Bye Bye GHT
 

I have just heard the sad news that Great Harwood Town FC have folded. :( It seems their Chairman was not happy with Stanley saying 'no' to another season of ground sharing.

Harwood were offered the Anchor Ground at Darwen FC for a season, but turned it down. That too I think as sad, as Darwen FC almost fell over backwards to help them.

I also hear that Stanley are not too keen to stage FC United 'away' games next season (ie for Nelson, Colne, Bacup etc). Nelson have already said they will stage their home game against FC at their own Victoria Park ground.

I think now that Stanley are a League Two club, they have to cut down on the amount of 'other' matches at the ground, and try and keep the pitch in good nick.

What do others on here think:confused:

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

I think your full of crap and if your going to say I HEARD all the time then have some balls and back it up with where you heard.. I personally dont believe that the harwood chairman is upset with stanley... I dont doubt he has been refused although i ahvent heard.. but i do doubt he has fallen out with us..

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Who said he was upset? Not me, I said he was "not happy" - and I don't blame him.

As to who I heard it from; Firstly from JOHN FENTON the Postman who runs the GHT supporters club, and secondly from KEVIN HENRY the chairman of Darwen FC.

As to being full of crap, well you know the old Lancashire saying - "It takes one to know one":D

And as to having some balls, well I can't help you there sorry - not since the operation:eek:

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

You heard from the the chirman of darwen that the chairman of GHT is not happy with the chairman of ASFC ... yes you are full of crap

like i say.. i dont dispute what you say other than trying to make out the chairman who are mates are falling out.. you know how you worded it...

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

whats all this about then ???

i know bill and i can assure you he would NEVER fall out with eric ,

and if infact ght have folded then it will be a sad state of affairs but in anothre sense look what happened to stanley after they folded, ok ok so not exactly the same level but you never know :D

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

blackburn stanley.. i thought you where blacburn raver hence the full of crap comment (no offence raver hehe) saw blackburn and went hmm

However your first post was still wrong.. posting I HEARD all over the plce is a bit lame... post the source like you did later :)

Bill and Eric wouldnt fall out... the way you psted it made it sound bad..

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Talk about blowing things out of proportion!!!

The original poster was only stating points as he heard them. To be honest I heard very similar points raised on Radio Lancashire yesterday. Nowhere does it say that Eric and Bill have fallen out! Just that he wasn't happy and I can understand why. It doesn't mean that he doesn't understand the reasoning behind the decision.

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

anything to add about the subject TM or just moaning about the responses ?

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Its incredibly sad really. It was only recently (till about 1998) that they where playing in the 1st division of the NPL, only 1 league below Stanley at the time. Unfortunately, as we now celebrate being in the football league, one of our non-league friends has died. Goodbye Harwood.....:(

PS: Does this mean no more VMI/Hyndburn trophy fixtures?:(

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Its been in the pipeline for some time.. Last time I spoke with the harwood chairman on this subject he was looking forward to the FC united fixture as that would generate much needed income... they should have got maybe 3 thousand fans... however the game ended up being played on a winters midweek in the pouring rain and I think less than 1 thousand on the game... GHT also missed out by one game on a cup semi final with them.. this would have really been a massive boost to funds...

I know you shouldnt have to rely on such games.. but playing FC United is as good as a cup run and given the bad luck for GHT of late they really needed it.. but even that didnt happen.

According the a story with the chairman in the accy observer.. he asked the league and/or fa to help but they couldnt..

Its a sad day if true as I have no doubt it is.. sad for any club to fold :(

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Bill has saying on the radio that they needed £1 million within the next week to keep the club alive. It would have taken a lot more than a couple of big attendances with FC United to keep them afloat after the fire.

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

pre fc game was some time ago.. the money could have springboarded them... it certainly would have helped... but some would say maybe just prelonged the inevitable..

1 million... would that save the club forever or just prelong the inevitable but a bit longer... End of day the majority of the town needs to be behind the club to survive and that doesnt "seem" to be happening..

great shame:(

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

I just hope the b*****ds who torched the place realise what they've done. How do people like that sleep at night? :e12:

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

It said on Radio Lancashire that they needed £1 million to survive, which would mean a major investor coming forward.

Don't forget that clubs have left the league before, but then reappear after some time out. Bootle, for example, have just rejoined the NWC after a few years out. Great Harwood could be back sooner than you think.

Better than flinging around personal insults. Totally unnecessary.

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

have the good manners to read the thread TM .. that was a tounge in cheek insult aimed at blacburn raver .. i got the wrong person and explained that... what do you want? blood?

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

No offence taken Kipax :o

I agree with you that Eric Whalley would not fall out with Bill Holden, and the way I worded it may have been wrong. But at the end of the day Bill would not be jumping for joy when told that GHT could not use Stanleys ground for the 2006-7 season. Although he could proberbly see it from Stanleys point of view re the pitch etc. The problem was as I (sorry again!) 'heard it', was the short notice that GHT were given to find a new home.

