Non-league football clubs are so often the heartbeat of the community and being the one responsible for keeping them going is a huge task, just ask Garforth Town’s Brian Close.
Located on the outskirts of Leeds you will find the humble surroundings of Bannister Prentice Community Stadium, the home of Garforth Town who play in the Northern Counties East League (NCEL) Premier Division (the ninth tier of the English football pyramid). Though only 20 minutes’ drive away from Leeds United’s Elland Road, the two clubs are worlds apart in footballing stratospheres in which they operate.
Non-league football has not always been the Garforth chairman’s diet of choice, having been a regular at Elland Road watching his beloved Leeds. That, however, soon changed during the Ken Bates era – a time that many Leeds fans look back on without much fondness – and he received communication that his season ticket seat may be moved.
“I’m a big Leeds United fan,” said Brian. “I used to watch them, but as you probably know it’s not just a recent thing – it’s been happening for a long time – and that’s the money in the game.
“It was when Ken Bates was the chairman there. He had a lot of season ticket holders on the halfway line and, come the end of the season, they sent me an email to remind me my seat was up for renewal.
“It was going up by a silly price and it said that if they were able to get planning permission for a directors’ box, they were going to move me.
“I thought, ‘do you know what? I think I’ve had enough’. That’s when I started going to watch non-league football.”
First Spell at Garforth
Brian would go to watch his local non-league club and it wouldn’t be too long until he began volunteering at Garforth. From helping out at the players’ entrance and stewarding games, Brian found himself as general manager during his initial stint at the club.
Simon Clifford, the club’s owner at the time who appointed Brian as general manager, held an ambitious outset for the club with the aim of taking Garforth into the Football League. In 2012, the club was sold to former Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe and that led to the departure of Brian from the club.
Brian told Fen Regis Trophies: “I was at the club for somewhere between 15 and 20 years, starting as a volunteer.
“I used to help in the players’ and staff entrance, then I started doing a bit of stewarding, helping the groundsman, and then took on the shop.
“I then got a job as the general manager here under the previous owner, Simon Clifford.
“After two or three years, he had a few mental health issues and I decided to leave the club.”
He added: “Rupert (Lowe) bought his businesses, which included Brazilian soccer schools, as well as the football club.”
Answering the Call
Brian would soon be back after a season, which proved to be a dark period for the football club. Having come agonisingly close to reaching step three of the non-league pyramid, Garforth struggled the following season and suffered relegation from step four.
It was at this point that Brian was called upon to come back and help steer the club back in the right direction, and it proved to be a call that he just couldn’t say no to. Eventually he, alongside his wife Jane Close and Craig Bannister, bought the assets from Lowe in January 2015.
“The following season (after leaving the club) they had a total disaster and the club was nearly wiped out of business and we were relegated back to step five, where we are now.
“The club was in trouble and supporters were trying to get the club back. I knew the club was in trouble and a few people who were involved at the time and they asked me to come back.”
He added: “I was in talks with our main sponsor at the time and Craig Bannister, who was an accountant. We decided, as we were local people, that we were the best people to try and resurrect it.
“That’s where we are today. I came back as chairman.”
Garforth Highs, Lows…and Socrates!
Garforth Town has had its fair share of moments in the sun, but possibly no more significant – at least from a PR point of view – than the day that Socrates played for The Miners. The Brazil legend, aged 50 at the time, made a 12-minute appearance from the bench against Tadcaster Albion in front of a 1,000-plus crowd on 20 November 2004.
“It was before my time,” Brian admitted. “Socrates is the most famous player to play for the club.
“I have been told that when he was here he was a total gentleman, was inspiring and would sign everyone’s autograph.”
While Garforth may be most known in the wider footballing world for Socrates’ swansong, they have had plenty of success with plenty of trophies to show. That includes winning the West Riding County Cup in 2009 and 2010 during Brian’s first spell at the club.
As chairman, Brian has not only helped to shift the fortunes of the club back in the right direction, but he has also seen the club come within a whisker of silverware having reached last season’s NCEL League Cup final. Unfortunately, The Miners were defeated 3-2 by Barton Town after extra-time at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium, but it is still a source of immense pride for Brian.
“It’s good for the players and supporters to go to the league clubs,” he said. “The fact that we are a competitive club again is a big achievement.
“Probably getting to the cup final is my favourite moment. We have improved on attendances, and we try to be as professional as we can. I certainly do.
“I’m here full-time and I come in seven days a week and I try to be as professional as I can for the club so people can be proud of it.”
Garforth are once again in contention for promotion back to step four this season, though will likely have to go through the play offs with North Ferriby holding an 11-point lead at the top of the division (at the time of writing). For Brian, while promotion is the main target, he – and everyone connected to Garforth Town – are simply delighted to still have a club still standing.
The Miners are once again a competitive force in the NCEL and you suspect that, sooner than later, Brian will be hosting a promotion party at the Bannister Prentice Stadium.
