Save Alton Town Football Club

Altonian Louis Earl Age 87 contacted Cllr Eccott after his ‘did anyone know a relation
who played in that era of his Grandad Clarence Eccott who played for Courage and
Co (Alton)’ article in the Post two weeks ago.
Louis remembers the games in the thirties when he was a young man, as his father
Herbert Victor Earl better known as Jonah Earl played for Alton FC between 1921 to
1937 collecting two medals for winning the Hampshire County Cup and two runners up
for the same competition, as well as two other medals in local tournaments, which now
he would like to donate to the Curtis Museum in Alton.
Louis remembers watching jimmy Dickenson, Cecil (Archie) Andrews, and Stan Earle
playing together as young men who went on to play for Portsmouth, Crystal Palace
and West Ham respectivley, Alton FC then played behind the old gas works that were
on the Whitedown Estate before moving up to the Courages ground, then Bass and
now Molson Coors.
Louis pictured with Terry Eccott holding a picture of Alton FC team in 1927/8 season
with his father in the picture is very concerned for the future of Alton Town Football Club
and hopes that some sort of Agreement can be made to save the club not only for it to
survive, but also to keep Alton in the same Leage as it is now.
Terry Eccott Co-Cordinator of Save Alton Town FC Petition said, this proves once again
that the club is a part of the people of Altons lives, from generation to generation and can
not be aloud to die, as succsess is also starting to come back to the club with the Towns
reserves reaching the Final of the Aldershot Cup last week

Andrew Joy is Chairman of Hampshire County Council. Well done mate – and an Altonian to boot. Also represents Alton on EHDC. So the most powerful man in Alton – after Neil Thomson local Coors boss of course. So you might think it strange that Chairman Joy has yet to utter a word about the crisis his local football team is facing.Not a peep. Not a dickie bird. So councillor Joy are you going to support the club or are you going to support Coors. Chairman Joy – end your self imposed silence and show some bottle (NOT COORS) for once and get behind the club. If not then perhaps you could explain why not? We are waiting…oh look at this on your biography on the Hampshire County Council website…

Cllr Joy has a life-long interest in sport

As one perceptive commenter of the ARG website put it:

‘Why are our councillors so silent on the sports ground issue? Cllr Joy is up for re-election in the County Council elections in May. It will be interesting to see if he will get himself off the fence before then. We have a vote Cllr, you would be advised to listen to your electorate.’

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paxie/6238474160/

What does it say about us if we allow a multi-national conglomerate to crush hope for Sylvester and Mike?

Chairman Jim tells us that there will be a picture call for  fomer players at 2.30pm on the great day:

‘Looking to have pic opportunity of anyone who previously played for Town. About to start appeal for past players to turn up by 2.30 for photo’

Wonderful blog here:    http://hoppingaroundhampshire.blogspot.co.uk/

Not only do we want a record crowd on March 2nd but a noisy one – so bring along your vuvuzuelas, horns,rattles and drums and get behind the team with a bit of Brazilian samba. Also bring your home made banners – old sheet will do – to tell Coors to kick off somewhere else. Let’ ’em hear it down at the brewery. WHAT A GREAT DAY IT IS GOING TO BE – DON’T MISS OUT.

Cecil ‘Archie’ Andrews played for Alton Town, then at Portsmouth alongside Jimmy Dickinson, then for Crystal Palace from 1952-56  making 105 appearances and scoring 12 goals from midfield before being transferred to QPR in 1956. Terry Eccott is unearthing some fascinating stuff with old Altonians about the club and some excellent photos. A club with such a rich and undiscovered history  can not be destroyed by Coors. Full stop.

Today’s front page lead in the Herald keeps the pressure up on Coors:

Molson Coors march on cards

HAVING made Private Eye under the apt headline ‘Trouble Brewing’, the Save Alton Town Football Club campaign gathers pace with a Support Alton Town Day on Saturday, March 2, when a record turnout is sought for the Wessex League game with Hayling United. read on…

I can now report thsat Private Eye are still digging away at COORS and the covenant and we can expect further revelations soon.

Once again we must applaud the tireless efforts of Councillor Terry Eccott in support of the football club. Today he was delivering the very fine ‘Will Sylvester stand alone’ posters to every shop in town on a very cold day. Well done councilor Eccott… no doubt the voters of Alton will have your Heraculean  efforts in mind in the fututre.  Also now ready are the new SAVE ALTON TOWN badges – available from Jin McKell at the club. Congratulations to Jim for his interview on RADIO BREEZE today as news of plucky Alton’s fight against the BIG BAD BREWERY spreads throughout the land.

The Sylvester posters  will no doubt become COLLECTORS ITEMS so we have ten full clour A4  copies to give away to the first ten people to contact us:

savealtontownfc@gmail.com