Friday Freebie: Make the most of the people around you
Non-league football mourns two stalwarts
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Football lost two great men in the last seven days, at either end of the pyramid. At Dartford FC, co-chairman Dave Skinner passed away at the age of 73 after a long illness.
Known as Mr Dartford, he was instrumental in reforming the club in 1992 after the demise of the original club was caught up in the liquidation of Maidstone Utd and was a prominent figure throughout the time afterwards securing their Princes Park home, a man to be sadly missed in North Kent football.
The other loss was much closer to home and someone I know personally. Keith Croft is a name known to many across Sussex football and throughout the Littlehampton area, he sadly passed away on Tuesday also after a long illness.
Keith was Mr Wick FC. Residing currently in the Southern Combination Division One this was known as their club for many years along with his brothers Jack and Arthur despite the odd spell away playing for another of the local sides.
It’s no secret he suffered badly from illness over the last few years but he never let it get in the way of life, his football or indeed work. He was always there at Crabtree Park doing something, most notably the tannoy on a matchday, public speaking was his thing and never one to shy or shirk from that.
Many years ago, about 12 to be precise, I had approached Keith to do some sponsorship at Wick having watched the football there for a year or two prior to that.
Unfortunately for me, I had to wind down my business, fortunately for Keith I ended up on the committee, definitely sure he got the better deal. There weren’t many of us and it was always a struggle to get the jobs done in pre-season ready to go again, Keith he was always there more often that not doing whatever needed repairing that he could undertake.
I saw an opportunity to engulf the club’s social media, a pitch to rent out, a clubhouse to hire, it had opportunity and as a collective we took it. I actually had some time out, it became too much of a growing opportunity for me, but who remained, Keith Croft of course.
I didn’t step away from watching and like any football bug it’s a drug that just keeps you coming back for more each time and I did return, only this time stepping in to be Treasurer and Secretary, Keith by this time President of the club but no less involved.
His words and time became ever more crucial as not long after I sat at the table then we were looking for a new Chairman, me having never undertaken this kind of administrative era before, it needed the guidance I got from Keith having been there and done the roles himself.
Eventually the role was filled and although Keith was there in the background his influence and presence was needed for these two rookies to get through the season and beyond.
Being involved with that level gave me great blogging material very often, there was so much a lot of people don’t know goes on behind the scenes to get a matchday on, to get a season started, it’s something I’ve got in the knowledge bank many haven’t.
It was right at the beginning of my blogging journey almost and I’ve attached a couple of links below for you to have a read:
The whirlwind of running a football club
Eventually it wasn’t for me as long term involvement, I felt I’d done as much as I could do, outside pressures made it tougher to devote the time it needed and at the end of 2018 I stepped away, one constant remained and that was Keith Croft.
When news broke of his death on Wednesday morning, it was pleasing to see the outpouring of respect and remarks across social media from people who knew him well within Wick FC and Sussex football, some who only passed through very briefly, he was very highly thought of and you can’t pay more respect than that to someone.
A figure that people knew across the Littlehampton area, from his work, a part of the Town Bonfire Night, his own Upfront Events company, he was one of those characters everyone has a story about and to tell, always a help to anyone and everyone, Keith was that gentleman.
One I regret I know he had was just before I got involved at the club, literally a few months in fact. The club had been relegated from the then Division One to Division Two for not having the correct amount of seats, Keith was disappointed in the decision and as the years would pass others faced the same fate, appealed and got reinstated where they were, I know he always wondered what would have happened if he’d taken the club down the same route.
I know the club has been back up to the top division since, briefly at times, maybe it’s fitting this year if Wick can make the play-off’s in a few weeks’ time and return back to the top tier of County League football he’ll be up there nodding his head at a job well done.
RIP Keith, you were a great friend, a wonderful person to know and a guiding light always for Wick FC, the county league scene and life in general will be a poorer place for your loss.
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Lovely tributes Trev. 👍
RIP