Martin Lovegrove or Grandad lives in Cheltenham and is a full time dad and part time conservation worker in the Cotswolds. Despite moving away 10 years ago he still comes up and supports the Rebels. Martin is a member of the Trust but isn’t a season ticket holder as he runs a team in Cheltenham so can’t get to as many games as he would like. His first game was against Hayes at the Dolphin in 1972 then Wembley for the Amateur Cup Final. He started coming to games regularly December 1986 and his first away game was against Swansea in the FA Cup.
WHY DO YOU SUPPORT SLOUGH “In 1986 I split up with my fiancée, needed support of friends and been going ever since!”
WHO DO YOU COME TO GAMES WITH “The old ‘Banging with Manning’ fanzine crew. When doing the reserve team articles for the fanzine, (Lucky Hat) Tony bylined it Grandaddy. When I moved down here and got involved in the Church football team, we needed a nickname for the t-shirts. They chose Grandad, thinking they were being original, mainly as I'm a good 20 years older than most of my team mates. The Banging with Manning fanzine was the baby of Tony and Wayne, I just wrote the odd article for it. This led to invites to reserve team socials though!”
WHO DO YOU PLAY FOR IN CHELTENHAM “Cheltenham Trinity FC who play in both Cotswolds Churches League, and the National Christian Cup. The latter has it's final at Northampton Town's ground, though we have never got past second round, usually losing after a game in Liverpool, or deepest Wales! I play, usually as an impact sub, and act as logistics manager (booking pitches and referees, and collecting and banking match fees).”
IS THIS CHURCH LEAGUE ALL FAIR PLAY AND NO SWEARING OR DOES IT GET OUT OF HAND SOMETIMES? “It’s meant to be fair play based, but can get way out of hand. I managed our team earlier this season, had one sent off, lucky not to be two! You do not have to go to church to play in the league, it’s all about showing non-Christians that Christians can be competitive and have a good time as well, so friends, work mates, etc all welcome. Having said that our guy who was sent off works full time for the church!”
YOU LIVE IN CHELTENHAM NOW WHY DON’T YOU SUPPORT THEM? We moved here in autumn 1997, the season before Cheltenham and Slough were in the Conference. I could not follow a team that I'd been "slagging off" that recently. Also Slough is my home area, and do not want to lose that connection. Seen Cheltenham once, next door neighbour paid, started a one man chorus of Slough Town reject to Steve Book!”
DO YOU GO AND WATCH ANY OTHER LOCAL NON LEAGUE TEAMS?“Have visited loads of local grounds over last ten years, but for last five seasons if free have seen Bishops Cleeve both home and away. Bishop's Cleeve are in the Southern League Midland Division, ie same level as us. Gates average around 120, but decimated if Cheltenham home or local, as Cleeve is to Cheltenham what Burnham is to Slough, basically a suburb. Take around 20 away, depending on distance. Most of squad are local kids who came through either youth team, or local lower league sides, way we should go! Currently just outside play off spot.”
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CONSERVATION WORK“It’s for Cotswolds Voluntary Wardens, which is volunteer arm of Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Board. Work involves footpath clearance, hedgelaying, dry stone walling, scrub clearnce from grassland. I am also vice chairman of Central District Voluntary Wardens.”
BACK TO FOOTBALL, WHAT ARE FAVOURITE MEMORIES FOR STFC “Supporters Conference in Brighton in 1987 and drinking too much. The Conference was a national federation of supporters clubs. I sort of gate crashed social side, as I stayed in a flat in Hove belonging to the gran of my girlfriend at the time. Away trips in the Conference and the Birmingham FA Cup game, especially the second half.”
WHO ARE/WERE YOUR FAVOURITE PLAYERS“Geoff Anthoney, Mark Quanina, Jeff Bateman, Brian Lee.”
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SOUTHERN LEAGUE SO FAR“Poorer than Isthmian, but more physical. It takes about an hour and quarter to get to Beaconsfield but I like their ground as it is on a junction of the M40. I wanted Slough in the Midland division, as nearest game would have been ten minutes at Bishop's Cleeve!”
WHAT GROUNDS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING TO “Anywhere away in Gloucestershire.”
HOPES FOR THE FUTURE“Survival, consolidation, slowly move upwards as circumstances allow.”
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