Harriers Quit MFA

[Duffer]

Taken from this week's Halesowen News :-

 

Halesowen Harriers supremo Derek Beasley has pulled

the team out of the Midland Alliance for next season.

 

The team will cease to exist next season, with their

attractive Park Road ground being turned into a number

of astro-turf pitches which will be used as a

community football academy, if planning permission is

received from Dudley Council.

 

Harriers have struggled on the pitch this season and

currently lie one of the bottom of the Midland

Alliance.

 

Gates at home games have also been low, with Beasley

blaming fierce competition from senior teams in

Halesowen and Stourbridge.

 

He also said he and wife Christine wanted to take a

different direction after 42 years of running the

club, which started out as a Sunday team.

 

Since then, the harriers progressed after joining

senior Saturday football in 1985 and enjoyed some

success, joining the Midland Alliance when it was

formed in 1994.

 

Beasley said: "It is difficult to attract spectators

when there are so many teams in close proximity to us,

and that is one of the reason we are pulling out as a

team.

 

"We used to get more people watching the team when it

played on a Sunday- there a are a lot of alternative

attractions now.

 

"I do not blame the public, as everyone has a Saturday

side they support and a lot of the senior teams around

here have a longer history.

 

"Financially it is a struggle to exist at this level

when there is little money coming in, so we have

decided to go in a different direction.

 

"If given the go-ahead, the new academy and pitches

will cater for the whole community, including school

kids who will receive coaching and be able to play

football in first class facilities.

 

"It will involve a lot more people than are using Park

Road now.

 

"I would stress that Halesowen Harriers FC will

continue to exist, just not as a football team , and

we are looking forward to the future."

 

Beasley has informed league officials of their

intention to quit and the last game will be against

Causeway United on Monday April 28.

 

Tenants Brierley and Hagley Alliance have been told

they can continue to ground share for the 2003-2004

season or until the go ahead is given for the training

pitches.

 

Beasley thanked everybody who has supported the team

over the years and said the last game would be a party

occasion, with everyone invited.