Harrow Hill Withdraw - 30th October

Though not confirmed officially by the Hellenic League Office, it would transpire that Harrow Hill have tendered their resignation from the League, therefore any spectators intending to travel to watch the fixture at Launton Sports tomorrow should be made aware of the situation.

Details as shown on the Harrow Hill website:- (Brian King is on vacation at present, the League webmaster awaits official ratification from other officers of the League before specically stating on this site that Harrow have withdrawn)

The following letter of withdrawal from the Hellenic League was today sent to Mr Brian King (General Manager), The Hellenic Football League:-

Dear Brian

HARROW HILL A.F.C. - HELLENIC LEAGUE WITHDRAWAL

It is with much regret that we have to inform you of our decision to withdrawal Harrow Hill from the Hellenic League with immediate effect.

This comes as a result of the turmoil at the club which began with the resignation as Manager; Steve Boseley at the end of last season, and the subsequent loss of several key players including our then club captain.

Tony Elliot was then appointed in the summer only to part company with the club even before we had started the current campaign.

Reg Taylor's grandson; Jody Taylor then stepped in as Player/Manager and has found things hard going to build a team and have a regular eleven players to play home and away.

There is a general lack of comittment from the players we have brought in and as at earlier today had only six players available to play Saturday's game at Launton Sports.

We as a club are struggling on and off the pitch and have recently lost the services of our Club President and major benefactor.

As we have cancelled games already this season we are no longer able to fulfill our Division One West fixtures and can only apologise to our opponents for the disruption caused.

Chairman; Reg Taylor and myself are deeply unhappy with the decision that had to be made.

I only hope we can re-group as a club and work hard to get our reserve teams to climb the league pyramid and hopefully get back to the Hellenic League in the future.

Since becoming Club Secretary I have thoroughly enjoyed competing in the Hellenic League and will be sad to leave.

Yours faithfully
for and on behalf of
Harrow Hill Football Club

Mark Rawlings. (Secretary, Harrow Hill Football Club)

Hopeful For Season - 4th September

Chairman Reg Taylor is hopeful that Harrow Hill can see out the Hellenic League season in Division One West. The cash-strapped club had to pull out of their game against North Leigh reserves last week because they could not raise a side and were fined £250 for the postponement.

Hill, who were relegated from the Premier Division last season, are winless so far this term and Taylor accepted the makeshift team are playing above their level. "I'm hoping we can carry on and it would cost us £1,000 to drop out of the league now," he said. "We sort of survive hand to mouth so obviously we can't afford to do that right now. If we keep going until Christmas and give the league three months notice of our decision to drop out at the end of the season it wouldn't cost us anything. That doesn't mean we are definitely going to pull out but it might be the best option if we do that and apply to join the Gloucestershire County League. I think that's where teams like us and Lydney Town should be. That's probably our level with the players we have at the minute."

Hill's problems started last season when previous manager Steve Boseley left and first-team players followed him out the door. Some departed for local rivals such as Tuffley and Slimbridge while last season's top scorer Eddie Weyman quit the game altogether. Reg's grandson Jody Taylor, Hill's 22-year-old striker, has been in charge of team affairs along with former player Rob Whittington. They have made new signings with two Hartpury College students joining the club and Taylor is confident of adding another. But attracting players is difficult and a recent 9-2 defeat to Winterbourne United, who were playing with 10 men, does not help their plight.

"When Steve left some of the players went as well so that left us in a dilemma," said Taylor. "We've been trying to carry on with a lot of the youngsters who made up the second team last year but it hasn't been easy. We started the season reasonably well with a draw against Cirencester but then we played Winterbourne and the team just froze."

Hill failed to raise a squad in the next game and Taylor explained that a late fixture switch led to their problems. They regrouped for a 2-0 defeat to local rivals Lydney Town on Monday but have withdrawn from tomorrow's FA Vase tie at Blackfield and Langley. "Originally we were supposed to be playing at home against Wootton Bassett last week," Taylor explained. "But they had a cup game instead so were given Trowbridge away and a lot of our lads had already made other plans. They wouldn't have made it back in time from Trowbridge for those so we ended up with seven players at their place. As for the Vase, we went to Lymington and lost 6-0 in the FA Cup last month and Blackfield are in the same league as those. We couldn't really see the point of paying £400 for a bus and going down there for another good hiding. As long as you put 10 days notice in of your decision to withdraw from the fixture you don't have to pay so that is what we decided to do."

Elliott For Hill - 21st June

Bristol-based Tony Elliott is the new manager of Harrow Hill. Elliott, 32, replaces Steve Boseley, who resigned at the end of last season.

At one stage it looked like the Foresters would drop out of the Hellenic League all together following Boseley's resignation. At the club's AGM the committee voted to pull the first-team out of the Hellenic League and just run sides in the Northern Senior and North Gloucestershire Leagues. Further meetings resulted in a change of heart – with Elliott stepping in to fill the manager's hot seat.

Club chairman Reg Taylor said: "A lot of people have worked extremely hard to get the club where it is, and it would have been a big shame to let it all go."

Elliott, though young, is keen to establish himself as a manager and take the club forward. The former Yate Town and Frampton player has retired from football because of injuries, but was recently interviewed for the manager's job at Minehead.

"In the end, it was just too far from my home in Westbury, but Harrow Hill is only an hour away," he said. "I know the club hasn't got a lot of money, but I'll be trying to help raise funds. I don't believe money buys success at this level anyway. I want to bring in a few players I know from the Bristol area, including a player/fitness coach, Dave Gamble. I can't wait to get going. Pre-season training starts on June 23 and I'm keen to see what the club has got. All of the players will be given a fair crack of the whip and I understand there are some good young players coming through. It's a fresh start for everyone. I'm not making any promises, but the facilities are excellent and I think the club has got a lot to offer. I know they struggled last year and were relegated from the Premier Division, so the main thing I'll be trying to do is stabilise things in this division. Any players who want to give us a go will be made more than welcome."