Hill: Popular chairman can't go!

A huge favourite with supporters after his 21-year association with the Premier Division club, Brookes, pictured, revealed he was standing down after four years at the helm ahead of the Easter action.

As well as chairman, the 74-year-old previously served as the Yeltz’s general manager and has filled in as the club’s caretaker manager on no less than four occasions.

A former England international at schoolboy level, as a young winger Brookes appeared to have the football world at his feet aged 15 when he was coveted by Manchester United and signed briefly for the Reds. Homesickness saw him return home to his beloved Barnsley within months before he made his first team debut against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Although Barnsley ended up being relegated that season, opportunity knocked again when West Bromwich Albion came in for him and he later played for Peterborough, Southport and finally Yeovil in Non-League.

By now a policeman, Brookes went on to manage the West Midlands Police to the Midland Combination title for the first time and also guided them to the quarter-finals of the FA Vase in 1992 before joining the Yeltz two years late after retiring from the police.

Paying tribute to Brookes after hearing the news, Hill said: “It has been an absolute privilege to have had Colin Brookes as my chairman to work under. Myself, [assistant manager] Matt Clarke and all of my staff have the utmost respect for Colin.

“He has always been there to offer his advice to me and also tells me when I have got it wrong. I don’t think that I have met a man who is so well respected everywhere he goes. What we must do now is convince him to take up a less active role and stay on at a club he loves.”

Brookes announced his decision to step down in an open letter to club director Steve Lynch who has told the club's fans they are already planning to talk to their outgoing chairman about other roles.

Lynch said: "I have really enjoyed working with Colin over the last few years he has been a great advisor and ambassador for the club. Getting him to be chairman was one of my better decisions at the club.

"We will be talking to Colin about continuing in some sort of capacity at Halesowen Town Football Club, a club which has almost always been a part of his life."

In his resignation letter, Brookes wrote: "I wish to inform you that I will be standing down as chairman of Halesowen Town Football Club at the end of the season.

"When the club invited me to become chairman four-and-a-half seasons ago, it was a very proud moment in my football life of over 50 years and my personal thanks goes to you for making it possible.

“I believe that this is the right time for both me and the club for me to stand down as chairman and I am sure the club is now in a position to continue to progress both on and off the pitch. It is also great to see the support behind the scenes going so well with a number of younger members now joining the club.

“My congratulations to John Hill and all his staff and the players for the fantastic job they have done other the last four seasons. John is certainly one of the best managers I have worked with in my twenty one years with Halesowen Town Football Club."

He added: “I will continue to support and assist the club in any way I can and I ask all the fans to continue the support they have shown during my time as chairman."

Image courtesy of www.ht-fc.com

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