Despite a magnificent second-half strike from their in-form centre-forward, Denis Jones, his 19th of the season, Shepshed Charterhouse’s FA Cup dream ended with a 5-1 defeat away to Preston North End in the first round on Saturday 20 November 1982. Lady luck deserted the non-league side, hindering their efforts to cause a major upset against the former First Division champions.
Shepshed’s misfortunes began early when full-back Kenny Black was stretchered off after just 12 minutes. A nasty clash with teammate Sammy Chapman during a tackle left Black with a badly gashed shin that required six stitches. Just a minute after Black’s unfortunate exit, Preston opened the scoring. Things went from bad to worse for Shepshed when their heroic goalkeeper, Colin King, suffered a head injury while making a first-half save. Despite battling on with concussion for the majority of the match, King was eventually taken to a Preston hospital overnight. Adding to Shepshed’s woes, referee Arnold Challinor surprisingly awarded Preston a penalty. Steve Elliott went down under King’s challenge, and John Kelly confidently converted from the spot. By half-time, Shepshed found themselves trailing 3-0, with Elliott adding a second goal in the 24th minute. However, Shepshed showed resilience after the break. In the 58th minute, Denis Jenas, father of England internationl Jermaine, sparked a glimmer of hope for the travelling supporters. Picking up a loose ball inside the Preston half, he embarked on a dazzling run, jinking past three defenders before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net – Shepshed’s only shot on target in the entire match. The revival proved short-lived. Ten minutes later, Gordon Coleman restored Preston’s three-goal advantage, and Andy McAteer completed the scoring in the 77th minute, sealing a comfortable 5-1 victory for the home side.
Despite the heavy defeat, Shepshed could hold their heads high. Goalkeeper Colin King, centre-half Mark Kendrick, and skipper Neil Mattams were outstanding for the visitors, valiantly trying to stem Preston’s tide. While Preston deserved their first win in twelve matches, looking the sharper and better side, it was undeniably a day where little went right for Frank Wignall’s Shepshed outfit.
Approximately 2,000 passionate fans traveled to Deepdale for what was the biggest match in Shepshed Charterhouse’s history.The Shepshed side was led by manager Frank Wignall (talking to his players in the image above) and his assistant Ian Storey Moore, both former Nottingham Forest and England stars, with Wignall having recently managed Qatar’s national team.
Shepshed’s memorable FA Cup run began with a 3-1 away victory against Denaby United in the first qualifying round, followed by a comprehensive 4-0 thrashing of Alfreton Town. They then dispatched Northern Premier League side Goole. Their fourth qualifying round tie, their only home game of the campaign, was switched to Loughborough University and attracted a four-figure crowd. Facing higher league opposition again in King’s Lynn, they battled hard for a 2-1 victory, earning them a coveted spot in the first round proper alongside teams from the Third and Fourth Divisions.
The draw could hardly have presented a more glamorous tie than against Preston North End, a club with a rich history, having won the First Division title and the FA Cup twice, and famously being the original ‘invincibles’ in 1889.
Prior to the match, there was significant press attention surrounding the exclusion of legendary former Derby County and England striker Kevin Hector from the Shepshed squad. While coach Storey-Moore cited a groin injury, the 37-year-old Hector stated his belief that Preston manager Gordon Lee would be relieved by his absence, insisting he was fit to play and suggesting it might mark the end of his playing days. He felt his experience would have been invaluable for Shepshed against a Third Division side.
The era between 1978 and 1984 marked Shepshed Charterhouse’s most successful period, fueled by financial backing from Maurice Clayton and his company, Charterhouse Holdings plc. During this remarkable time, the club achieved an unprecedented seven consecutive promotions, including six league titles, propelling them from the lower tiers of the Leicestershire Senior League to the Southern League Premier Division. While their FA Cup journey ended at Deepdale, the memories of their impressive run and Denis Jones’ stunning goal will undoubtedly live long in the memory of the Shepshed faithful.
Shepshed Charterhouse effectively ceased to exist due to financial difficulties in 1994. However, the town’s footballing spirit was rekindled with the formation of Shepshed Dynamo, named in recognition of the support from local club Loughborough Dynamo. Notably, Shepshed Dynamo achieved a second FA Cup first-round appearance just two years later, suffering a 6-0 defeat to Carlisle – arguably an even greater achievement considering the club’s recent reformation.