Pre-Season Part 3 - Brackley, Kidderminster and East of Kinver

by Simon Wright

Brackley

It’s a Miracle Okafor is back

For our second home friendly, we host the National League North Champions, a status which surprised them as much as it did everyone else.  Every year, they reached the play-off and every year they got knocked out.  Like having sex for seven years and never reaching satisfaction.  Worth mentioning that just over two years ago, they lost a home Play-off Final to a Russ Penn team.  Town seemed certain to be in the Play-Offs again in 24/25 until Kiddy who were unbeaten in 13, somehow managed to lose their last game to Southport.   Its nosebleed time for Brackley who’ve never previously played in Step One.

If you’re not familiar with Brackley, get to Banbury and head North for ten miles.  It’s a small town of 16,000 on the Northamptonshire/ Oxfordshire border.  Very attractive, prosperous town with one main street. Its’ not an obvious football hotspot.   They rely heavily on the support of co-owner Alan Leighton (Ex ASDA CEO, ex Post Office Chair, Co-Op Group Chair etc.)  He’s now 72 and lives mainly in Canada.  Brackley have the best balance sheet in National League North.  Whilst two thirds of the League are in the red, Brackley have North of £1 million in the black.  They have assets rather than cash though the club are thought to pay very well for a part time club.

A club which includes former Yeltz man Miracle Okafor who turned everyone’s heads during the first half of his season at the Grove. Last summer he signed for Step One Tamworth, a big step up and probably too much too soon.  He mainly made cameo appearances for the Lambs. Brackley initially took him on loan and then returned to buy him out of his contract.  Between the two clubs, Miracle totalled 35 appearances last season. Kinda deceptive as he only played 833 minutes football.  That’s equivalent to 9 full games so in the circumstances, 4 goals for Brackley isn’t bad.  He’s only 23 so plenty of learning time. These days, he’s a self-employed mentor based in Birmingham.

Our visitors are renowned for being very organised. They are well known for winning games 1-0 and reliant on their defence.  Their main defender is Gareth Dean who’s 36 in January. He joined Brackley in 2016 and since then has played 385 League games for the Saints. He’s long considered to be the best defender in Step 2.   They’ve just added Kyle Morrison from Kidderminster to their ranks.

Brackley will be a tough old test for us. Be there if you can.  If that’s not possible, tune in to Radio Halesowen Town for live coverage.

Kidderminster Harriers

It’s rare that full tine clubs host Step 3 sides. It says much for the Penn connection and even more so the impression that Halesowen made in the FA Trophy last season at Aggborough. Better to focus on matching a well-funded full-time outfit rather than the horror of the 92^nd minute winner.

Two quirks for this fixture. Firstly, the only person to lead Kiddy Harriers to promotion in the last decade will be setting in the opposition dugout.  Secondly, Platty works for the IT business owned by the Kiddy main man Richard Lane.   Worth noting that Lane also owns a Screaming Cow?  I’ll leave everyone to puzzle over that.  Lane or more precisely his business are underwriting Harriers. Their last accounts showed another deficit, making the cumulative losses around £4 million.

The home side have yet another manager after pensioner Phil Brown was sacked in the wake of a disastrous end of last season.  Harriers were flying, banging goals in from all directions and then somehow, they managed to lose their last game 2-1 at struggling Southport. They followed that with defeat in the play-offs at home to Chester.  I was at that game and I think it’s time Kiddy paid me to stay away.  I’ve seen them four times in knock out games, all at home, and they lost all four.   When Russ got them up, every game was away.

Their new gaffer is Adam Murray, surely called Minty.  He has a very impressive CV and is best known locally as a former assistant manager at the Albion.  Like Russ, Minty got a club promoted from Step 2 (AFC Fylde), only to be sacked a few months later. That’s all too common.  Our hosts have seen a lot of players leave including top scorer Hemmings.  Lots of replacements too either from Worthing (Murray’s previous club) or from other Southern-based clubs.

Kiddy is a 7pm Tuesday night game so time will be limited.  If you can, do squeeze in a pint near the railway station at the SWR pub, the King and Castle with 6 real ales.  Our very own Frank Williams has performed there. (musically!) No blue plaque yet but not too far away surely. Or, just down the road opposite Tesco is the excellent Weavers micro pub. That’s my venue of choice. There’s free street parking beyond Tesco if you don’t want to pay to park at the ground.

The Radio Halesowen team will enjoy the media facilities here. Kicking back in the luxury armchairs and sipping PIMS in between sharing the odd thoughts about bouquet and vintage. All rather different to Tividale.

East of Kinver

This is an unexpected bonus.  Another chance to get one over on that club west of Kinver.  Do note the early 1pm kick off to keep things quiet.  At stake is the Brookes-Clark Charity Shield, currently held by Halesowen and on display during presentation night recently.

Unusual to play a friendly against a club in your own League. There’s a danger here. It has to be maximum effort in such a game and with that comes the concerns about an injury before the season starts.   Jason Cowley will have a point to prove. He was lined up against the same side 12 months ago in a pre-season and he won the game comfortably all by himself.   Jase will be at full tilt and that’s quick. But with that comes the uncomfortable truth that someone got carried away at the Grove in a friendly and Cowley was out for 3 months. 

Our visitors are playing their home friendlies in a different county.  They’re using the local rugby club who play at Stourton, just over the Staffs border.

The Glassblowers have a new and untried management team. Both in-house guys. Darryl Knights is promoted from within backed up by Tyrone Barnett as player assistant manager.  Barnett did score 8 times for his club last term but he’s 40 in October. He left the West Brom Academy in 2005.  That’s before one of our commentators was born. Surely his playing days are limited?   A lot of squad changes too with the ex-Rushall players heading “home” replaced by youngsters who are aged 18/19 or 20. There’s only 6 names in their squad who are recognised Step 3 performers.

If you’re still sunning yourself on a beach somewhere, just tap that Radio Halesowen Town app. Full commentary on the last pre-season action before the season starts.