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 more treasured memories are rekindled from ‘Captain Crazy’ and other club characters.
AS WITH with every flourishing football club, there’s always a band of dedicated workers and volunteers beavering away behind the scenes – and Kidderminster Harriers are no exception.
Over the years I’ve come across countless unsung heroes who’ve helped make Aggborough such a welcoming ground to visit
The names of many of them have been lost in the mists of time, although several remain firmly locked in the memory despite the passing decades.
In fact, far too many to mention – but here’s a small sample of those off-field characters I can still recall who helped build Harriers into such a well organised and respected club.
But first of all, an admission of how the theme for this month’s ‘Harriers’ Heritage’ column came about.
I was flicking through a dust-covered file when a tattered old newspaper cutting dropped out and drifted onto the floor.
It featured a story I wrote for a local evening publication in January, 1984, about a loyal Harriers fan called George Tristram.
The 86-year-old was one of those dedicated unsung heroes I was talking about – and that gave me the idea to add a few more names to the list.
Whatever the weather, I remember old soldier George turning up regularly at Aggborough to carry out his duties as a gateman.
He had manned various gates at the ground since retiring from a local carpet firm nearly 20 years earlier – and loved every minute of it.
“I started coming to the Harriers as a supporter when you used to pay nine pence in old money to get into the ground,” he told me when I interviewed him for the newspaper story.
George’s first visit to Aggborough was to watch Harriers with his mates in 1919.
In April 1987 I wrote about another veteran Aggborough supporter who had been following his favourite club for 70 years – Eddie Allen.
Kidderminster-born Eddie rarely missed a match home or away and each season proudly presented his Eddie Allen Rosebowl award to Harriers’ ‘Clubman of the Year’.
He travelled in style on the team coach for away games and covered thousands of miles to watch his side in action.
Another unforgettable Aggborough character was undoubtedly the much-missed Roger Harris – otherwise known as Captain Crazy.
Popular Roger, who sadly passed away in September 2024, was matchday announcer at Aggborough for 15 seasons.
The Captain’s unique and zany style on the public address system is still fondly remembered for keeping fans both informed and entertained.
Tributes from Harriers officials and fans flooded in following his death just a couple of days before his 80th birthday.
Two other names from way back also spring to mind when it comes to dedication and loyalty – Tom Crew and Fred Ball.
Tom was a committee member of the club during the 1940s and along with his lifelong friend and colleague Fred Ball raised thousands of pounds to help keep cash-strapped Harriers afloat.
Tom’s involvement with his beloved club spanned around 40 years.
Such cherished characters have been the lifeblood of Harriers over many decades – and together with others fully deserve to be remembered for their unwavering loyalty and dedication.
