HTSA Heritage Project Roundup - September 2021
HTSA Admin
HTSA Admin
We hope that you’re basking in the warm glow of Town’s most recent victories and enjoying the international break.
Assuming that you are, we thought we’d provide a quick update on the Heritage Project, which launched in earnest way back in July.
The good news is that the website, which contains over 40,000 pages worth of Town-related history, has been visited over 18,000 times since then.
We’ve also received an additional thousand or so pages and items from generous history buffs, including a treasure trove of material from the 1930s and 1940s donated by one David Longbottom. We hope to scan and add them to the website if the association’s members vote in favour of such a course of action at the 2021 AGM, which will take place sometime in November.
The bad news, of course, is that we’ll have to catalogue each and every addition. Only joking!
Player Database
Six players have been added to the Player Database, meaning that 998 people have now pulled on the famous blue and white stripes in a competitive fixture. We’re expecting number 1,000 to make his debut in the coming months, so look out for a special initiative that we’ll be promoting to mark the occasion.
John M. Ward’s Private Archive
Several of you have asked whether John’s archive ends in 1969. The answer is no: it actually runs up until 2008, but we’re going through each decade to make sure that there aren’t any glaring copyright issues. The 1970s volume will be published next month, and the rest will follow at regular intervals thereafter.
Articles
We’ve published 6 new articles and interviews in recent weeks, which touch on everything from the original ‘Great Escape’ of 1992-93 to Town’s enthusiastic embrace of the Milk Board’s marketing strategy in the mid-1980s. We’re indebted to Lee Morris, Doug Thomson, Oliver Fisher, Ross McLean, and the stadium architect, Populous, for lending us their time and thoughts.
Would you like to have your work published on the site? Email heritage[at]htsa-web.com.
Hall of Fame
For those of you who are unaware, we’re providing fans with an opportunity to vote for their all-time favourite players and managers, from 'wing wizards' and 'bombers' to 'whackos' and 'King Davids'. The ten most popular will be inducted into our hallowed Hall of Fame.
Vote here and let us know who you think should make the final cut on social media.
1922 F.A. Cup Final
Next year is an important one because it will mark the centenary of Town’s famous F.A. Cup triumph over Preston North End at Stamford Bridge. We’re determined to give the anniversary all the love and attention it deserves, so we’re talking to a number of people and organisations about doing just that. In the meantime, we’re keen to know what you think. Would you like us to make a video documentary, publish a special fanzine, or something else altogether? Let us know by sending an email to heritageh[at]htsa-web.com. The same goes for any other ideas that you might have.
Worthington Walk
The club recently announced the launch of the ‘Worthington Walk’ in honour of the late Frank Worthington. It involves a 22-mile sponsored trek from Elland Road to the Town ground on Saturday, 16th October, the day of the Hull City game at home. All participants are asked to raise a minimum £100 per person, with proceeds to be split equally between the Alzheimer’s Society and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
On This Day
While you’re here, we might as well remind you that, 113 years ago, Leeds Road hosted its first ever Town game—a friendly against Second Division new boys Bradford Park Avenue. Town won 2-1, thanks to an own goal and a strike from Welsh international Richard ‘Dicky’ Morris (club number 6). The game was shortened to two 30-minute halves owing to the gloomy evening light, or lack thereof. One can only assume this was fresh in the memory of the Board 51 years later when they opted to install new floodlights instead of placating Bill Shankly, who, as coincidence/contrivance would have it, was born 108 years ago today.