Top accolades to be awarded
High flying AFC Telford United is set to receive a special award at a council meeting next week.
On the same evening, a military unit based in the borough – the Shropshire Yeomanry – is being proposed to receive the council’s top honour of Honorary Freedom of the Borough.
The football club secured promotion to the National League North in a stirring 4-2 win over Kettering Town in the Southern League Premier Central playoff final.
Now a meeting of the full Telford & Wrekin Council is set to make a presentation to the club when councillors meet on Thursday, May 15.
The agenda item says the council will “make a presentation to AFC Telford United in recognition of their promotion to the National League North.”
Telford & Wrekin Council had made arrangements for a giant screen to go in at the club’s home ground, the SEAH Stadium. Tickets to see the match on the screen sold out and ensure 1,000 fans enjoyed the team’s win.
Councillor Lee Carter, (Labour, Arleston & College), has welcomed the result as a “fantastic achievement”.
“We are very proud of their achievement and thank the club for putting a spring into the step of our borough.” It was only the fifth time in the club’s history that promotion has been secured.
Councillor Carter led a supporters’ takeover of the club in 2004, at a time when its future was uncertain. Before starting his career in politics he went on to become the club’s first Chairman and was then the Managing Director between 2013 and 2016.
The now Councillor Carter was awarded the Honorary Freedom of the Borough in 2005 in recognition of his ‘efforts in establishing AFC Telford in the wake of the collapse and liquidation of Telford United Football Club.’.
Councillor Carter added: “We will always be right behind the club in their pursuit of more success. A successful Telford United is great for Telford and Wrekin as a whole.”
On the same day councillors are being asked to admit D (Shropshire Yeomanry) Squadron to join Councillor Carter on the list of Honorary Freemen and Freewomen of the Borough.
The agenda item says it is in recognition of the Squadron being of distinction and being considered to have “rendered eminent service to the people of Telford and Wrekin.”
Two thirds of all the councillors will have to support the motion for the honour to be bestowed.
The title is the highest award that the council can bestow and but it carries with it no legal rights or responsibilities.
The council will also be making a presentation following the special meeting convened on November 30, 2023 to appoint Mr Alan Mackenzie as Honorary Alderman of the Borough.
Pic: The SEAH Stadium by Telford Live
