Thanks For The Roller Coaster Ride
Thinking about it apart from home and work I've spent more time and probably pennies at Watnall Road than anywhere else in my 59 year lifetime.
I'm Nottingham born and bred but was brought up in Kimberley. I went to school in Kimberley and right from my comprehensive days had an infinity for non league football. I wasn't great at playing in fact I was pretty crap but did train with the now defunct Kimberley Town in my teens turning out for the reserves when they were desperate but mainly watching the first team compete in the old Midland League.
Those of you who know me will also know I am a Sheffield Wednesday fan. By my own admission I don't know how this happened though I believe someone took me at a very early age and it stuck.
So when I left school and earned my first wage packet at Moorgreen Pit I went down the route of following the Owls home and away. How
However by this point I had moved to Hucknall and walked into Watnall Road for the very first time in the 1979 - 80 season. Hucknall Colliery Welfare Fc were members of the Nottinghamshire Alliance League and my first game I watched was against John Player Sports. I went to any game that didn't clash with the Owls games which in those days wasn't often. My first away game was at the lovely home of Wollaton FC.
Looking at Watnall road then it was practically just a field and a few sheds very much like a lot of Colliery grounds and there were many at that time.
Can't remember who the manager was at that time. The first one I can remember was Ted Mullane who was manager when they became Hucknall Town FC. In my humble opinion that was the spark that ignited the fire to the amazing roller coaster ride. Ted was and is still a local Hucknall legend.
Ted assembled a team of local lads many of them working down the local pit and they ended Teds first spell in charge winning the Notts Alliance both in 1987-88 and 88-89.
Town took the promotion to the Central Midlands League winning the supreme division in 89-90 and 90-91 under Roger Dawkins and Steve Dykes.
Ted returned for a second spell as manager from 91 to 95 finishing runners up in the 91-92 season. Hucknall also won the league cup in all three of these seasons.
During that time I had also become a regular home and away supporter. My love for the Owls will always remain but the Hillsborough disaster had a profound affect on me plus I was a Notts miner something which all these years later stops me from drinking in certain Sheffield Pubs. Plus I was now a father and it was a far cheaper option to spend a day at Watnall Road and enjoy the hospitalities of the original green shed.
Town took promotion to the Norther Counties East league Division 1 winning the league cup in 93-94.
Teds stint as manager ended in 1995. I will always remember those years with fondness especially the FA vase runs we had.
Then the 6 year reign of a resolute Geordie man began. John Ramshaw came in and the rise upwards began. Promotion followed to the NCEL Premier which was a period of stability. During this time crowds began to get bigger and a core base of away fans had began to develop. It was during these years that my alter ego Bertie ostrich was created. At the time the internet was regarded as a place you didn't really want your real name banded about. I was originally Bertie owl before someone pointed out to me that the Blades had a Bertie blade as a mascot. Chatrooms were the 'thing' at the time. The opportunity to talk to people all over the world rather than send letters was the norm. And so it was that a lady under the alias of High Maintenance Goddess ostracised me and I became Bertie Ostrich.a name which has since stuck ever since.
My wife son and daughter had now all become regular supporters both home and away and the 'fun'bus' had also started operating. The away support hand become a big family, to many to mention. I made a lot of lifelong friends at this time. Frankie(the drum)Paterson proved the tempo for the Town 'choir'. Mike Dury, Chris(owtbar)Turner, Sue(Come on Hucknall)Lane, Colin Smith, GaryLittle. Leighton Upson.........The list goes on. Also met my best friend Steve Bott and his lovely wife Teresa and their family through Hucknall Town and our supporters player of the year award is in memory of Teresa's dad Bob Thornley a man I still miss greatly.
The years of John Ramshaw culminated in Town winning the NCEL in 97-98 after also winning the league cup again in 96-97 and 97-98 and the presidents cup in 96-97.
Town were promoted the the Unibond Northern league Div 1 and around this time a certain Mr Brian Holmes became involved in the club investing heavily and the golden era began. A little 'pub team' from Notts were able to mix it with the'big boys' of none league.
The1998-99 season will always stick in my memory. We'd started the campaign with nobody having a realistic thought of promotion. There were some big names in there. Our rivalry with Alfreton Town had begun and to put things in perspective they were relegated from that division that year. Other names in there were Matlock Town, Belper Town, Harrogate Town, Farsley Celtic and of course Droylsden.
