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, Chris brings us his first taste of nostalgia on the Harriers in our new monthly feature ‘Harriers Heritage’.
FIFTY years ago David Beckham was born and football crazy Rod Stewart topped the charts with his classic hit single ‘Sailing’.
And I could pop down the pub and buy a pint of beer for around 20p!
But that’s not all – I also had the chance to boost Kidderminster Harriers’ funds by purchasing their first ever Year Book, which I did loyally having been following the Harriers since the beginning of the previous decade.
In 1975 the club produced an informative publication in a bid to ‘bring itself to the public of Kidderminster through something tangible and useful’.
And this week I unearthed my well preserved copy of this book which certainly brings back a lot of fond football memories from the 1970s.
The book kicks off with an introduction from the Aggborough-based club’s then programme editor Jeff Baker.
Life-long supporter Baker wrote: “Aggborough has, for many inhabitants of this famous town, been the place to spend their Saturday afternoons, the place where the pent-up emotions of the working week have been let loose, the place where they can shout praise and abuse (within reason) at the players and officials and then go home to their tea, happy or disconsolate according to the result.”
Half a century on and nothing much seems to have changed as Harriers again do battle in another National League North campaign after missing out on promotion last season following a disappointing 2-1 play-off semi-final defeat at home to Chester.
When the Year Book was published the club were performing in the Southern League Division One North under the guidance of player-manager Stan Jones and his assistant Ron Whitehouse.
Opposition teams we then did battle with included Redditch United, Cheltenham Town, Bedworth United, Merthyr Tydfil, AP Leamington, Banbury United, Bromsgrove Rovers, Barry Town, Stevenage Athletic, Bury Town, Wellingborough, King’s Lynn, Dunstable and Worcester City.
Aggborough chair at the time was Bill Greaves who penned a heartfelt foreword in the book which highlighted his beloved club’s precarious financial position.
He wrote: “Unfortunately the general decline in public support for professional football, coupled with the problems created by national inflation, has hit the finances of the football club severely and it is only by organising fund raising projects such as this publication that we can hope to continue the service to which we are all so dedicated.
“The existence of a successful professional football club plays an important part in the presentation of the town’s image to which it is attached, and there can also be a number of by-products from which local industries and trades people may benefit.”
Several companies and businesses in the area responded to the club’s rallying call for support by advertising in the book.
They included Leswell Building Supplies Ltd., Wright’s Sports Shop, Worcestershire Gunsmiths, Comberton Garage Ltd, Vernon Electric Ltd, Austin Bros (Kidderminster) Ltd, GT Cheshire and Sons Limited, Kidderminster Glass Co, Greenhill Service Station, Edwards Bros, Brintons Carpets, H Ingram and Son, Harrison’s Service Station and the Sun and Slipper Inn.
But, although the world of football has changed in many and varied ways, Harriers continue sailing along making lifetime memories – and hopefully talent spotting budding Beckhams of the future.
