'New Leamington FC stadium should be named after the club's inspirational president Mick Brady' - what do you think?

This is the view of regular Courier and Weekly News columnist Peter Bowen - and a view shared by many others
Mick Brady, president of Leamington FC and former chairman, who recently passed awayMick Brady, president of Leamington FC and former chairman, who recently passed away
Mick Brady, president of Leamington FC and former chairman, who recently passed away

As part of his regular column with the Courier and Weekly News, former journalist Peter Bowen writes about his experiences as an 82-year-old in lockdown. As well as the pandemic, Peter also reflects on many other local issues and this week part of his column is dedicated to Mick Brady, president of Leamington FC and former chairman, who recently passed away (click here to read the previous story). He, like many others, wants to see the new Brakes' ground named after Mick. Here is a part of his column which discusses the matter. Let us know what you think by emailing [email protected]

Together with over 500 others, I missed saying a formal goodbye to Mick Brady, president of Leamington FC and former chairman, because of Covid-19 restrictions.

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He died in September, aged 76, and should be remembered as the driving force behind the plan to bring football back to the town after a gap of almost 20 years following the sale of the Old Windmill ground for housing in 1983.

I was sad because there was no opportunity to pay our respects to the town's football legend: there was a funeral for family but no fans standing outside the church, no memorial match, and no football to watch. Mick brought the game back to us all as we now know it today: football in National League North.

I felt cheated. Fans in gold and black club colours did watch the funeral cortège pass the old ground whilst social distancing but it was not the send off they would have wished. I wanted to be able to mark the passing of a gentleman in the true sense of the word, who had time for everyone, and did not seek reward of any kind, modest and unassuming almost to a fault. A lovely man.

Mick Brady made a big difference at a time when “making a difference” was the big idea promoted by politicians and business. He had ambition, tenacity and a willingness to see the job through but also a knack of befriending a small band of volunteers, who built the club house and developed the New Windmill ground on what was previously an agricultural field at Harbury Lane.

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I would like to see the planned new ground to be built near Gallows Hill named the Brady Stadium in Mick's honour to ensure that his name is associated with the club forever rather than being just a fading memory, no more than a footnote in the history of Leamington football.

Nick Rogers, chairman of The Brakes Trust, the fans organisation, welcomed the idea today saying that it was appropriate to name the stadium after Mick Brady, who had kept the idea of the club going in the dark days following the closure of the Old Windmill. “It would be a tribute to the man who gave so much of himself to the club, so much better than giving the name to some commercial outfit in the short term,” he added.

What do you think? Email your views to [email protected]

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