HOLDING IT TOGETHER

Published in the National League South game v St.Albans City Saturday 11th September 2021  We lost 3-2 in front of 601

‘All Together Now – the extraordinary story of AFC Wimbledon’ by their former chief executive Erik Samuelson really is a tale that needed telling. From having their club relocated to Milton Keynes, to the first trials on Wimbledon Common to being promoted to the Football League in nine years. Now playing at a new stadium paid for by the fans, back in Wimbledon right next to their old Plough Lane Ground. It’s Fantasy Football stuff.

It’s also a story about how fans protested then organised, and the monumental effort that happened behind the scenes by volunteers who just do it for the love of their club and who no one really notices when things are going well.

Even when he was top dog Samuelson was still a carpark attendant before games, not dissimilar to our former hands-on chairman Steve Easterbrook who would rather serve behind the bar or clean the toilets than be seen in the directors room.

A lesser known but no less a remarkable story is covered by Stan Strickland in ‘Don’t Screw Up Hon.Sec’ whose early retirement gave him the opportunity to become secretary of Lancashire village club Burscough. As they built from the bottom up, they rose up the leagues, did up their ground, ran a very successful Youth team and then - despite a small budget and small fanbase - pulled off the biggest ever FA Trophy shock winning it in 2003. When he moved to Anglesley he transferred those secreterial skills to help his local club Glantraeth FC.

Both books are a real insight not just into football economics but the gigantean task it takes to make a lower league football club tick.

At Slough we are committee run and its our volunteers who keep the club going. One of those is Kay Lathey “I was an on and off supporter for many years. My first game was Bognor Regis v Slough Town FA Cup Replay at Nyetimber lane in 1986. Torrential rain and we won.”

Kay has been secretary for twelve years encouraged by her husband “We agreed that as the kids were small and I couldn’t guarantee to be able to make every game particularly in the evenings that the role would get split to have a Match Day Secretary, which Mark Hunter took on.”

“Can I describe a typical week? I don’t think I can, because there is nothing typical about it. The role has grown so much over the years from just being the Club Secretary, to running the bar and catering, being Chair of the Juniors and having fingers in almost every piece of pie; working with the Council to support other hirers and run community provision etc - no two weeks are ever the same, especially since Covid hit. I somehow got landed with the role of Covid Officer too. I really must learn to run faster!”

“If it was a straight forward week, with just a game or two, it would be a case of ensuring that Arbour Park was booked, stewards booked, food and drink ordered, beer lines cleaned, opposition and match officials have all the details and know that they need appropriate footwear for the pitch. Volunteers on standby, floats ready. Players all registered, any lists created (Covid requires a great many lists). We don't have straight forward weeks very often though.”

I asked Kay what one thing could the FA do to make admin easier for clubs. “The FA have done a huge amount of work on their IT systems recently. Improving the Player Portal within Whole Game will have made everyone's life much easier, but sadly that doesn't include the First Team. We have a new system which is being implemented at the minute to move us away from the paperwork exercise of registering players and posting hard copy to the FA and League. Am sure it will be a blessing once it's established and we all know what we are doing with it, but we aren't there yet.”

Finally, How much have you missed football and the fans during COVID restrictions? “Football without fans is just not the same. Ironically I saw more football last season than I have for several years, but it was soulless without the noise and hustle and bustle of a normal matchday. I think the players missed the supporters too and the atmosphere was just flat. Having people back in pre-season has been amazing and after a couple of quiet games, when we played Fulham it really felt like we were back!”

“As hard as it is sometimes - would I change it? No. This football club is about so much more than football. It is a community in its own right and that is clear everytime we need people to come together. The Homeless Lunch, charity activities, personal crisis, through Covid, The football family is always there.”

* Slough are always looking people to help with volunteering especially on matchdays. If interested email adrian.gomm@sloughtownfc.net