Chris Oldnall has been following his home-town football club Kidderminster Harriers since the early 1960s and he has also been chronicling their fluctuating fortunes for around 60 years.
Here, in our monthly feature ‘Harriers Heritage’, some treasured memories are rekindled from a number of match programmes from the 1990s.
RADIO SPORTS reporter Dave Bradley has tuned into Kidderminster Harriers’ past by unearthing a treasure trove of pristine match programmes.
And he’s handed them over to me to give long and loyal supporters the chance to take a gentle stroll down memory lane.
Dave, affectionately known as ‘Bradders’, was the voice of Harriers when he commentated on their games for BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester.
His five-year stint reporting regularly on home and away matches began in 1989 and featured many memorable moments.
And a quick glance through his collection of old programmes reveals an array of names and games that still linger in the back of fans’ minds.
Most copies from Bradders’ bundle are from around the 1990 era and the first five of them I pick up shine a light on games in the old Bob Lord Trophy.
The bright yellow front page of ‘Runcorn Review’ is priced 60p and was on sale for Harriers’ second round replay at Runcorn’s Canal Street ground on February 28, 1990.
Then, over the next couple of months, programmes were printed for Darlington’s arrival at Aggborough for a quarter-final clash, followed by Northwich Victoria’s semi-final (second leg) visit.
Both encounters were heavily featured among the action-packed pages of ‘The Harrier’, costing 80p for each edition.
The next programme in Bradders’ pile is Yeovil Town’s official publication for the first leg of the final against Aggborough boss Graham Allner’s men at The Huish on April 23, 1990.
For the record, Harriers lost to Yeovil, but finally lifted the Bob Lord Trophy in the 1996/7 season when they overcame Macclesfield Town.
Supporters needing their memories jogging about which Harriers’ players were around at the time of the final against Yeovil will recall the likes of Paul Jones, Martin Weir, Richard Forsyth, Paul Bancroft, Colin Brazier, Kim Casey, Graham Mackenzie, Peter Howell and John Barton.
Yeovil also crop up in another programme when they checked in at Aggborough for a quarter-final tie on January 20, 1992.
The memories continue to flood back thanks to the next couple of publications – ‘Robins Review’ and ‘Macc Mag’
Both were compiled for GM Vauxhall Conference clashes, firstly at Moss Lane for Harriers’ game against Altrincham and the other for a trip to Moss Rose to meet Macclesfield.
FA Trophy programmes in the collection cover Dover Athletic’s third round visit to Aggborough in February 1990 and the following year’s home tie with Bath City.
Clubs much closer to home also feature in Bradders’ batch, including old rivals Stourbridge and Bromsgrove Rovers.
Rovers brought out an official matchday magazine for their home FA Cup fourth qualifying round tie against Harriers, while Stourbridge did likewise when the men from Aggborough made the short trip to Amblecote for a Worcestershire Senior Cup semi-final. Both games were in 1990.
For Bradders – and myself – it was a pleasure to reminisce on an entertaining era for Harriers’ fans.
And all thanks to a pile of old programmes.
