My Hero - My Inspiration - Dave (Castlecroft Rangers)

Our second in the feature series, "My Hero, My Inspiration" is written by Dave. One of the driving forces behind Castlecroft Rangers, currently playing at the grassroots level of football in the Birmingham AFA Division Six.

"Castlecroft Dave", spent his informative years at The Abbey Stadium, watching Cambridge United's demise and manager at the time, John Beck's meteoric rise.  Now based in the Black Country, via Lancaster City, Moor Green and Gornal Athletic, Dave's drive is to re-find the pure passion and desire behind football and fight the repressive Sky Sports generation. These are his words, this is his inspiration 

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Football is a simple game complicated by committees and bureaucracy. A few years ago I did not realise this. I was happy to go along to the EPL and spend £500 to watch mediocre fair in less than comfortable conditions and then the grassroots revolution spoke to me.

Before long I found myself on the committee of a local non league team that remain close to my heart. However, something was missing- it was part of me but I was not part of them. I ran the twitter feed for the club one, of the few non league clubs at the time to make use of the medium- we were the trail blazers in those days. I had watched with interest the work of Davie and Glasgow’s finest, The Tantallon Victoria, or as they are better known "The Tally Vic".... (@thetallyvic)

Davie spoke with such passion about his role with the club, it totally consumed him and was an essential part of his life and this captivated me. And then I met him and wow did this man live and breathe grassroots football or what! It was from this moment that I realised doing the gate and updating the twitter feed was not enough for me. I wanted to don my boots. I wanted to be the chairman, physio and occasional linesman all at once just like Davie did up in Glasgow.

On Christmas Day 2011 when the opportunity to get involved at Castlecroft Rangers became available I consulted with my good friend Davie who of course advised me to go for it. With his help and the support of his friends and contacts we have become a powerhouse of amateur football on twitter and the very survival of our club relies on this.

My inspiration is simple, without Davie and The Tantallon Victoria FC model there would be no Castlecroft Rangers. We are forever grateful and in the debt – Com’n The Tally Vic!

We are football - We are grassroots : #footballforall  #twitterfc

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Links

Castlecroft Rangers : Official Site

Tantallon Victoria FC : Official Site

Castlecroft Rangers : #twitterfeed

Tantallon Victoria : #twitterfeed