Getting to know the Blue Square Premier : AFC Telford

Just under two years again Lincoln faced AFC Telford in the FA Cup and there was a two division gap between the sides, few thought that the clubs would be meeting in a league match, however, that is now the case. The Blue Square North Playoff winners aren't just looking to consolidate and are aiming for an eventual place in the Football League.

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Forming in 2004 following the financial collapse of Telford United, AFC Telford are a side who are seemingly on the up. In the seven seasons that the club has existed, they have won three promotions, all via the Playoffs, won the Setanta Sheidl, the Shropshire Senior Cup and the Supporters Direct Cup. They've done this with only three managers, and the man currently in charge is Andy Sinton (right).

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday man only joined Telford last year and he believes that the Shropshire side are a side on the verge of the Football League.

"“This is a Football League club in the making," Sinton told the Telford Journal after their Playoff Final win over Guiseley. "All season we have been written off but we have played 43 league games and only lost four of them. We didn’t turn enough of the draws into wins and that’s why Alfreton beat us to the title, but I hope we can kick on now because when I looked around yesterday at our ground and all those fans, I could see a League club in the making."

Teams promoted from the Blue Square North tend to do well. Fleetwood made the Blue Square Premier Playoffs this season and they have been rated by the bookies as a side who should finish midtable in their first season. It follows on from a history which has only once seem them lose more games than they won, that season being 2009/10, the only season they have also failed to recall a top 10 finish. They also achieved a massively impressive run of 37 games without defeat between 21/01/2006 and 9/12/2006.

Telford play at the Bucks Head Stadium, a rarity in the non-league as it has a hotel build into the ground. The Telford Whitehouse Hotel even looks into the ground in places. The ground is also used by Wolverhampton Wanderers' reserve side.

Finally, Lincoln and Telford haven't shared many players, the most high profile being Gary Birch, although Grant Brown did play for the old Telford after being released by Lincoln in 2002.