The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
NEW COLUMN: Read Andrew Tidswell every week in your copy of The Voice. Photo by pictures editor NIKKI GRIFFIN
We at the Spalding and South Holland Voice are delighted to tell you that Andrew Tidswell, one of the area’s most well-known football talents, will write a regular column for us.
Andrew was top scorer for Holbeach United as they won the UCL Premier Division title last year – a feat he has repeated this season for Spalding United.
He’s also the managing director of the hugely popular Elite Sports Academy, which runs numerous sporting events for your children in our district and beyond.
You can check out his first piece below…
I think it’s only right that with the timing of the first edition of The Spalding and South Holland Voice that I write about Spalding United’s dominant season– which has resulted in their first league championship in ten years and promotion to a higher region of the non-league divisions.
With a record of played 34, won 31, drawn one, lost two as it stands it’s fair to say we (Spalding United) have lived up to our favourites tag.
A lot of what Spalding United has done this season is frowned upon in step five football, however should a club with ambition receive such criticism?
A club that, since winning their last league title, had gone into a stale state.
Gates dropped to as low as 50 people at times and the image of the club deteriorated.
However, with Pat Rayment and his team’s arrival came a clear objective to push Spalding United Football Club as far as they can go – and to make the people of Spalding happy and proud of their football club.
The work behind the scenes is paramount, from the people on the gate and the kit men to Jake Whiteley the photographer.
They have all been part of what is happening, but with them being behind the scenes they rarely get the recognition they deserve.
But they do the unseen work which allows the players to focus about what’s on the pitch.
Another big part of promoting Spalding United and getting their name about in non-league is the club’s youth set up.
For non-league clubs, the work in the community they do is massive to provide a base they can project from.
Part of my day job – luckily for me – is to watch youth football, and the work that a lot of volunteers are doing for respected clubs such as Spalding United, Pinchbeck United, Holbeach United, Deeping Rangers and Bourne Town is fantastic.
But again, recognition for this is low.
But before I speak about this in coming weeks in my Voice column, this piece was for Spalding United Football Club.
Get down to see the presentation of the trophy this Saturday after the home game against Huntingdon Town.
Well done to everyone involved at the club this season!
Got a view on Andrew’s first column in The Spalding and South Holland Voice? Email andy@spaldingvoice.co.uk and let us know your opinion.
