Sun Sets on Solihull Borough!

Damson Park Stadium’s biggest attendance of the season watched on as Boro played their final home game in their 54 year history.

Following months of rumours the Football Association last week officially gave Solihull based rivals, Solihull Borough and Moor Green, the green light to merge. And the newly formed club have heightened the excitement by announcing that Moor Green boss Bob Faulkner will be taking charge of the newly formed Solihull Moors.

The Moor Green boss, a servant of the Hall Green club for some 21 years, first took the helm on Boxing Day 1985, and has since guided the club from the depths of non-league football to the top half of the Conference North. And with his wealth of experience the newly formed Solihull Moors board are keen for Faulkner to continue his reign in charge of the new side and push for greater success.

Negotiations had come to a standstill over the past few months whilst the FA discussed the issue, but in the meantime, the clubs had hit a stumbling block of their own. The clubs had failed to agree on who should become the new manager, with both clubs favoring their current bosses.

Borough fans will be disappointed that Mickey Moore, along with his assistant Duncan Riddle and the rest of his backroom staff have been ousted by the new board. Despite the board being made up of officials from both clubs, it is believed that Solihull Borough chairman, Trevor Stevens, who has been announced as the new Solihull Moors chairman had the deciding vote.

Moore has stunned his critics this season. Widely tipped for relegation, Moore’s new, younger looking side will finish the season with a better winning record than previous manager, Tony Dobson’s side achieved last season and a respectable mid-table position.

The UEFA A license coach will continue to be in charge of Boro until the merger takes full effect on June 1st, when he will return to his posts as manager of Birmingham City Ladies and football development director at Solihull College. Moore said, “In my heart I always knew that Bob would get the job. Of course I’m disappointed but I can accept the decision, I’ve just got to look to the future”

The FA’s announcement to allow the merging of the two clubs comes exactly 8 years to the day after Boro made Damson Park their home ground. The merger means that Boro will quit from the BGB Southern League and the new, Solihull Moors FC, will take the place vacated by Moor Green in the Conference North, however, despite the step-up there are mixed feelings amongst Boro fans.

Edward Pitt, who has followed Boro for 6 years said, “I think everyone is disappointed, we thought the manager had put together a young team that had the ability to go places”. Another Boro fan, Adam Grieve, continued, “I haven’t really seen much of Moor Green but with some of our better players added to their squad, I think they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

Damson Park stadium, will remain in the ownership of Solihull Borough with the new club taking out a long lease, which has been approved by both Leagues and the F.A. Damson Park is currently just short of the grade B standard required for Conference North football, but may be upgraded over the next few months to Conference National specification, which will mean the ground will benefit from an extra 250 seats as well as new turnstiles.

And in what is sure to be an emotional occasion, Solihull now travel to the Broadwater Stadium, in their final game in the league, where they face Berkhamsted Town, who lie in 21st place in the league, kicking off at 3 o’clock. Berkhamsted, require the same result or better than bottom side Stourport Swifts to remain in the BGB Midlands League, as Boro’s merger with Moor Green means that only one side will be relegated this season.

Damson Park, the new home of Solihull Moors FC

Solihull Borough 1 – Willenhall Town 2

Solihull will feel hard done by walking away with nothing after dominating much of the game against fellow playoff hopefuls Willenhall Town.

On a blustery day at Damson Park, neither side really got going with keepers Tony Breedon and Dean Coleman barely having to make a save in the first 45 minutes.

On the stroke of half time, in what was the first real attempt by either side, Willenhalls Dan Harvey turned on the edge of the box and unleashed a fierce left footed shot, which struck Boro keeper, Breedons, right post.

Mickey Moores side came out looking much brighter in the second half, against a team that they overcame 2 – 0 last weekend. The breakthrough came just fifteen minutes in, when a crunching tackle by Jack Byrne released Jerome Grandison, who calmly slotted the ball home from 8 yards out.

Just two minutes later the visitors drew level, when a cross by Willenhalls Alex Gibbons, was nodded past his own keeper by Gary Moran.

Dan Harvey put the visitors ahead with just 5 minutes of normal time left to play, turning on the edge of the box and rifling his shot past a flailing Breedon.

Solihull pushed for a late equalizer to no avail, Lawrence Rawling squandering Boro’s best chance, firing his volley wide from 6 yards out.

To view Willenhall Town FC's history, or to find out any information about the club visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willenhall_Town_F.C.

Willenhall On The Lookout For Revenge!

Solihull Borough upset the form book last weekend when youngster Jack Byrne opened his Boro account and Richard Adams scored his second since signing from Redditch United, sending Boro away from Noose Lane with all 3 points.

Now in the second part of back to back matches, Willenhall will be gunning to halt Solihulls 3 game winning streak.