The other point I brought up which I still don't understand is, why Bill Holden turned down the offer from the Darwen FC chairman Kevin Henry to use their Anchor Ground for the 2006-7 season. If there are any Harwood fans on here who know why, please let us know :confused:

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

I think there is quite a difference between a club "folding" (administration and/or liquidation) and seeking a million quid funding in order to purchase the freehold of the ground & repair the clubhouse. At least, it is the latter which is being reported on the BBC Radio Lancs site. I know that the absence of a home ground does raise major logistics problems, but it does not seem to have been a barrier to FCUM.

Allowing £200K to redo the clubhouse, and assuming 2 acres of ground space, is £400K an acre the going rate for land in 'arwood? Even allowing for housing planning permission?

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Yes I agree very sad news.Just to pick you up on the last point Nelson will not be playing us at Victoria Park as they are not in the same league as us,we got promoted they didnt.So I don't know where you got that quote from.The only way they can play FC is in the league cup.:)

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Are you having a laugh mate:confused:

Nelson went up, they came third, they got promoted with FCUM and Flixton:D after being voted in at the NWCL AGM - do you not keep up with non-league football?

If its not too much trouble for you, then check the NWCL website and the Nelson website (see below) and I would also guess the FCUM website?

As far as I know from Nelson FC secretary Linda, the Police have said its ok for them to play their home game against FCUM at Victoria Park - but it must be an afternoon kick-off with a capcity of 1,500.

COME ON !!!!!

<TABLE cellSpacing=4 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=center align=middle><TABLE borderColor=#000000 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=1 0><TBODY><TR><TD>http://pictures.footymad.net/upload/380/285632-6.jpg</TD></TR><TR><TD class=arial8wht bgColor=#0022aa>Division One? Piece of cake!

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>It's been a long time coming - 83 years to be exact - but Nelson Football Club is today celebrating a promotion after being voted into the First Division for season 2006/07 at the North West Counties League A.G.M. It means Nelson join champions FC United and runners-up Flixton in the higher division, with Formby and Stone Dominoes being spared relegation. Ashton Athletic, Bootle and Runcorn Linnets join a Second Division which will consist once again of 19 teams.

As well as renewing old rivalries with the likes of Colne and Bacup Borough, the Blues will be looking forward to visiting a few new teams in the First Division, the full list of which is: Abbey Hey, Atherton Collieries, Atherton LR, Bacup Borough, Colne, Congleton Town, Curzon Ashton, FC United, Flixton, Formby, Glossop NE, Maine Road, Nantwich Town, Nelson, Newcastle Town, Ramsbottom United, Salford City, Silsden, Squires Gate, St. Helens Town, Stone Dominoes and Trafford.

And the great, the good, and the not-so-good of British comedy were quick to sing the praises of the players, the management and the club on hearing the fantastic news. Some of their comments are shown below.

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

I think you'll find they were promoted.....
Nelson have been handed a home draw against local rivals Colne in the NWC League Challenge Cup.With the Blues having been promoted, they were joined the other 21 clubs in the First Division, plus Winsford United, in receiving a bye to the second round.

Taken from http://www.nelsonfc.co.uk/news/loadn...TMNW&id=285680


nge Cup.

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Please accept my appologies mate:o .I didnt know about the back door promotion.Someone also told me that alot of other teams in the league will not be switching thier matches.Looks like it will be back to all ticket do's.Again please accept my apologies.:)

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

No problem mate. I guess there will be more all ticket matches for FCUM's away games next season. But on the positive side, you FCUM fans will get to see a lot more new grounds:D and not just Accrington over and over again! Although I bet you will miss your pre match pint in the Crown!

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Problems with this is that the club cannot gain extras for example from the bar sales which im sure were going to stanley and not to harwood these extras are often a huge help to smaller clubs.... this was highlighted when one of the main worries from what i heard from the press was that harwood were findsing it difficult to raise the cash to pay for away travel


Its a shame harwood have folded but with the lease they had on the ground with the man who they had it with (refering to the owner of Monroes), this has looked enevitable for a long time IMO :(

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

I'd like to pass on my condolences to john, bill and everyone involved with Great Harwood Town Football Club, it is always a black day when a football club goes out of business. Thank you for the entertainment you've given to many fans and I wish you all the best. It such a sad way for it to end with things pretty much out of your own hands like that.

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Sorry to see you go little bro. I used to enjoy our tete a tetes in the old days when we were crap and you were only slightly crapper than us. It used to be good having a local rival to 'hate'. In truth you haven't been enough of a threat for a long time for us to have any rivalry with you. You will still be missed though.


ps Can you send your thirty fans our way this season please?

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Yeah it will be a loss not going in the Crown,not just for pre-match but post match and well into the night pints.They made us really welcome,have you noticed one of our scarves behind the bar:) .Back to the point,I do feel sorry for Gt.Harood Town FC,they were the only team to earn 4 points against us last season.They didnt seem to bad an outfit.Just a pity the original match got postponed when we turned up in numbers.Instead of that horrible monday night,with the wind, rain,snow and hail.Still hopefully for them thier maybe another phoenix emerging in years to come......:)

Re: Bye Bye GHT
 

Yeah its a sad day to see a local club fold especially after all these years, I never understood how they used to make a go of things with low attendences etc its the likes of Bill Holden who have kept the club going all this time I think.