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Rea Valley (Rovers) : Brief History 95-06 |
Formed back in 1995 from the ashes of an equally stupidly named club (Heart of England Rangers!), Rea Valley was the ‘brainchild’ of Emma ‘M’ Thompson who initially set up and ran the club helped by the wizardry banking skills of Val Mortlock. The team used to play on council pitches along the river Rea & Birmingham’s Rea Valley cycle route, hence the name – but M claims no part in the adding of the naff Rangers bit! In these initial years the team comprised of players from Heart of England (who played in the equivalent to the West Mids Premier league and were themselves formed from the original Aston Villa team many moons ago), and graduates from the University of Birmingham (basically M’s mates were made to play!). The team remained at the legendary council pitches for a couple of seasons –they were lined with hedges which was great for a rest when the ball went out; unfortunately they were also appalling with lakes in the middle of them every week, and the pre match warm up always consisted of having to sit on each other’s shoulders to put the nets up (one week we came out of the changing rooms to find out that after our efforts someone had kindly taken them back down and ran off with them!!). The changing rooms were no better, and after seeing no improvement the team moved to its current location at the far nicer West Midlands Travel Sports & Social Club Transport Stadium.
Whilst the club was developing in its first few years it very much attracted friends of friends (and thus graduates from other Midlands universities including Warwick, Staffs and Loughborough) and included professions ranging from police officers to accountants. As this continued it evolved to becoming the club where other club players came to - notably Blues players! The club has always welcomed everyone no matter their age or ability; even in its earliest years the team age ranged from 17 to near geriatric and whilst other clubs have developed a youth policy, Rea Valley has resolutely bucked this and remained a team for friends to play in as long as they can still walk! But it is this ethos that has sustained Rea Valley; the club has never received outside financial help or sponsorship or ties with a male club (although we were very grateful to our then goalie’s Dad (Kath Adie) for our first decent kit, and our current kit has been provided by Lindsay’s business). We are probably unique in having survived for so long just being run by the players for the players. Even when M stood down as manager 3 seasons ago, it was another player Lindsay Griffiths that took it on with M remaining as club secretary/treasure/and all things administration up until this season when an aged arthritic knee got the better of her! Indeed all that has really changed is the quiet dropping of the Rangers from the name (although it still regrettably appears in FA documentation!) as even some of the original players from 1995 are still about!
Club successes:
That we are now in 12th season is testament to the club and the players as we are one of the league’s oldest stalwarts; this is also the best start to the season we have ever had – examination of previous league tables will show that whilst we have generally been in the top 4 for numbers of gaols conceded, we have traditionally been in the bottom 4 for number of goals scored, hence the often mid to late table finishing. But this year the goals are so far flying in…..
Valley was one of the original 11 clubs that formed the Midlands Combination league as part of the FA’s pyramid back in 1998. We played at these heady heights for 2 seasons and then were relegated back to the West Midlands Premier League where we have resolutely stayed sometimes to the amazement of other clubs (and occasionally the players themselves).
In 1996 we had the dubious honour of being mentioned in the first ever edition of the womens’ football magazine, ‘On the Ball’ as being defeated by the widest margin in the 1st round of the WFA Cup by Lowestoft (well our goalie said she had played in goal before……., but Ais’ sliding own goal was the highlight and hands up those of you that remember the minibus breaking down..!). We haven’t entered this tournament much since as we always seem to draw Villa when we get to the second round (a fix at Lancaster gate we feel!).
The team have though picked up a number of trophies in recent 5 side tournaments – notably the summer league run by Birmingham County FA where we have been in the top two since the league started, and the local Bustleholme 5 a side in the summer, & most recently Power league whilst not even conceding a goal!!!
& whilst winning games/tournaments is enjoyable, it has never been what drives Valley – as long as friends can still play football together then that is success enough!
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TEAM CREST
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