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 RECREATION GROUND | BROOKBURN ROAD | CHORLTON | M21 8FE

 
West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC

Mr. West Didsbury & Chorlton – Glyn Meacher’s tribute to Rob Turley – West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC

Mr. West Didsbury & Chorlton – Glyn Meacher’s tribute to Rob Turley

by · 26/07/2019

Former chairman and current committee member Glyn Meacher wrote his thoughts on Rob Turley, whose memory tour friendly against Maine Road game will be played in honour of. You can read our match preview here.

[This friendly] gives our club the opportunity to compete for the Rob Turley trophy against Maine Road for the second time, although everyone who visits the ground will be aware of Rob’s name given the stand at the clubhouse end is named in his honour.

However, given the massive growth in the club over the past three years, there will be many players, fans and parents who didn’t know Rob, nor will fully understand the impact he had on the club and how it is run.

As we enjoy the facilities we have at the club, compete at Counties level and look forward to our latest ground improvements, all were only made possible through his vision, skill and 100% commitment to the club. It was Rob who:

  • Had a dream of us playing in the FA Cup, before we had even bought Brookburn Road and saw it come true
  • Had a vision of playing at Counties level and persuaded a sceptical committee that this was an achievable goal, given we were playing in the Lancs and Cheshire League at the time
  • 20 plus years ago, together with Brian Cripps, our club President, led on the purchase of the ground from East Chorlton FC and the securing of lottery funding to build the clubhouse
  • Led on every subsequent ground development; floodlights, club extension, pitch rails, stands etc
  • Purchased the land where the changing rooms and Hardy Farm sit on with the sole intention of creating a base for our junior section

Rob also put the name of West Didsbury and Chorlton FC on the non-league map, long before non- league dog day and chants about humous and broccoli raised our profile. He did this through spending his time taking on the role of being President of the Lancs and Cheshire league and helping other clubs meet ground grading requirements, examples being Litherland Remyca and Prestwich Heys.

All the above was achieved in a calm and dignified manner and in a way that provides a litmus test for the way the club will always be run. That being, if every action that the club takes, is done in a way that Rob would approve, it will be the ‘right way’

No-one in the history of the 111 years that the club has been in existence has done more for it, and Rob fully deserved the nickname, given to him by a previous chairman of being ‘Mr West Didsbury and Chorlton’

Glyn