HTSA Heritage Project Roundup – November 2021

Seeing as it’s nearly the end of the year, we thought we’d provide another short update on the Heritage Project.

Since our last one, several generous Town fans and local history enthusiasts have donated all sorts of items, from matchday programmes and cigarette cards to VHS videos and newspaper scrapbooks. As mentioned previously, we hope to scan these items, as well as others, sometime next year if members vote in favour of such a course of action at the 2021 AGM.

Oh, and keep you eyes peeled for a special mural (more on that next week!).

Here’s what else is new.

Player Database

Three names have been added to the Player Database, meaning that 1,001 people have now played for the club in a competitive fixture. Josh Ruffels was the millenial who made history on 28th September in a breathless 3-2 home victory over Blackburn Rovers. To mark the occasion, we penned an open letter to congratulate and introduce him to those who went before. We also launched a fundraiser for the Town Foundation, with the aim of raising £1 for everyone who’s turned out for the club—hence, ‘£1000 for 1000 Players’.

John M. Ward’s Private Archive

Last week, we added all of John Ward’s material from the 1970s to the website. It provides a fascinating insight into Town’s rise and fall and then rise again during a tumultuous, but rarely uninteresting decade. 

Remembrance Day and Thomas Carter

Ahead of Remembrance Day, HTSA volunteers tidied up Thomas Carter’s grave in Edgerton Cemetery. Carter was a Town player who was killed on active duty during the Second World War. After scrubbing the headstone with toothbrushes and cutting the surrounding grass, we laid a wreath, flowers, and Town pennant as a mark of respect. Read more about Carter and view our Roll of Honour, which lists every Town player who died in an armed conflict. 

Articles

We’ve published 8 articles over the past few weeks, including interviews with former players David Cork and Maurice Cox. 

Would you like to have your work published on the site? Email heritage[at]htsa-web.com.

James 'Jim' Kerray (1935-2021)

Everybody at HTSA was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of James ‘Jim’ Kerray at the age of 85. Known as ‘The Flying Scotsman’, Kerray notched up 54 appearances and 12 goals for Town during the period 1960-1961. He also played for Raith Rovers, Dunfermline Athletic, Newcastle United, St Johnstone, Stirling Albion, and Falkirk. 

Read more about his career.

Women’s Football: 100 Years on from the Ban

We’ve got some special events and initiatives lined up to mark the centenary of the F.A.’s ban on women’s football. 

In the meantime, make sure to visit our two women’s game collections: Women’s Football Archive and Women’s Football Timeline. 

And if you’re free on 2nd December between 19:00 and 20:00, the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) and National Football Museum are hosting a panel discussion on the impact the ban has had on the women’s game to this very day. 

Registration is now closed.

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.