Words: Football Heritage // @_FootyHeritage

As we look back on a wild year both on and off the park, the Football Heritage team have banded together to all say a few words before we sign off for 2024.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us since we founded in August. Have a very happy new year when it comes!

2024 has been a year of ups and downs, especially from a footballing point of view, but when you support Stoke City and a club in the North West Counties Football League, that sort of thing is pretty much a given.

Starting with Stoke, well, it’s been a case of Stoke being Stoke. Alex Neil was given the boot – deservedly so – towards the end of 2023 to be replaced by Steven Schumacher. He in turn was ludicrously sacked early in the new season to be replaced by former Norwich City coach Narcis Pelach who was – let’s say underwhelming – and clearly out of his depth. I’d said that I’d be surprised to see him make it to January, and so it proved – he was sacked just under 24 hours after our limp Boxing Day defeat to Leeds leaving us searching for our third head coach of the season.

2024 has been a good calendar year for Alsager Town in many respects with a League Cup semi-final appearance and a solid mid-table finish, only for the management team to leave in the summer. Their replacements started like an express train, leading the side to seven straight wins at the start of the new campaign. They chose to depart too in November, and form has been patchy since, though the Bullets still sit fifth in the table.

From a personal perspective, I’ve had my own ups and downs, but there have been three high points. Firstly, collaborating with the Football Heritage team has been a pleasure. Secondly, Work and Play: The Industrial Roots of English Football was published in October. And a month later, I signed the contract to deliver Street Football: The Real Grassroots of the Beautiful Game which will be out in 2026.

Lots to do and lots to look forward to.

Happy New Year all!

- Dave Proudlove

So 2024 draws to a close. A mixed year all-round for myself and Grimsby Town, while another one of consolidation and growth for Grimsby Borough, who continue to punch strongly above their weight.

On a personal level, the latter part of the year has been blighted by health issues which has unfortunately affected my ability to contribute to the Football Heritage project anywhere near as much as I'd have hoped to.

Likewise, it's had a negative impact on the freelance work I do for other sites, too. I'm hopeful of a much stronger year in terms of output in 2025, and I appreciate the support and patience I've received from all through what has been a tough spell.

The Mariners scrambled to EFL safety in May, but have begun the 2024/25 campaign looking much improved, with progress clear under boss David Artell.

It may be too soon for a realistic promotion (or play-off) push this time round, but solid foundations are being built on and off the pitch for a brighter future.

Borough, like Town, may fall short of the promotion picture in the Northern Counties East League (step 4 of English non-league), but they continue to improve year upon year under the stewardship of a top manager, with a team largely comprised of local lads doing the town proud.

So here's to next year. Hopefully, a strong one that sees the Football Heritage project continue to grow at a rate of knots, which would be fully deserved for all the hard work my colleagues have put in so far.

On an individual note, I'm looking forward to contributing more and kicking on in all my writing roles.

A book is planned, but maybe still a year or two away. Stay tuned with regard to that.

Hope everyone has a great festive period, and a prosperous new year

Up the Mariners & Up the Borough.

- From Chris Kelly

Due to chronic mental health issues I have only started leaving the house at the back end of this year so unfortunately haven’t been able to attend a game in the flesh across 2024. All of this means that I’ve only consumed football via online streams, and, in lieu of a dodgy Fire Stick, have only taken in free to air broadcasts which has sent me down some serious rabbit holes. CONCACAF Nations League on Fifa+? Latvian Virsliga on OneFootball? Welsh Premier League on YouTube? Sign me up.

Now, I think I could be considered a football traditionalist but could well be merely a hipster bellend but like many I have never felt more detached from the game in the upper echelons of the English Football League structure for a variety of reasons, it’s just no longer the game I fell in love with. Owing to the above constraints I discovered the new love of my life, The Scottish Championship on BBC Scotland on a Friday night.

What. A. League.

It's everything I love about the game, fast, full blooded, passionate and wildly unpredictable, with a healthy dose of fine colloquial phrases such as “bawbag” being picked up by the pitchside microphones. It's a true timewarp, wonderful old grounds, resplendent with evocative terracing and not a sniff of VAR, so players can, you know, celebrate without the 5 minute wait for some lines to be drawn.

It's good to have dreams isn’t it? Mine just happens to be a pizza crunch meal with some form of brown drink, followed by a trip to Firhill so I can finally be traumatised by Kingsley in person.

- Graham Boosey

2024 was one of the least memorable years for soccer in my life.

Rayo Vallecano sacked their manager in February and barely finished mid-table after flirting with relegation for much of the second half of the season. They look on track to do something similar this year. Fingers crossed that I’m wrong on that.

The Portland Timbers barely made it into the playoffs, only to then be beaten 5-0 at home by one of our biggest rivals–the Vancouver Whitecaps–in one of the largest playoff losses in MLS history.

