Harlow Can You Go?

[Desmond's Tutu]

Harlow Town Football Club​

For the small but loyal fanbase of Harlow Town, life hasn't been particularly kind to them over the years. They're a club that has had a story of bad luck again and again, though despite all of this, the small band of supporters turn out every other Saturday at their home, the Pardus Wealth Arena, to support their side. Since Gary Lineker and Leicester City were dispatched in the FA Cup in 1980 on a famous night at their long gone Sportscentre home, its been a tale of woe for the club.

• Following the building of a new stadium falling through and their old home not meeting league requirements, Harlow sat out of the entirety of the 1992-93 season.​
• Ten points deducted in 2008-09 following financial issues.​
• Ten points deducted in 2009-10 following financial issues. Only a reprieve saved Harlow from relegation, as they fell into administration.​
• Things improved under new owners, however, at the end of the 2013-14 season, they lost in the play-off semi-final to Wingate & Finchley.​
• In 2014-15, however, Harlow finished the season on 103 points. Success at last? Nope, Needham Market finished on 104 points and Harlow lost in the play-offs this time at the finals stage to Thurrock.​
• Promotion was achieved in 2015-16.​
• In 2018-19, Harlow were relegated from the Isthmian Premier, with 7-0 and 9-1 defeats to Kingstonian and Worthing respectively.​
• 2019-20 and 2020-21 were deemed null and void from Covid.​
• In the summer of 2022, Harlow relay their 3G pitch at Barrows Farm, per FA requirements. The contractors who came in to do the work did a poor job and Harlow's pitch was unplayable and too costly to fix in such a short space of time. Harlow, therefore, dropped out of the Southern League Division One Central (8th tier).​
• As a result of dropping out mid-season, Harlow's punishment was a double relegation to Tier Ten, the Eastern Counties Football League Division One South.​

And that is where we are now. Harlow are in the tenth tier and I am here to lead them. Money is tight, I have league opponents of FC Baresi, AS London and Park View to contend with. I'll be honest, this isn't some rags to riches attempt at winning the Champions League, more having a laugh and seeing where things go.

We're the bookies favourite for promotion, the board expect it to and ultimately, that's the aim. The FA Cup provides much needed income and we have a local-ish derby, away at Takeley, some 14 miles away, in the shadows of Stansted Airport, some eight wins away from matching that famous night against Lineker's Leicester City. The FA Vase interests me too but the league will take precedent over that.

 

[MT55]

Looking forward to reading this. Love managing in the lower leagues.

 

[bigmattb28]

Love lower league save. Following