Droylsden and Town battled it out in what became a two horse race for the title both finishing tied on 86 points with the Manchester side taking it on scoring more goals as both teams finished on +42. Town had actually lost less games but had a three point deduction which cost us the title but we still got promoted to the Unibond Prem. The standard of football was superb the atmosphere both home and away was unreal. Many great memories of that season made.
Phil Starbuck replaced John Ramshaw in 2001 somewhat a shock to the Hucknall faithful. Starbucks reign lasted until 2003 as Town won the Charmans cup back to Watnall Road.
In came Steve Burr a big name non league manager with a winners reputation. With Brian Holmes bank rolling the club town were able to bring in high calibre players such as John Macarthy, Dean Barrick etc.
The season that followed was one that dreams are made of. Incredibly little Hucknall Town won the Unibond Premier Division. The day we won the Title at Worksop Town is one I will never ever forget. It was made sweeter as Droylsden finished runners up a massive 9 points behind Town.
However the joy was short lived as Hucknall were denied a place in Non Leagues highest division by the ground not being up to standard and a place in the newly formed Conference North was the scant reward.
Sadly Burr moved on to greater things and Ernie Moss took the mantle for the 2004-5 season. The appointment was a disaster and Town made an awful start to the campaign. All seemed lost for that season until Moss was sacked and the enigmatic Dean Barrick took over the role.
What happened next was nothing short of a miracle. When the FA Trophy campaign began that season nobody was expecting much. Bracknell Town rolled up to Watnall Road on Saturday November the 6th and were subsequently rolled over 4 nil.with goals from Barrick himself Mark Smudger Smith Gary Rico Ricketts and Danny Bacon.in front of a crowd of 273.
Town got another home draw in round 2 and a much tighter affair followed with Radcliffe Borough losing out to the Yellows 2 1 with Super Danny Bacon getting both Hucknall goals in front of 274 fans.
The third round saw Town drawn away to Southport. A lot of fans, me included thought that would be it but Town produced a fantastic first half display going into half time two to the good. both goals in the first 21 minutes, Ricketts and Bacon scoring again. Sothport though managed to get it back to all square with Town not being helped by a red card for Nathan Winder. However it was still a fine result taking Southport to Watnall Road.
The replay was a very tense affair. Danny Bacons goal proving to be the difference as Town went through. The crowds were rising (338) and belief was growing.
Town were then drawn away again and as is the quirky nature of football it took us to Steve Burrs new team Northwich Victoria. Again nobody expected us to progress against our former manager and I will be honest we got battered in that game and for an hour you could only see one winner. However Smudger Smith picked up the ball in his own half and proceeded to run through the whole Northwich defence before slotting the ball home. The elation I felt when that went in and the sheer disbelief on the faces of the Northwich fans was something else. Town hung on and progressed through to the next round.
The 5th round saw the Yellows drawn away again this time at Cambridge City. A Nathan Winder wonder volley goal 0n 50 mins seeing Town through. It was sweet revenge for Hucknall who had lost out to the hosts in a bad tempered FA Cup tie in 2001. 200 yellows fans supported the team with 15 being ejected from the ground due to crowd trouble.
The quarter finals produced the biggest hurdle. A very difficult away trip to big time Charlies Hereford United. The writing appeared to be on the wall when Hereford scored after only 3 minutes but Smudger Smith cancelled that goal out and he repeated the trick again to cancel out another Hereford goal to make the final score 2 2 and a replay at Watnall Road earned. I've got to say that the visit to Hereford was not a pleasant one. Whether the crowd trouble at Cambridge had sent the message that we were all morons is debatable but the actions of that day saw me miss the replay. Alsobetween that game and the replay Hereford showed Hucknall no respect and so the ! nil victory at Watnall Road in the replay was so sweet even though I missed it. There was a massive crowd of 1521 and to this day I wish it had been 1522.
For some reason I missed the first leg at Bishop Stortford in the semi-final but i think I had developed a complex where I thought if I went we would get beaten. However I missed out on a wonderful fun bus trip as the Yellows won 2 1 thanks to an Andy Todd early goal and a Gary Ricketts strike.
I do know I missed the second leg due to being at work but Radio Nottingham broadcast the game and I was at Least able to listen.
A record crowd of 1871 packed in to Watnall Road to witness a pulsating game. In some ways I'm glad I missed it as I nearly had a heart attack listening to it.
