Wonderful story and heady days. I clearly remember seeing Heather tending the plants at the training ground. A lifetime away from what we are going through now.
I thought the idea of having a canteen at the training ground and feeding the young players was a bit silly though, why would a pro club feed young players?
It’s a very good piece but one thing in it jars. Neither the late Mike Norris nor Derek Ufton would support the view that John Sunley had a secret plan to develop The Valley. Indeed, Sunleys gave up the right to the land when they left In 1985.
Norris couldn’t get Sunley interested in schemes to develop The Valley, which is why he did a deal with John Laing.
Thanks for linking it, Ben, and to others for nice comments. I'm rather chuffed to have made it into The Blizzard.
In the end I decided to keep the article focussed on Heather's recollections of the time rather than drawing too many parallels with today, though the contrast of the canteen and providing for the youth players should nevertheless be loud and clear for present day fans.
Rick, appreciate some of the wheeling and dealing may well have been somewhat different in reality and from other perspectives.
I'm surprised there's not been more outrage at Heather's candid confession that the clear-up day at The Valley was purely a PR stunt!
Thanks for linking it, Ben, and to others for nice comments. I'm rather chuffed to have made it into The Blizzard.
In the end I decided to keep the article focussed on Heather's recollections of the time rather than drawing too many parallels with today, though the contrast of the canteen and providing for the youth players should nevertheless be loud and clear for present day fans.
Rick, appreciate some of the wheeling and dealing may well have been somewhat different in reality and from other perspectives.
I'm surprised there's not been more outrage at Heather's candid confession that the clear-up day at The Valley was purely a PR stunt!
I feel better now for having been too beery and lazy to have turned up....
I only remember the one big one in 1989, @25May98, but maybe there was another one nearer the time of the actual return?
I ought to include a plug for The Blizzard here. Long form writing about football, based on a co-operative model.
You can get access to three online articles for free as a taster. Thereafter you need to subscribe- online and print options available. The quarterly print publication is a thing of beauty. Now up to Issue 30 and only sustained by the subscription base. Would make a great present for football lovers who enjoy reading about the game.
My dad was always worried about some of the local young players getting enough to eat and it appears that his concerns were well founded ( ! ). He and my mum (and, for a time, me) lived for many years in Valiant House and she participated in the famous Valley clear up in 1989, working on the East terrace. She wouldn’t, however, have been the “old lady” referred to by Heather Alwen, as she would only have been 59 at the time and looked a lot younger.
Roger Alwen had a successful members agency at Lloyd’s and I bumped into him a few times in and around the market in EC3. A nice man and he thoroughly deserved to lead us over the threshold on that great day.
PR stunt or not, the Valley clear up was a wonderful idea and infused supporters with hope that one day we’d be back - and thus it proved.
Great memories - thanks for posting, Henry, and to @ChicagoAddick for flagging it up in his blog.
Brilliant read...really good article,another great insight into how we once got our great club back...hopefully very soon we can all say that we got it back again...
Thanks for linking it, Ben, and to others for nice comments. I'm rather chuffed to have made it into The Blizzard.
In the end I decided to keep the article focussed on Heather's recollections of the time rather than drawing too many parallels with today, though the contrast of the canteen and providing for the youth players should nevertheless be loud and clear for present day fans.
Rick, appreciate some of the wheeling and dealing may well have been somewhat different in reality and from other perspectives.
I'm surprised there's not been more outrage at Heather's candid confession that the clear-up day at The Valley was purely a PR stunt!
Was there on that Sunday with youngest boy - don't really care if it was a PR stunt. It worked, as you really felt you were doing something to start the process of going home.
Just caught up with this great article. The word that comes to my mind, to describe the contents , and the two Heathers is "authentic".
The Alwens are people of great honour. We were lucky they came along when they did. Weegie remembers Roger on TV from the return, but I see him more vividly as the intro to the Thames Report programme a few days before the Greenwich election. Sitting in the Selhurst stand, steaming with anger at the Council, setting the tone for the programme.
We had councillors who could not even speak English? WTF?
I dont have any problem with the clear up being a PR exercise. Like all good PR, it had a purpose, and it worked. It brought us back together as a team, fans and owners, and reminded us where home was. I remember watching the impromptu kick about which started in front of the Covered End, and thinking what a symbol that is. It made us a battle-ready fan base, and the positive reaction taught us a lot about PR, which has stood us in good stead as campaigning fans for 30 years.
Respect to to the author and to Heather and Roger.
Comments
I salute you, the two Heathers.
Norris couldn’t get Sunley interested in schemes to develop The Valley, which is why he did a deal with John Laing.
In the end I decided to keep the article focussed on Heather's recollections of the time rather than drawing too many parallels with today, though the contrast of the canteen and providing for the youth players should nevertheless be loud and clear for present day fans.
Rick, appreciate some of the wheeling and dealing may well have been somewhat different in reality and from other perspectives.
I'm surprised there's not been more outrage at Heather's candid confession that the clear-up day at The Valley was purely a PR stunt!
Really enjoyed reading your article, Weegie. Proper job!
I've still got the blisters.
I ought to include a plug for The Blizzard here. Long form writing about football, based on a co-operative model.
You can get access to three online articles for free as a taster. Thereafter you need to subscribe- online and print options available. The quarterly print publication is a thing of beauty. Now up to Issue 30 and only sustained by the subscription base. Would make a great present for football lovers who enjoy reading about the game.
https://theblizzard.co.uk
My dad was always worried about some of the local young players getting enough to eat and it appears that his concerns were well founded ( ! ). He and my mum (and, for a time, me) lived for many years in Valiant House and she participated in the famous Valley clear up in 1989, working on the East terrace. She wouldn’t, however, have been the “old lady” referred to by Heather Alwen, as she would only have been 59 at the time and looked a lot younger.
Roger Alwen had a successful members agency at Lloyd’s and I bumped into him a few times in and around the market in EC3. A nice man and he thoroughly deserved to lead us over the threshold on that great day.
PR stunt or not, the Valley clear up was a wonderful idea and infused supporters with hope that one day we’d be back - and thus it proved.
Great memories - thanks for posting, Henry, and to @ChicagoAddick for flagging it up in his blog.
Cmon Roly Douchtwat...FO & Sell...!!
from memory though, aren't the VP vote numbers wrong? (14,838 not 14,383)
How can we be angry about a PR stunt that was done for us fans by a club that cared when we’ve been treated so horrendously lately?
Fantastic piece by the way. I always enjoy reading your stuff.
The Alwens are people of great honour. We were lucky they came along when they did. Weegie remembers Roger on TV from the return, but I see him more vividly as the intro to the Thames Report programme a few days before the Greenwich election. Sitting in the Selhurst stand, steaming with anger at the Council, setting the tone for the programme.
We had councillors who could not even speak English? WTF?
I dont have any problem with the clear up being a PR exercise. Like all good PR, it had a purpose, and it worked. It brought us back together as a team, fans and owners, and reminded us where home was. I remember watching the impromptu kick about which started in front of the Covered End, and thinking what a symbol that is. It made us a battle-ready fan base, and the positive reaction taught us a lot about PR, which has stood us in good stead as campaigning fans for 30 years.
Respect to to the author and to Heather and Roger.