The glass of red wine tells a tale of its own; Solihull Moors chairman Darryl Eales is in the mood to celebrate.
He’s just watched his side make it six home league wins on the spin to move within a point of the joint leaders Barrow and Bromley at the National League summit.
Almost 1,400 paying spectators have watched the 3-1 win over AFC Fylde and that is a success story of its own. Birmingham City and Aston Villa attract most of the football fans from this area close to the National Exhibition Centre and Birmingham International Airport, but slowly, another club with its own loyal fanbase is growing.
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For Eales, victory tastes even sweeter because revenge has finally been enacted.
It was the Lancashire outfit who knocked Moors out in the play-off semi-finals last season before they went on to suffer their own heartache in the final against Salford at Wembley.
Both clubs have their sights on League Two but as the halfway stage of the season approaches, Saturday’s win for the West Midlands side suggests they are coping with the demands of this campaign much better than their rivals, who sit in 20th place and just two points above the relegation zone.
Expectations are high among both sets of supporters. Fylde have progressed rapidly from the 10th tier of English football to come within a whisker of their most celebrated promotion to date. More on their rise later.
But it’s in Solihull where another exciting adventure is gaining momentum as discussions about promotion to the promised land are now starting to taking place.
“There’s a growing belief that we can achieve the goal of the Football League,” Eales tells The Athletic. “The more people who believe it, the more of a chance we have to make it happen. It’s taken us a while to get back into the swing of things, but it feels like we’ve now got the team back that nobody likes playing against.”
That was certainly the case at the weekend as Moors raced into a three-goal lead after just 25 minutes. Fylde fought back after the break and could have got something out of the game but were left to rue a host of missed chances.
Former Premier League winner Tim Flowers, has been in charge for almost 18 months and continues to work wonders. His side haven’t always been the most attractive on the eye but they’re physical, hard-working, and almost always effective. Finishing second in the National League last season when the brief was to avoid relegation proved as much, and already they are six points better off than they were after 21 games last season.
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What’s most impressive though, is the growth of the club.
There is a Football League feel to the Sportnation.bet Stadium now with average attendances up to around 1,400. Twenty-two executive boxes have been added and the corporate hospitality can now rival neighbours in the divisions above. Seating areas have been improved to cater for families, a Peaky Blinders-themed bar in one corner of the ground is in keeping with the heritage of the region, and there’s a core of younger supporters who are helping create an identity.
”We’re moving in the right direction,“ Flowers tells The Athletic. “Aesthetically the stadium is nicer, the pitch has been resurfaced, and we’ve got a training ground now (in nearby Studley). We used to train on a disgraceful pitch behind one of our stands, so that’s a big change. We’ve also got a state-of-the-art 4G pitch for both the club’s use and the community. Our attendances are more than double than when I first joined. It’s growing quickly. The chairman is an ambitious man. He’s clever.
“On the field, we had a year last season which was way ahead of what we expected. That can be an anchor around your neck because everybody thinks it’s the norm. But we’re going OK and I’m quietly pleased.”
In central midfielder Jamey Osborne, Moors have one of the most talented players outside the Football League in their ranks. They also signed prolific marksman, Paul McCallum this summer, ahead of clubs in League One and Two as they were able to offer a competitive package as well as the guarantee of a real push at promotion.
But as Flowers points out: “It doesn’t matter what you do if the numbers aren’t right at 5pm.”
Fortunately, right now it’s all looking pretty, hence why the wine in the boardroom tastes so sweet.
There’s a family feel at the club, both in the stands and behind the scenes.
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“We’ve got the balance right — there’s a great social atmosphere and a real togetherness. We’re a community,” says Eales. “You want to win football matches, but even if you don’t, you want to have a good time. We’re finding that people are really enjoying an afternoon here now with all the upgraded facilities.”
An hour has passed since the full-time whistle and members of the jubilant Moors winning team still appear one by one to exchange pleasantries with Eales in the executive boxes upstairs. Some even stop for a drink while others move on to the surrounding bars to mingle with supporters.
