Solihull’s crest is a recent rebranding change, the griffin representing ‘strength courage & leadership’ (apparently).

Don’t forget this is a 12.30 kick off.

Solihull don’t enjoy massive support (average attendances of around 1,300) but Solihull is only a fairly short hop from Nailsworth.  It’s to the south-east of Birmingham, about a mile away from Birmingham airport – a journey of just over 70 miles from Nailsworth (about an hour and a half away)  so there ought to be some away following.

The return game back in September saw Rovers come away with a 1-0 win following a 48th minute Teddy Jenks goal.  This cheered a big travelling group of Rovers fans who had had to endure no cover and some drizzle.

The club had a great season last year, finishing 5th, and in the play-off places.  In the play-offs, they beat Halifax Town 4-2 at home, then Barnet 4-0 away.  They went to the final at Wembley to draw 2-2 with Bromley before eventually losing 4-3 on penalties.

Last season, they were the top performing side in the league away from home, amassing 40 points (compared with 36 points from their home games).

This season has been disappointing in comparison.  They sit in 17th place in the league, 9 points off the play-off places and only 8 above the relegation places.

Most worrying for Solihull fans has been the team’s recent form.  Since the start of 2025 they have had 9 losses, 4 draws, and just the 1 victory (a home win against Ebbsfleet).  Their most recent outings were a 3-0 home loss against Yeovil and a 1-1 away draw at Altrincham.

Matt Taylor took over as manager on the 23rd Jan 2025 but there has been been no obvious new manager bounce since his appointment.  It is hard to imagine Taylor staying in his post unless there is something of a turnaround soon.

Solihull’s home form and away form are similar.  They concede goals but they also punch above their league position when it comes to scoring goals (54 goals in 39 games).

Former Irish youth international Conor Wilkinson is Solihull’s joint top scorer this season (12 goals).  The 6ft 3in 30-year old also leads in yellow cards this season with 12 so far.

Fellow striker Jack Stevens also has 12 goals this season.  Stevens was signed from Banbury in 2023.

Matt Taylor was appointed Solihull manager in January after former coach, Andy Whing, moved to Barrow.

27 year old Tahvon Campbell has had 15 clubs in his career, including a spell at Rovers in the 2018/19 season – 18 appearances, 3 goals in League 2.

The story of Solihull Moors only goes back to 2007 when Southern Premier League side Solihull Borough merged with their tenants, Moor Green, then playing in the Conference North.  The 2 clubs were both Solihull based and, eventually, following two arson attacks at the home of Moor Green (The Moorlands), they both shared Solihull Borough’s ground at Damson Park.  A merger of the 2 clubs happened in 2007.  By 2016 they finally achieved promotion to the National League.

Solihull are no fans of play-offs.  They were beaten in the 2019 National League play-off semi-final by Fylde, then beaten again in the 2022 final by Grimsby (AET), and again in the 2024 play-off final by Bromley (4-3 on penalties).

Solihull’s ground is Damson Park (or the ARMCO Arena).  It has a capacity of 5,500 (just over 2,000 seated).  The stadium is a bit stuck in the middle of nowhere, surrounded on 3 sides by the massive Land Rover factory site, Elmdon Nature Park, two golf courses, Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre complex.

Solihull is definitely ‘posh’ Birmingham, though the locals would say it is entirely separate from its big-city neighbour.  It is widely accepted as one of the most prosperous areas in the UK.  It is set in the historic Forest of Arden, on the banks of the River Blythe, with the town, and most of the borough is within the West Midlands Green Belt.

The town is 8 miles southeast of Birmingham and 14 miles west of Coventry.  It is the original home to Land Rover and Triumph motor cycles.

The name Solihull name is commonly thought to have come from its arden stone parish church, St Alphege.  , The church was built on a hill of stiff red marl, which unfortunately turned to sticky mud in wet weather – hence ‘soily’ hill.

Solihull High St together with the church on the ‘soily’ hill.

The roll-call of famous names of people with a Solihull connections is enormous!  Here are a few;

• W. H. Auden (b. 1907), Anglo-American poet, lived on Homer Road in Solihull
• Jeremy Bates (b. 1962), former UK tennis number 1, born in Solihull
• Karren Brady (b. 1969), vice-chairman of West Ham United F.C., lived in Copt Heath, Solihull
• Michael Buerk (b. 1946), BBC News reader, born and brought up in Solihull, attending Solihull School
• Karen Carney (b. 1987), Birmingham, England and Great Britain women’s footballer, born in Solihull
• Nick Drake (b. 1948), musician/poet, brought up in Tanworth-in-Arden, in Solihull
• Jack Grealish (b. 1995), professional footballer, plays for Manchester City and the England national team, brought up in Solihull
• Richard Hammond (b. 1969), television presenter (Top Gear, The Grand Tour etc.), born in Solihull and attended Solihull School
• Dave Hill (b. 1946), Slade’s guitarist, lived in Solihull
• Tony Iommi (b. 1948), lead guitarist of Black Sabbath, lives in Solihull
• Martin Johnson (b. 1970), England rugby union player and captain, born in Shirley, Solihull
• Felicity Kendal (b. 1946), actress and TV star, born in Olton, Solihull
• Nigel Kennedy (b. 1956), violinist, brought up in Solihull
• Justin King (b. 1961), former CEO of J Sainsbury plc, educated in Solihull
• Nigel Mansell (b.1953), former British racing driver and Formula 1 Champion, attended Solihull College
• Simon Mayo (b. 1958), broadcaster, attended Solihull School
• Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet Peel of Drayton Manor and Bury (b. 1788) former British Prime Minister, founded modern English police force, Lord of the Manor in Hampton-in-Arden in Solihull
• Graham Potter (b. 1975), professional footballer and former Head Coach of Chelsea, born in Solihull
• Mandy Rice-Davies (b. 1944), famed for her role in the Profumo affair, attended Sharmans Cross Junior School in Solihull
• Andy Townsend (b. 1963), broadcaster and TV pundit, and former Aston Villa, Chelsea and Ireland footballer, lives in Solihull
• Johnnie Walker (b.1945), broadcaster, radio host and DJ, educated in Solihull
• William Wilberforce (b. 1759), Abolitionist, lived in Elmdon in Solihull
• John Wyndham (b. 1903), science fiction author born in Dorridge in Solihull