The Crip Crap Corner

There have been many new dawns at Halesowen Town Football Club throughout the time that I’ve been watching football at the Grove but this latest one follows on from one of the lowest points in the Club’s history. For years and years we’ve watched others go into Administration or out of business, returning under a new name but never thought we’d fall into the same trap, however, that’s exactly what happened but in came the Ingram brothers, bringing the Club out of Administration and providing hope for the future.

Indeed, I never expected that I’d be writing articles for the official website, thinking that matchday programmes was the limit of my involvement but following a conversation with Graham Ingram and hearing his vision of our future, here is my first website contribution.

Any Football supporter would believe that the Club they follow is special, different to all the rest, so, why should we or I believe the Yeltz is top of the list of ‘special Club’s’? it can’t be because we win everything because up until, relatively recent history we’ve not exactly had a bulging trophy cabinet, it’s a Club where the supporters make the difference.

As a Club, our history goes back as far as 1873 but even the most devout of Yeltz supporter would consider our past to be illustrious. That is, up until the early 1980’s when Paddy Page brought together a young group of locally based players that were developed into a team that could win trophies. Average crowds steadily grew and a belief that the Club could progress at long last.

The Club had to change in order to progress, the Grove was deemed to be substandard and required major surgery before it could move up a level. Much frustration followed when the Southern League prevented our promotion in 1985 but in hindsight that rejection was a good thing for Halesowen Town, it made us all realise work had to be done and a plan was drawn up to transform the Grove.

Leveling the pitch was the first task but thereafter it was down to a loyal band of volunteers to reshape the terraces. Summer after summer supporters turned up every Tuesday and Thursday night and Saturday morning, developing the ground, improving the facilities, gradually altering the Grove to the ground that we’re now used to. There was an incredible camaraderie between the volunteers and obvious pride in what has been achieved.

True enough, on the pitch the team progressed, promotions earned, relegation suffered, Managers came and went as indeed did Chairman but trough it all the feeling that we belonged to a big family never really disappeared, to me that’s why this Club is different to all the rest or why it’s special.

Perhaps that’s why the traumas experienced in recent times were particularly hard to bear, the way the Club had been run previously, going heavily into debt, let alone having to go into Administration were circumstances we never thought would happen here. They often say, you learn more about yourselves through adversity than at any other time, without doubt we have had an education that we could have done without.

However, to have worked so hard to come out of Administration, in such a relatively short space of time has to be a credit to those that have taken over the Club. I know much work has gone into getting us to this stage but the hard work starts now.

Most of us are familiar with Brendan Phillips from his previous stint at Halesowen Town; nevertheless, having spoken to him regularly over the last couple of months, I cannot help but be impressed by his enthusiasm for his new role at the Club. So, what of the Ingram brothers, obviously not local and greeted by some with an air of suspicion but surely the only things that matter are their plans for the Club’s future and how they intend to achieve them. In a conversation with Graham I lost count of how many times he used the word ‘community’ in conjunction with our future, for me that has to be a positive sign.

Back in 1986 when Ron Moseley outlined his 10 year plan for developing the Club there were not many who believed it possible but achieved it was and easily too. In working towards following his vision, it should be remembered, we had a committed team of volunteers willing to work hard on anything asked of them. I suppose, therefore, in 2010 can the same attitude and similar group be formed now to develop Halesowen Town Football Club from its current situation. The passion amongst supporters to see a successful team is no less than it was back in 1986; it’s merely a question as to whether people are prepared to contribute in other ways than merely standing on the terraces.

Crip Crap