From Triplex Safety Glass to Pilkington XXX –

A brief history of the ‘Triplex Teams’

By Ian McDonald

In his guide to non-league football grounds in the West Midlands , Colin Peel describes the Triplex Sports Association Ground as a “hidden gem”. A number of teams have used the ground over the years and the ground has also experienced radical changes.  

• Triplex Safety Glass

A team of employees from the Triplex Factory joined the Works’ League in 1931. The Works’ League was founded in 1905 and at its peak it ran 22 divisions for 150 teams. Such was the size of the operation that full-time employees and a large office were needed to administer the league. The league folded in the final years of the twentieth century. Ironically, Burman Hi-Ton, for-runners to Pilkington XXX played in the league in its final years.

Triplex Safety Glass were very consistent members of the Works League and rarely dropped out of the top two divisions, perhaps their most successful season was in 1959/60 when they romped to the league title, dropping just 7 points in the process.

• Triplex

In 1984, Triplex FC, the successors to Triplex Safety Glass joined the Midland Combination’s Second Division. After a moderate first season, promotion was achieved at the second attempt. Triplex then became consistent mid-table finishers in the Combination’s First Division before quitting the league at the end of the 1992/3 season.  

• Richmond Swifts/Kings Norton Town

In 1994 Richmond Swifts was formed by the merger of two minor clubs – Swift Personalised Products and Richmond Amateurs. The newly formed team joined the Midland Combination’s Second Division and moved into the Triplex Ground. In their first season they stormed to the division title, winning it by 15 points. The following season saw Swifts runaway with the First Division title. In 1996/7, a treble of back to back title wins was achieved as the Premier Division was won by 11 points, with 95 points from 38 games.

Season 1997/8 saw the Swifts promoted to the Midland Alliance and, in an attempt to establish links with the area, the club changed its name to Kings Norton Town. However, the Triplex Ground was not up to Alliance standards so Kings Norton had to groundshare with Redditch United. On the pitch the first season in the new league was a success and Kings Norton finished fifth. The following season the club was on the move again and Oldbury Leisure Centre became their home and the club had a highly successful season finishing second. Sadly after a poor 1999/2000 season, Kings Norton Town folded.  

• Burman Hi-Ton/Pilkington XXX

1996/7 season saw Burman finish runners-up in Division 1 of the Birmingham Works league and win the League Cup. In 1998 they joined the Midland Combination and finished runners-up in Division 3. In 2000/1 they were runners up in the Smedley Crooke Cup losing to Alvechurch in the Final having beaten Studley in the Semi Final. 2001/2 was a very successful season with the team completing the treble winning Division 2 of the Combination, the Birmingham FA Junior Cup and Combination Challenge Vase. The following season saw the team name change to Pilkington XX F.C. In 2003/4 Pilkington gained promotion to the Premier Division and floodlights were erected at the Triplex. The following 2 seasons have seen Pilkington establish themselves as a Premier Division side with a positive future.

Pilkington XXX FC Honours  

1996/7 – Birmingham Works League Division 1 runners-up

League Cup winners

1997/8 – WBA Shield Winners

Wade Victory Cup Winners

1998/9 – Midland Combination Division 3 runners-up

2000/1 – Smedley Crooke Charity Cup runners-up

2001/2 – Midland Combination Division 2 Champions

Midland Combination Challenge Vase winners

Birmingham F.A. Junior Cup winners

2002/3 – Midland Combination Challenge Cup runners-up

2003/4 – Midland Combination Division 1 runners-up

2005/6 – Birmingham F.A. Midweek Floodlit Cup runners-up