It’s the end of a three decade long era at Combined Counties League Premier Division North Holyport who have announced chairman Tony Andrews is to step down.
Port have confirmed they are actively seeking a replacement for a man who has been invlolved with the club since the 1960s.
Richard Tyrell, Port club secratary, spoke to Mr Andrews for Football in Berkshire and asked what lead to his becoming chairman: “Well, Norman House, who was the chairman at the time, stepped down. I’d already been
involved with the club for a while, since around ’62 or ’63, so I knew the club pretty well and
had been around the people involved.
“When Norman stepped down, I was offered the job. I suppose it just seemed like the natural thing to do. I’d been involved with Holyport for a number of years and cared about the club, so I was happy to take it on.
“It was a different club back then compared to what it is today, but it was a great club to be involved with, and I was proud to become chairman.”
The club has evolved and expanded, not least the amount of people involved in running the club: “It’s changed enormously. When I first became chairman, there were only about three people on the committee, so it was a much smaller operation than it is today.
“Over the years, the club has really grown and developed. We’ve progressed through the leagues, and we’ve had new floodlights put in and new stands built. All those things made a big difference and showed how the club was moving forward.
“You look at the facilities now compared to what we had years ago and it’s quite something. I remember we used to serve tea out the back of a car! That was just the way things were. Now, of course, we’ve got a wonderful new tea bar. It shows just how far the club has come. There have been plenty of changes over the years, but the important thing is that the club has continued to grow and move forward as we enter our 130th year in 2027.”
From trebles to personal achievements, there’s plenty that stands out for Tony: “There have been quite a few things that stand out. Obviously, running Holyport Football Club was a big achievement for me and something I’m very proud of. To be involved with the club for so many years and to see it develop is very rewarding.
“Winning the treble was another big highlight. That’s something you don’t forget, and it was a great achievement for everyone involved with the club.
“But, personally, one of the things I remember most fondly was getting to play with my son, Jason. To be able to share football with your son and actually play alongside him is something pretty special.
“When you look back, it’s not always just the trophies and achievements that you remember. It’s the people you shared those moments with and the memories you made along the way.”
What you may not know of course is that as a younger man, Tony was captain of Holyport: “I’d always been involved in football. I was captain of Holyport and played for Cookham Social as well, along with playing a bit of local football.
“So football had been a big part of my life before I became chairman. I’d played the game, been around the club and knew what it was all about.
“That probably helped when I became chairman because I understood the club from a player’s point of view as well as from being involved in running it.
He adds: “I’d just like to give a big thank you to Peter Prior.
“Without Peter, there’d be no Holyport Football Club. That’s something I really want to acknowledge because people like Peter are so important to a football club. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to keep a club going, and you don’t always see all of it.
“So, really, a big thank you to Peter and to everyone who has given their time and helped Holyport over the years. It’s been a privilege to be part of the club and to see how far it’s come.”