When Chris Timons scored in the 88th minute to ensure our passage to the final at Villa park I cannot describe that feeling it was so immense.
So we had our big day out at Villa park where the whole town supported the Yellows. Losing out to Grays on penalties hurt, really hurt at the time but looking back what a great day and what a fantastic achievement it was to get there. I still think to this day that Deano was targeted and we would have done it had he been on the pitch.
Barricks popular time as boss ended in February 2006 when he was replaced by Kevin Wilson. One of towns only failings in the glory years was not reaching the first round proper of the FA cup despite several attempts. One of those attempts saw the downfall of Wilson. An away fourth Qualifying tie saw Town go to Kings Lynn full of hope thst this was the time to break the hoo doo. Gary Birch had been drafted in from Telford in the week and had a good reputation. He was picked to start but was so obviously unfit and overweight that he shouldn't have even played. Town went on to be outplayed and despite being well placed in the league Wilson was sacked.
In truth that was the end of the good times. Andy Legg took over and saw the season out but resigned after 6 successive defeats at the start of the 2007-2008 season. Town would have suffered their first relegation at the end of that season as David Lloyd failed to keep them up but Halifax's financial woes saved them from the drop. It was short lived though as relegation followed the next season.
Then came a succession of managers with Bryan Chambers being appointed as director of football with Mick Galloway and Andy Miller managing. This only lasted until Galloway and Miller were sacked and Chambers put in sole charge. Chambers himself resigned in January 2010 as the downward spiral really kicked in.
Whilst the golden era had been most enjoyable the downward turn was painful to watch and from this point on I have always felt sorry for managers that followed.
Danny Bryant took over from Chambers in 2010 but that was short lived as Tommy Brookbanks took over the reins. There was high hopes that Tommy could stop the rot but the money had dried up and despite getting together a decent side it wasn't to be. and relegation followed to Evo-Stik Div one south in 2010-11.
After Brookbanks left there was a flurry of managers. Des Lyttle, Brett Marshall (fantastic manager, wrong time) Gary 'scrabble' Sucharewycz, Jason Truscott, Darren Kelk and Duncan Russell all tried but failed to stop the rot.
In 2013 the club very nearly ceased to exist and had it not been through the long standing committee members plus Andy Graves Paul Stevenson Phil Henry plus others it most probably would have done. Whether a phoenix club would have risen from the ashes no one will ever know but I will always be eternally grateful that these people saved the club I support and proud that unlike a few locakl sides we paid our debts and have hopefully turned a very nasty corner.
the 2012-13 season saw Hucknall finally succumb to their financial woes to take the place of their reserve side in the Central Midlands south League under the guidance of new manager Andy Graves.
I always refer to this as back where it all began. Very little money with bills to pay. The crowds gone with the standard of football dropping that was understandable. But we still have a great ground and moving to an even better one soon.
The first season under Andy Graves was always going to be a major rebuilding job and so it proved with Town finishing 13th out of 17 teams in that first season back in the CML.
the 2014-15 season saw a bit of a turnaround with Town finishing a creditable 4th. Town also picked up their first silverware in years when lifting the league cup with a memorable victory over Clifton at Alfretons impact arena.
2015-16 saw Town finish third behind a very good Selston team.
The CML was proving to be a very difficult league to get out of but it gave us a chance to strengthen our position off the field. Positive plans were being made with regards to the new ground with Lidl linked to building a supermarket on the ground.
After going close 2018-19 proved to be a pivotal year for the Yellows. Andy Graves had slowly gone about building a title winning side and was successful in doing just that. A memorable midweek victory at title rivals Matlock Town reserves ranks with me as one of our best team performances ever.
Town were promoted to The East Midland counties league which ceased to be causing us to play in our current league The United Counties League Division 1.
Andy Graves controversially 'resigned' at the end of the 21-22 season together with Paul Stevenson. I want to place on this blog of mine my thanks for the seasons they saw us through I will be eternally grateful but I also felt it was time for a change of approach. I acknowledge that maybe the timing was wrong and apologise for any misgivings I caused the committee at the time but we must now support Andy Ingles and move on.
The new ground looks lovely and I'm sure it will provide many more great memories.
I personally will miss Watnall Road. I've great memories both good and bad. Ive met some fantastic people, Managers, players , supporters some who have sadly left this mortal earth.
All I can say is Thank You Watnall Road Hello Aerial Way. There must be a song there somewhere.
