Come On You Blues

Recollections of Shrewsbury Town's First Season in Division Two

Andrew Preshous

• Publisher: Pitch Publishing
• eBook ISBN:
  9781785319655
• Year: 2021

Although well-known as the birthplace of Charles Darwin and for its idyllic location on the River Severn, in footballing terms Shrewsbury was still a backwater in the late 1970s. But Town's promotion for the first time in their history to Football League Division Two in 1979 changed all that. The 'Spirit of 79' propelled them into the limelight with a famous FA Cup run and an unlikely Third Division title triumph. Chelsea, Newcastle and West Ham would now be heading to Gay Meadow, and predictably Shrewsbury were the pundits' favourites for relegation. Come On You Blues is a vivid, first-hand account of Town's inaugural campaign in Division Two in 1979/80, as seen through the eyes of a 15-year-old fan and proud owner of a £12 junior season ticket. The book recalls the thrills and anguish of following a small team from Shropshire battling for survival in the second tier, and defying the odds by trouncing footballing giants, upstaging local rivals and scrubbing up well against exciting, up-and-coming sides. 

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword by Jake King
• Introduction
• 1. Beginnings
• 2. Settling in and a few flirtations
• 3. 1979/80: Football League Division Two
• 4. Peaks, highs, and very low lows
• 5. Back in the Football League
• 6. Cup distractions
• 7. The later years
• Acknowledgements
• Bibliography
• Photos
• Back Cover