Tonight, we welcome our friends from Kidderminster Harriers. May I wish their directors, manager, players and supporters a pleasant evening with us and a safe journey home.
Well, it’s been another busy 10 days or so at the club since we beat a very good Harrogate Town side here 4-1. In the time since, we’ve played out a 1-1 draw with Everton Under-21s, with our whole squad getting much-needed minutes.
We then went up to Solihull Moors with just 15 available players and gave them a 3-0 spanking. A spanking, yes, but only after a disjointed and, in truth, frustrating opening 43 minutes before we went one up through Ben Whitfield just before the break.
In the second half, we went 2-0 up early doors, again through Ben, and then had so many opportunities to increase our lead and finish the game off. The fact we missed a penalty, after the players themselves changed our normal penalty taker, rightly enraged the gaffer, but calm was restored when Jay Bird finally got our third and the game was put to bed.
As a chairman, having been down at the bottom end of this league just three years ago, times have certainly changed for us. That said, I know the pressure and sleepless nights that come with being in the relegation places, and I could feel the hurt, despair, sadness and doubt all around Solihull Moors from the moment I arrived.
For me, having been through pressured times, it was difficult to witness. As a fellow chairman and owner, it’s during these times that the Solihull owner will find out who his friends are and who he can trust. I know just how lonely it can feel for an owner.
Trust me, I take no delight in that statement, but on arrival at their stadium, I heard the negative comments, not just from Solihull supporters, but from staff and certain players who should know better. For me, at a time when people should be uniting, it was borderline toxic.
Through witnessing that undercurrent, I knew before kick-off that we had a great opportunity to win the game because confidence and positivity were clearly on the floor. As an owner who has been through those difficult times, I know the challenges, and Solihull’s current troubles do not sit easily with me because there are some very good people who are hurting at that club.
Because a certain level of toxicity was brought into my vicinity by others, I decided to leave my seat in the boardroom and the Directors’ Box just 10 minutes into the game, simply so I could enjoy my day, enjoy things my way and be in a positive environment. So I went and sat with our supporters, my son, my son-in-law and my grandchildren.
It also gave me the chance to say “hello” to many of my ‘old friends’ on the terraces and supporters who had travelled up to Solihull, and it allowed me to reacquaint myself with the very likeable, lively and supportive ‘James Clarke’ family.
In truth, I had a wonderful time, especially when news started to filter through that results elsewhere were going our way and that we might be going six points clear at the top of the table. It’s these unexpected moments, and I’ve had a few over my 28 years here, that make those sleepless nights, accountant meetings and family sacrifices worthwhile.
So, at 5pm on Saturday, with the warm autumn sun still on my back, I walked into the Solihull car park alongside our fans and friends, with my son, son-in-law and grandchildren by my side. I could hear and feel the excitement of my family and our loyal supporters as my phone lit up with messages from well-wishers telling me we were six points clear at the top.
It’s on these types of days that I know all of our hard work is being rewarded and that ‘God loves a trier’. And I knew when I boarded the team coach for the journey home that our loyal kit manager, Loretta Brown, would have an ice-cold pint of Magners ready for me. Boy, did that taste good as I looked at the results and league table in more detail for pretty much the whole two-hour journey home.
In terms of our squad strength, loanee Connor Wilkinson is once again available for tonight after not being able to play against his parent club, Solihull Moors, on Saturday. There might, if talks and negotiations have gone well, even be a new signing available for this evening’s game!
Behind the scenes, we are trying to add bits of experience, talent and ability to our squad, and if we get our man, he has been a target of Luke’s for many years. On the injury, suspension and international call-up front, we have, to date, coped well without the likes of Callum Reynolds, Matt Rush and, more recently, Regan Booty.
We are also coping without Tarryn Allarakhia and Farhaan Ali Wahid, who are still on international duty, but we quietly planned for this scenario some time ago, hence the signings of Ted Curd, Jay Bird, Ben Whitfield and Connor Wilkinson.
Planning, of course, comes increasingly into play the higher you go up the pyramid, and it’s important for Luke, Charlie and me to be active, not reactive, when it comes to dealing with worst-case scenarios and not simply relying on best-case scenarios.
As such, we must look ahead to what next week, next month and next season might look like. We can all understand the reasons why some players might choose not to sign new contracts, and we must respect that, but also react intelligently as the season unfolds.
We must also decide what we are going to need for our future, especially if we do get close to becoming an EFL club.
In truth, the Kidderminster Harriers game this evening and the home game with Altrincham on Saturday are two very important early indicators because, once played, we will have completed 12 league games and more than 25% of the 2026/27 season.
Luke, if you ask him, will tell you that we must improve further. He tells me we have scope to improve, and I agree with him. We now know, after Saturday’s win, that we’re there to be shot at, and the dressing room is more than aware that both of these visiting clubs over the next four days have play-off ambitions of their own.
Anyway, it just leaves me to say thank you for the amazing away support on Saturday, but please, please, please get yourselves down to Meadow Park for these next two games. Bring a friend, bring the family or drag your next-door neighbour if needs be. Trust me, you make a huge difference with your presence, your positivity and just by making yourselves heard.
Lastly, whoever you support tonight, let’s hope for an open, attacking game, and may the best team win.
Take care,
Danny
