as the Solihull Moors Foundation. Last summer, the match was won by the visitors after the game was relocated to St. Andrews Stadium. A goal from Alfons Sampsted was enough to secure the victory for Birmingham, in what was a tightly battled affair. 2024 saw Birmingham run riot at Damson Park with a 3-0 victory, with 2023 also ending in the visitors ' favour – though this was another 1-0 scoreline. However, 2022 was the inaugural Arthur Cup – which was lifted by Solihull Moors, following a header from Callum Howe that made the difference between the two clubs. This means that Birmingham have won three of the last four matches in normal time and Solihull have been winless against their opposition since 2022, a point Chris Millington will be aiming to correct on Wednesday. —— Tickets: Tickets for Wednesday’s clash against Birmingham are available to purchase online right now and are available on the gate. The prices are as follows; Adults (18-64): £12.50 Senior Concessions (65+): £8.00 Under 18s: £6.00 There are no booking fees to pay when purchasing your tickets. —— Getting to the Stadium: Wednesday’s game will be live at Damson Park, kicking off at the earlier time of 5:30pm as agreed between the two clubs. Damson Park is located just three miles (ten minutes) south of Solihull train station or 4.8 miles (13 minutes) from Birmingham International train station. Similarly, taxi services are available with parking also available. The x12 bus service either from Solihull Station or Birmingham International is available and will be running for the game. —— In the dugout – Chris Davies The man in the hot seat for Birmingham City is Chris Davies, in what will be his third season in charge of the Championship side. Davies arrived from Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur, and guided the club to a record-breaking points total as the club sealed an immediate return to the second tier. Last season was a tough affair for Birmingham, struggling to maintain their play-off run and ultimately fell short with matches to spare. The 41-year-old has managed 110 matches for the Blues so far, earning a PPG (points per game) of 1.92. —— Familiar faces: Last season saw Solihull Moors welcome young goalkeeper Will O’Sullivan on a youth loan from Birmingham City. The 20-year-old was limited to a single appearance, which came on the final day of the season during a 4-1 victory over Yeovil Town at Huish Park. O’Sullivan was a second-half substitute, making three saves as well as keeping a clean sheet. —— We hope to see as many of you as possible at Damson Park on Wednesday, as we continue our pre-season preparations ahead of the 2026/27 National League campaign in the Arthur Cup. Match preview written by Callum Moseley

England are through to the World Cup semi-finals after a memorable victory over Norway on Saturday night. With the nation dreaming of World Cup glory, Solihull Moors can now confirm that Wednesday's Arthur Cup fixture against Birmingham City will kick off at 5:30pm , with the stadium and bars opening at 4pm . The match is a great opportunity to see Birmingham City’s full-strength squad up close and personal while supporting a brilliant cause. Should the score be level at full time, the Arthur Cup fixture will go straight to penalties, ensuring that the match finishes no later than 7:30pm, giving supporters plenty of time to enjoy the match before settling in for England's World Cup semi-final. For those wishing to stay, the game will be shown live on screens throughout Damson Park in the Jerroms Suite, Trevor Stevens Suite and Main Bar, creating the perfect atmosphere to cheer on the Three Lions together. Equally, we know many supporters will have their own plans, whether that's heading home or meeting friends at their local pub, so the earlier kick-off has been scheduled to ensure everyone has plenty of time to get where they want to be before England get underway. While the spotlight will soon turn to England's biggest game yet, the Arthur Cup remains a hugely important fixture. Played in memory of Arthur, the match brings together Solihull Moors, Birmingham City and the local community while raising vital funds for the NSPCC and Solihull Moors Foundation. Join us at Damson Park to support two great causes, enjoy a memorable evening of football and then cheer England on as they look to book their place in the World Cup Final. Tickets remain on sale and can be purchased here: https://solihullmoorsfc.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/solihull_moors_v_birmingham_city_the_arthur_cup_2627

Solihull Moors are delighted to welcome Soho Tavern as the Club's new back-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 season. A well-established name across the West Midlands, Soho Tavern joins the Club ahead of the new National League campaign, with its branding featuring proudly on the back of the Moors' home shirt. The partnership brings together two organisations with strong local roots and a shared passion for community, creating an exciting new relationship ahead of what promises to be an exciting season. Commercial partnerships continue to play a key role in the Club's ongoing growth, and Solihull Moors is proud to welcome Soho Tavern to its family of partners. Kash, a director at Soho Tavern, added: “We are incredibly proud to partner with Solihull Moors Football Club as a shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 season. As a business rooted in the West Midlands, community has always been at the heart of Soho Tavern, and this partnership is a fantastic opportunity to support a club that shares those values. We would also like to sincerely thank the people of Solihull for their continued support, which has given us the foundation to grow and establish ourselves within the local and wider community. We are also grateful to the George Fentham Trust, whose support has played an important part in making that journey possible. We look forward to building a strong relationship with the Club, its supporters, and the Solihull community throughout the season.” Everyone at Solihull Moors would like to extend a warm welcome to Soho Tavern and looks forward to working together throughout the 2026/27 season.