Eales, a man of the people, is dragged into a group selfie as he sips on his post-match tipple while catching air on the terrace that overlooks the playing surface.
Friends and family shake his hand, pat him on the back or spark up general conversation. One supporter even shouts up from downstairs: ‘Who the f*ck are Fylde now?’
Moors have struggled against this particular opposition in the past. And of course, the semi-final defeat was tough to take. But fans are no longer vexed and can see the progression.
Flowers insists it took him just a matter of hours to get over last season’s setback. “Nobody gave us a prayer last season, so it was just a case of moving on,” he says. “We wanted to get our targets in and move forward quickly. There’s a bigger picture to look at and we’re now one of 16 or so teams hoping to win promotion.”
Moors fans believe this is the start of something special.
Fylde, for all their early-season struggles, will also remain competitive in the division.
Their story is much different having propelled themselves through the leagues thanks to the generous backing of chairman David Haythornthwaite, who made his millions in the animal feed business.
The stability was previously provided by former manager Dave Challinor, however a change in the hotseat has seen Jim Bentley move from Morecambe to take over this season. It feels like a transition period following the departures of first-team players, too. Goalkeeper Jay Lynch, Jordan Tunnicliffe and Zaine Francis-Angol all secured moves into the Football League.
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Yet there are some similarities between the two clubs who so narrowly missed out on a breakthrough promotion last season. Both are trying to build their fanbase in areas where traditional clubs — Preston North End and Blackpool in Fylde’s case — are well established.
Stadium changes and improvements were seen as imperative at Fylde and Haythornwaite built Mill Farm, a state-of-the-art complex where the fittings and furnishings are Premier League-standard.
When the club was rebranded from Kirkham & Wesham in 2008, attendances were around the 100 mark. Now Fylde can often be represented with a similar amount of away fans, such is the rise over the last decade.
“I am one of these people that if somebody says, ‘That’s impossible or you can’t do that’… that’s where it all starts for me,” Haythornthwaite has previously said. “It’s the same for me whether it’s business or football. I believe you can do anything if you put your mind to it.”
Last season, Fylde made two trips to Wembley — the latter proving the most memorable after squeezing past Leyton Orient to win the FA Trophy.
A club with a family and community feel is growing. A fan liaison officer has also recently been recruited to help further grow the following and volunteers pay a vital role at the club.
Jack Connor, 25, has been attending games for over a decade and provides commentary for free.
“My first game was in 2008 when we won the FA Vase at Wembley,” he tells The Athletic. “I’ve never looked back since then. I’ve been everywhere, and hardly miss a game. I even took two days off work to go to Maidenhead recently. Once you’re a part of it, you’re in for good.”
While promotion out of the National League remains the priority, the excitement of the FA Cup lingers on. Both clubs remain in the competition and neither have ever made it into the third round so there’s a chance to re-write history. Fylde travel to Kingstonian of the Isthmian League Premier Division and will be favourites to progress.
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“Honestly, the thought of playing Manchester United or Chelsea or Tottenham is just incredible,” Connor adds.
Moors’ task is considerably more difficult. They will entertain in-form League One side, Rotherham United, with the BT Sport cameras in attendance.
“We’re looking at it as another opportunity for us to grow,” adds Eales.
“It’s another chance to give a good account of ourselves. This time last year we played Blackpool on the TV and that game really created an interest. The ground will be full and we feel that we’ve got our mojo back so bring it on.”
National League football is evolving and the competitive, professional approach these days is warming.
The future at both Solihull Moors and AFC Fylde appears to be bright. Whether either can make that next step up though, remains to be seen.
(Photo: Morgan Harlow/Getty Images)
Gregg Evans is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering Aston Villa FC. Previously he spent over a decade at the Birmingham Mail covering West Midlands football. His time with Villa includes six managers, three ownership groups, an FA Cup Final, the fatal relegation campaign and an epic return to the Premier League. Follow Gregg on Twitter @greggevans40
