Alan Mussell- Chairman
Alan
Mussell
I am delighted to have the opportunity to return for a second term
as Chairman of Andover Football Club, requested by our President,
Mr. Bill Maynard, which was willingly accepted.
I was born in Andover in 1944 and have lived
in Andover all of my life. I began my support of Andover Football
Club in the 1956/57 season and, this year, will amass fifty years
of recording the clubs achievement’s in hand written manuals. I
have spent many hours in the Andover Advertiser archives collecting
more information from 1883 to 1956, which now completes a full 122-year
history of the club.
I am now retired from Test Valley Borough Council
where I worked in the leisure department. During the 1960s I was
Groundsman at the old Andover Football Club ground at the Walled
Meadow and the London Road Sports Ground.
The Board of Directors has a high level of
commitment to the club and shares an objective to provide a top
class Football Team that will bring entertainment, excitement and
playing success for our supporters.
January 2006
Geoff Yates - Vice Chairman / Director of Football
Ray Bulpitt - Commercial Manager
George Underwood - Director / Groundsman
Chris Jeremy - Club & Football Secretary
Laurie Noble - Company
Secretary
I
was born in Torquay during the war years, moved back here in 1987
having been educated at Andover Grammar School, and am very happy
with life in Babbacombe.
I retired from the Financial Services industry in
2000 having gained my MLIA{dip} and Ceemap qualifications and have
since been working on the desk in the Torquay/Paignton Tourist Information
offices, where I receive regular visits from Andover folk.
My late grandfather, Mr.F.E.Noble, who lived at 91
Salisbury Road in the town, founded the Andover Junior League in
1902 and served on the Hants FA, including the Disciplinary Committee
for over 50 years. In addition, he chaired the North Hants FA, was
President of the Andover and District Junior League and regularly
handed out the trophies and medals at the Walled Meadow.
One of the reasons I returned to Devon was to assist
my ex- Andover mate Peter Vear by acting as football/cricket coach
to his school team (Warberry C of E primary). We retired five years
ago having won all of the Torbay Primary Schools trophies on a record
number of occasions, twice reaching the South and West Regional
Soccer Finals only to be knocked out by the eventual national champions
on each occasion.
This meant that we were twice Devon County Champions and added the
Devon runners up spot in the hard ball Cricket game. I also served
with Exmouth Town at the time they reached the Vase Semi Final in
1985/6.
When AFC was in financial difficulty in 2003, I was
able to persuade my friend and business investor Bill Maynard, to
underwrite the debt and gradually put the club back on its feet.
The Board of Directors, two more of whom I introduced to the club,
have since put an enormous amount of time, effort and money to steer
the club to calmer waters.
We are working with a 5 year business plan devised by Peter Vear
and are making steady progress whilst remaining competitive on the
playing field. I know what is required to make this club successful
both commercially and in the footballing sense.
Currently, I do not hold an executive position on the Board, preferring
to help and assist the Chairman wherever and whenever I can.
I am proud to hold a seat on the Board of this famous old club and
will do all that I can to push AFC Ltd forward to become a real
force on and off the field.
Living in Devon, I am unable to get to the Portway very often but
travel by train at my own expense to attend Board Meetings and the
occasional match.
I am able to listen to the non-league reports on Radio Solent at 6pm
on Saturday evenings and receive personal reports on match days from
several sources enabling me to know precisely what is required to
bring real success to the club.
Away from the sporting field, I founded the Harmoniums Group in 1973
{ now the Harmonium Singers Chamber Choir} whom I conducted and ran
for 7 years although time does not allow much musical activity these
days.
Watch this space-I mean business and
the fire still burns!
June 2005
Martin Mitty - Director Of Youth Football
Martin Mitty
Director of Youth Football.
Jerry Webb - Shareholder & Sponsor
John Randall - Finance
Peter Vear - Business Planning
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