After the Timbers were eliminated, Evander, our best player, hit out at the club’s general manager on social media. He will almost definitely be sold in January, along with a handful of other key players.

Brighton’s Europa League run last season was one of the only major high points. Even my excitement for the Seagulls fizzled out at some point in 2024 though. Mainly after Brighton’s 4-0 loss to Roma in March and following Roberto De Zerbi’s departure in May.

This year hasn’t been all terrible though. I moved to Portugal in April and have been fortunate enough to go to some Boavista and Leixoes matches. I’ve also met a lot of Portuguese football fans, so it’s been a very eye-opening year in that way.

Going to more games next year, learning even more about Portuguese football, and writing more are my major goals for 2025. Happy new year everyone!

- Cody Aceveda

Dear Football Family, As we gather around the warmth of the holiday season, it's the perfect time to celebrate not just the joy of Christmas but the universal love for football. This time of year, when the chill in the air matches the excitement in our hearts, football becomes more than a game; it's a tradition that unites us.

In the spirit of the festive season, let's reflect on how football, like the festive season, brings people together. Whether it's watching your favorite team on Boxing Day or playing a friendly match in the snow, football mirrors the essence of Christmas—community, joy, and the spirit of giving. Just like the Christmas Truce of 1914, where soldiers from opposing sides played football in no-man's land, the game transcends rivalry, fostering peace and camaraderie.

This holiday season, let's cherish those moments of unity. Remember the times we've cheered, laughed, and even cried together over the beautiful game. Let's extend our goodwill to all, on and off the pitch, sharing the warmth of our support and the magic of this season. Whether you're a player, a coach, or a fan, know that your passion for football is a gift that keeps giving, much like the spirit of this season.

So, here's to a holiday period filled with goals, not just on the field, but in our hearts and lives. May your holiday be as delightful as a perfectly executed free-kick and as comforting as a last minute winner. Happy new year and keep the football spirit alive!

- Jonee Nuno

The saying goes - “a year is a long time in football”. As a lifelong supporter of Reading FC, I can attest to 2024 being by far my longest year whilst following the club due to its toxic ownership headed by Dai Yongge.

We began the year as favourites for relegation to the 4th tier, and January 13th saw our fans invading the pitch to unveil a banner in the centre circle that read "football has an ownership problem". Since then, we have experienced Dai’s attempted sale of our prized Bearwood training ground to local rivals, neglect of the Reading Women’s team who have now been demoted to the 5th tier, pocketing money from flash sales of our remaining first team players, and obstructing any attempt at a takeover from willing parties.

Therefore, this year could be remembered for Dai’s pursuit to destroy our club, but I would prefer to reflect on the impassioned displays by our supporters and some excellent performances on the pitch. We end the year both fighting for promotion and fighting for the future of our club. The excellent work of fan groups such as Sell Before We Dai has continued and over Christmas we’ve seen protest banners outside Parliament, and a series of in-person forums have been organised to facilitate debate and bring fans together.

We start the new year as we mean to go on, and for these reasons I am hopeful for Reading’s 2025 and excited to see what supporter empowerment and protest can achieve this year. On a personal level, and now being more settled in Manchester, I’m looking forward to working with Football Heritage this year and continuing to pursue my interests in football fan culture, club history and heritage. Keep your eyes out for articles in the new year – Cheers!

- Matty Woodcock

2024 has been a big year in football for me personally. At one point I’d attended more Scottish junior football games than I had SPFL ones, and I ticked off a number of grounds close enough for me to reach which was fun.

Celtic continue to dominate the Scottish game. While fans of other clubs accuse us of being bored of winning, I can guarantee that the last 12 months of following my team have been some of the best. Lanark United, my local team, also gained promotion to the West of Scotland Football League Division 2 and won the Clydesdale Cup in pre-season. The club are well and truly on the up.

The highlight of the year though has been starting Football Heritage, and continuing the phenomenal work the fellas above have created. It feels natural, it feels right, and we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet. It couldn’t be better.

The first month of life as Football Heritage was daunting, but we’ve settled now and made it to 2025. I can’t wait to see what the year brings for our project and content. I’m genuinely buzzing.

I have to say a massive thank you to everyone involved with Football Heritage and all of the people who have offered words of encouragement and support. In particular I also want to thank Chris Evans, Phil Harrison and the guys at Cosmos Supporters’ Collective. These guys were vital in helping us get set up. Thank you for putting up with my musings, troubles and rants.

And finally, thank you to everyone who has read an article, shared a post or listened to one of our podcasts. We do this for you, because it’s a hobby and we love football. I hope you all enjoy the content we’ll deliver in 2025.

Personally, my aim is to visit more grounds, dive right into football photography and continue driving Football Heritage forward.

Next year will be class. I can’t wait.

Have a happy new year when it comes troops x

- Rory Bryce