Video tribute on sad anniversary

The Seadogs used YouTube to publish a four and half minute tribute following his death at the age of 59 after a short illness on 21 February 2017, just five months short of seeing his dream come true of the club returning home from a 10 year exile to play at their new Flamingo Land Stadium.

Using audio from a May 2015 speech he gave to the Scarborough Council Planning and Development Committee asking members to back the club's plans for a new home, the video features images and text telling the story of his greatest achievement and was accompanied on the club's website by a series of personal tributes from key club figures including his successor Trevor Bull, director Nick Finch, manager Steve Kittrick and skipper Dave Merris.

The late Scarborough chairman, who ran an educational publishing company in Norfolk, started supporting the former Scarborough Football Club as an eight-year-old in the 1964-65 season, becoming involved with the club’s Trust following the winding up of the old club before playing a key role in its resurrection as Athletic in June 2007.

To watch the video tribute click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BazUV7bW3w&feature=youtu.be

Scarborough Athletic president John Fawcett
"Dave was a good friend, dating back to the days of the former club. He was a delightful man and I will never forget his generosity of spirit, his compassion and his decency. His contribution to the club was enormous. He was a totally dedicated chairman, devoting countless hours to furthering its progress and, in particular, to the move to our new ground. How tragic it was that, after his immense contribution to the project, he did not live to see the Boro's return home.

"As president, I have, of course, no executive role in the running of the club, but Dave always ensured that I was fully informed about developments in the club with emails and frequent phone calls. We used to meet up for lunch every few weeks at what we called "Our Club" (Sainsbury's coffee shop!) and we did so just a week or so before his death.

"It was obvious then that he was under enormous pressure, running the club while dealing with the demands of his own business. I urged him to be careful for his health, never dreaming how prescient my words would be. Dave's contribution to Scarborough Athletic will never be forgotten.

Captain Dave Merris
"I didn’t know the news about Dave’s passing until I got to Queensgate on the Tuesday night for the Ossett Town game. It came out of the blue for all of us, we knew he was unwell but it all happened so suddenly. There was talk about whether the game should have gone ahead, but I don’t think Dave would have wanted it to be called off, instead he’d have said to go out there and do Scarborough proud.

"The amount of work Dave put in behind the scenes was incredible, I’ve never seen a chairman like him. I tend to get to the ground early and Dave was always in the changing room either putting the kit out or filling up the water bottles, getting jobs done before he went wandering around the ground talking to the fans ahead of the game.

"Straight after the game he’d be the first person there to shake hands with you as we came off the pitch. No matter what the score was, he was always there by the tunnel. Then as the players wandered out of the changing rooms, Dave was back in there again gathering up the kit, he never stopped.

"Looking back, I do think the run we went on at the end of the season was down to the squad pulling together and trying to achieve promotion in memory of Dave. We were stunned really so to then try and play football was hard for us all. It was an absolute honour to carry Dave’s coffin along with some of the other players and staff at his funeral. We were the lads Dave believed in and he put his trust in us to try and get the club promoted.

"The Sheffield United game was an amazing day for the football club, but there was just one person missing. After all Dave's hard work, he was so close to seeing it all. I was thinking of him as we held the minute’s applause before the game, and I’m sure he would have had a big smile on his face that day."

Chairman Trevor Bull
"As far as Dave’s legacy is concerned it's very simple for me, Scarborough Athletic FC are playing at a new ground in the town so Dave "brought us home". We must not underestimate how much work that took, it was 6 years of hard work, often 24 hours a day and extremely stressful.

"The coming home was the icing on the cake after years of battling to keep us afloat with the limited income streams available when in exile and working with several managers to give us the best team on the pitch. I know how hard that was and if you remember when I came on board I said I couldn't do it on my own and needed to bring a couple of extra board members to help me.

"Dave worked closely with Scarborough Borough Council to help deliver the Sports Village, his involvement proved to be really critical to getting the development off the ground and giving the club the best chance to come home. I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time round Dave in the 18 months prior to his death, thinking through the future strategy of the club and how we were going to operate going forward.

"I’m sure Dave would have been just as excited as the rest of us for our first season back home. I hope he would be pleased with how we have carried on his legacy and possibly pleasantly surprised just how big the club has got so quickly.

"Everyone's big regret of course is that Dave didn't get to see his hard work come to fruition and enjoy the fun with the rest of us. We will always be thankful for his contribution to our Football Club and especially the fact he brought us home."

Director Nick Finch
"Without Dave Holland's contribution, the return home would have either have never happened or would certainly not have happened this season. Dave spoke to me the day he said the development had been mooted. I knew we would get home with Dave leading the charge. I think I can say on behalf of ALL fans of Scarborough Athletic FC that everybody was gutted by Dave’s sudden death.

"Dave was Boro through and through. Everybody was aware of his contribution to the club, not only in the move back home but also the day to day running. He was Mr Scarborough Athletic. He collected the match worn clothes, sorted them for washing, did the match day secretarial tasks with his wonderful partner Wendy, listened to everyone’s woes, took the abuse when we lost, managed the expectations of the management ... basically he did it all!

"I remember speaking to our manager Steve Kittrick with Dave as the ground started to take shape. Dave always said to Steve that "this club will never be the same when we move back home! Dave always envisaged that the town would back the football team ... he was right! Dave’s motivation for all the work he put in at the club was his ambition to return Scarborough to the glory days when we were THE big non-league club.

"He spoke fondly about the trips to Wembley and the open top bus parades and the huge crowds that lined the streets to welcome the team back home. He wanted to bring those days back and to put Scarborough back on the football map.

"I remember one adventure we had going to watch Boro in a Doodson Cup tie against Brigg. We drove from Kings Lynn, I was working down there, and back again. Let’s just says it was a rather funny journey with chips, almost a crash, sleep and a great deal of laughter!

"Dave was a top bloke. He was a friend to many people. I am proud to have known Dave and proud to call him a friend. He took me under his wing and gave me support when I needed it, like many people. He would be so proud of where the club is today."

Manager Steve Kittrick
"David is the reason why I joined Scarborough Athletic back in early 2016. He persuaded me to join the club when everyone around me was telling me not to. What convinced me? David’s passion and vision for the club moving back to the new ground and the support he envisaged the club would command playing back in Scarborough. To be fair, everything he told me was 110 per cent right.

"It’s extremely frustrating that he’s not here to now see the club flourish at our new home. When I joined we were playing our home games at a ground that wasn’t ours and construction on the new ground hadn't even begun, but David was so certain of the move back to Scarborough.

"We spoke every day, we had built up a strong friendship as well as a relationship between manager and chairman. When we met for the first time at Oulton Hall on the outskirts of Leeds, he convinced me to join Scarborough. I don’t think even the genuine supporters understand how much he did for the club.

"David wanted the best for everyone, he wanted us to be as professional as possible and if that meant getting stuck in and doing a job himself then he would just get stuck in and do it. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for David, I wouldn’t be involved with the club."

Images courtesy of @safc/Twitter

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