GLAPWELL FC'S REVIVAL, BY MANAGER Dave Turner...

The Glapwell club folded in 2016, but in 2020 there was a revival and Manager Dave Turner carries on the story...

DAVE TURNER...

"When we walked into Hall Corner last July it was quite clear that nobody had played on the ground for a while and there was lots to do to bring it up to speed. During those first few months, the committee members right down to the players all mucked in to get it back into a good stadium again. There was painting, gardening and clearing, with plenty of work going into it! 

The idea was put together by the Chairman Jamie Wajs and Secretary Simon Bannister, who approached the parish Council and groundsman with their ideas to bring a football club back to the community, but this time to have kids' teams as well. Those lads could evolve into potential first-teamers.

At the time I was manager of Chesterfield Town in the Central Midlands League and we had done relatively well in difficult circumstances, for the Manager had left halfway through the season to go to Borrowash. At that time I was still playing but took the role on as player-manager but I enjoyed it and managed to get some good results in those aforesaid difficult circumstances. 

Jamie Wajs then approached myself along with Lee Fletcher (Assistant Manager) to see whether we'd be interested in going up to Glapwell to be part of what they're aiming to achieve. I of course accepted because I believe that this is a club going places. It's a club a lot of managers would struggle to turn down at this level.

LEE FLETCHER...

So, management wise I'm relatively new to the game, as this is only my second job. However, I had a very good knowledge about the kinds of players I wanted to bring in to get Glapwell back up to where it should be and to make the team strong again and which opponents fear playing against. 

Playing-wise I was at Chesterfield Centre of excellence for a while as a kid and adult-wise I've played for Staveley Miners Welfare in the past, along with Blackwell Miners Welfare and finishing up with Chesterfield Town FC. 

I've played in lots of games, but there are probably two or three that stand out. One being at Staveley against Alfreton Town Reserves (albeit for the wrong reasons), where I received a very bad injury from a reckless challenge which made me realise how much I loved the game when I wasn't playing for 6 months. 

Another was playing for Blackwell Miners Welfare in the FA Vase against Buxton up at Primrose Hill under the lights; we came off second-best that night but to play in front of a lot of fans in a competition like that was something I'll never forget. 

With regards to players I've played with I think it would be a tad unfair to put a starting eleven on paper, as I've played with some very good players over the years. However, there are two or three who really stand out and they are Jordan Hall, who went onto play at Alfreton Town and Dwayne Wiley who has gone on to play for Matlock Town, amongst other clubs. Also a quick mention to a few players who I've played against: Ryan France, Chris Waddle (albeit in his mid-40s but trust me, he could still play) and Clinton Morrison at Mickleover Sports.

IMAGE BY DC LIVE PHOTOGRAPHY...

Our leading goalscorer Charles Bradwell has been a massive signing for this club. I have played against him so I realised how good a player he is. He's aggressive, strong and a defender's nightmare. He is a Manager's dream and always gives 100 per cent; he's also very infectious on the rest of the side, in a positive way. If he continues to play the way he does then he could easily break 20 goals this season (if we are allowed to continue). 

Charles Bradwell SCORES A PENALTY TO COMPLETE HIS HAT-TRICK  AT HOLBROOK SPORTS...

Yeah, it's been a strange season where we've actually played more Cup games than league games and haven't played since the end of October. We have had a great start in what we're trying to achieve and I share the same ambitions as everyone else at the club in saying we want to be able to be back playing at step 6 again and making sure we can have kids' teams that filter into the men's teams so that they know the values of the club from a young age and what is expected of them.

We are trying (albeit difficult at the minute) to play a brand of football that we feel and hope is the way our first team and the young kids' teams will play for a long time. That is to be brave on the ball, play out from the back and be aggressive in pressing opponents but, most of all play with enjoyment and smiles on  faces. 

We've managed to get the place up and running again and smartened it up by the work put in over the summer, however to be able to achieve what we want, we really need the clubhouse back up and running which will be used not only by all involved at the club, but also by the Glapwell public, as we want this to be a community club." 

Dave Turner, Manager, Glapwell FC...