Kentish Express Ashford & District
Barry’s fond farewell...but football’s future is Bright
So much about Kent football has changed in the last 45 years but one constant has remained. Barry Bright. A childhood Gravesend & Northfleet supporter, Mr Bright served as a club secretary in the Gravesend League and joined the Kent County Football Association in 1972 before being elected its chairman in 1983.
He has held that office ever since but will step down next month to be succeeded by his vice-chairman, Philip Smith.
Mr Bright, who turns 70 next Tuesday, officially confirmed his departure at the Kent FA annual meeting on Saturday.
He said: “I don’t have to retire because of age at this stage but I think it’s the right time, both for Kent football and for myself.
“I’ve been there a long time. I’m the longest-serving chairman in the country and it’s right that we begin to move forward.
“It’s not a sudden decision, there’s been succession planning talked about in the county for three years.”
British football was buoyant when Mr Bright joined the Kent FA all those years ago.
Tottenham and Rangers both won European trophies in 1971-72, Brian Clough led Derby to their first-ever Football League championship and Leeds lifted the FA Cup for the first time under Don Revie.
Closer to home, Gillingham finished 13th in Division 4 while third-placed Dover were the highest-ranked of five Kent clubs in the Southern League Premier Division – which was then the top flight of non-league football.
Mr Bright said: “We were very strong in the Southern League and the Kent League was a strong league.
“But we’ve moved a long way forward. The game, in the county, has changed in many ways.
“The county itself was quite a small body in terms of what it employed. There were two staff and one part-timer when I first started.
“From the days of 3pm on Saturday or 11am on Sunday, 11 versus 11 on the local recreation ground, we’ve seen a huge growth in small-sided games, girls and women’s football and disability football. We’ve seen the demise of some local leagues in the county, which is sad.
“Going forward, there is a huge challenge in relation to 11 versus 11 on local recreation grounds. On the other hand, you have a substantial increase in community clubs.
“Youth football is strong in the county. The Kent Youth League has done exceptionally well, as has the East Kent Youth League.
“There are huge numbers of people involved and that pleases me immensely. On the downside, a whole range of industries used to provide pitches and most of those have gone now.
“But nothing pleased me more than to see Dartford and Maidstone United get back into their home towns on good grounds when, at one time, they were in serious problems. I went to Sheppey United and saw their new ground and there’s a huge growth on the Island, which is good to see.
“I was hoping, before I finished, to see Canterbury City rebuilt. I see they’ve got their planning application in.
“The numbers of young people coming through and wanting to play – girls and boys – is encouraging but keeping them in the game is a challenge that not just Kent but counties across this country are facing.”
Mr Bright has been thrilled by the success of the Kent FA youth council, which gives a voice to every league in the county. He would like to see more 3G pitches in Kent and admits finding the next generation of volunteers to keep clubs running is a major challenge.
But he has every reason to be confident about the sport locally.
This season the county will have four clubs in the National League for the first time ever and Mr Bright believes it won’t be long until one of them joins Gillingham in the EFL.
He said. “I would love to have seen it happen in my time as chairman but it wasn’t to be. There has to be a financial common sense about it, to make sure the club are viable financially and has enough people operating within it – but it will come.
“I think we’re healthy at senior level. I was in Newport for the National League presentation evening and it’s good to see Kent clubs in that room – ambitious clubs, wanting to do well. Generally, I’m fairly pleased with the way Kent football has gone as an association.
“It has fine new offices, the county is more than financially stable and has a sizeable team led by a professional chief executive in Paul Dolan. Kent is regarded by the FA as one of the leaders within football. That’s not just fancy words, that’s the truth.”
But why has Mr Bright dedicated so much of his life to the beautiful game?
He said: “I find it exciting, fun, frustrating at times and some of the conduct worries me but generally, I’ve always got a lot of satisfaction out of it.
“I want young people to be involved. It can create friendships for many years and a team ethos.
“I see youngsters with disabilities able to play football and get something from it and 20 years ago we didn’t see that sort of thing in this country.
“Here we are with disability football in this county very strong, a lot of people partaking, getting enjoyment and their families seeing something they enjoy with them.
“Football can be disappointing but football can be recklessly joyful. I just get fun out of it.
“I will try desperately not to interfere (at the Kent FA) but after 34 years as chairman, that might be difficult.”
Whether he manages it remains to be seen. But one thing is certain – the future of Kent football, even without Barry, looks bright.
‘I’m the longestserving chairman in the country and it’s right that we move forward’