Willenhall, with no fresh injury worries, have named an unchanged side after last weeks home defeat, a luxury Mickey Moore cannot afford. However, Boro welcome back Jamie Petty and Phil Rowe from injury to play their former employers.

http://solihullboroughfc.blogspot.com/2007/04/willenhall-town-0-solihull-borough-2.html

Willenhall Town 0 - Solihull Borough 2

With the issues off the field reportedly causing disharmony within the club Mickey Moore’s side responded remarkably well against fellow mid-table side Willenhall Town.

Goalkeeper Tony Breeden was named ‘Man of the Match’ after making three glorious saves in the first twenty minutes. The in-form goalkeeper made two at full stretch; tipping the shots around the post and the other a superb block from a low drive, with the Willenhall number nine, Gibbons, missing the subsequent rebound.

Three minutes after the restart Solihull went in front with a superb header from Jack Byrne following a pinpoint cross from the left hand side by Steve Ruck. Five minutes later Tony Breeden made another fine save from Willenhall number ten, Martin, sending the ball round the post again at full stretch.

Solihull's second goal came in the 67th minute when Steve Rucks free kick from the right hand side found Richard Adams unmarked at the back-post, but after his first attempt was blocked by the keeper, Coleman, Adams managed to knock in the rebound.

In the 72nd minute a melee in the Solihull penalty area saw four shots, the first by number eleven, Jackson hit his own player, the second hit the post, the third was blocked by Gareth Alborough with the final shot going wide. Four minutes later Tony Breeden was called into action again, with a fierce shot from number eight, Briggs, from 25 yards, which he tipped out for a corner.

Solihull’s next fixture is the return tie, with Willenhall visiting Damson Park on Saturday 24th March, kicking off at 3 o’clock.

To track Solihull’s season, visit the British Gas Division One Midlands table http://www.southern-football-league.co.uk/league-tables/midlands.asp?section=league-tables

Merger Rumours Damaging Morale?

With rumours rife of a possible merger with Conference North side Moor Green, a string of recent departures has seen Mickey Moores squad diminish to a measly 13 players.

This week alone Boro boss Mickey Moore has been rocked by the shock departures of 19-year-old centre back, Richard Munday, to Unibond Premier Division side Ilkeston Town and top-scorer Aaron Farrell, to Southern Premier Division outfit Halesowen Town.

Both players have echoed former teammate Rory May, who joined BGB Midlands division leaders Brackley Town in February, slamming the clubs handling of the proposed merger and stating that the players were being ‘left in the dark’.

Boro boss Mickey Moore admitted that he was finding the continuing departures damaging to morale, he said, "It's difficult when people keep going out the door and we don’t have the finances to get anybody back in again, but the circumstances surrounding the club are out of my control.”

And with just eight games left to go this season, and tighter financial restraints imposed on the club, Mickey Moore has stated that he has a trick or two up his sleeve, to win as many more games as possible.

As well as his role at Damson Park, Moore is head of Solihull College Football Development Scheme and Moore insists, that with the college team performing well he will be looking to use some of his students to boost his side’s end of season push.

Solihull College football development scheme, which has been supported by Birmingham City Football club in the past, has had a policy of producing young talent through their coaching system and Mickey Moore will be hoping that this can be a catalyst for Boro's revival. Moore has already recruited several of his college stars, namely, Lawrence Rawlings, Jack Byrne and Danny Collins, all of whom have made key contributions and cemented a place in Moores starting 11 throughout this season.

20-year-old attacking midfielder, Jerome Grandison, a product of the Moores Solihull College Football Development Scheme, has arguably been Solihull's player-of-the-season, and under the tutorage of his new boss has been attracting a lot of attention from higher league clubs.

After suffering an inconsistent period under previous boss Tony Dobson, Grandison burst onto the scene in 2006, developing from being a lightweight teenager to a strong player with a good footballing brain. Grandison, who has had spells at Moor Green and Stratford Town, has been firing on all cylinders lately, getting on the score sheet for Boro in their last three games, taking his league tally to thirteen goals this season, which leaves him the clubs top scorer following the departures of Rory May and Aaron Farrell.

With his team of youngsters performing above all expectations in the British Gas Business League this season, Mickey Moore has done himself every favour in putting himself forward for the job as first team coach, should the merger come about. Moore said, “I’d like to think that I’m one of the next generation of coaches. We are playing a different style of football here with a bunch of kids and we’ve won as many games as they did last season on a smaller budget, and we’ve still got games to play.”

Mickey Moore’s main competitor for the job, should the merger application be accepted by the FA, would most likely be longstanding Moor Green boss Bob Faulkner. Faulkner, who has been in charge of the Moors for 21 years, first joined on Boxing Day 1985, and has guided the club to possible play-off candidates in the Conference North, and is rumoured to be favourite for the job should it come about.

Next up for Boro is back-to-back meetings with fellow mid-table side Willenhall Town. Tomorrow Boro will be heading up to Noose Lane, kicking off a 3pm, before welcoming the Reds to Damson Park a week later.

Solihull Borough's Jerome Grandison (Right) and Walsall Football Club's Theo Streete (Left) products of Solihull College Football Developement Scheme

http://www.solihull.ac.uk/about/our_students.php