Delighted Shrewsbury chairman Roland fulfils his dream

Roland Wycherley allowed himself a quiet thought when he left his house on Saturday lunchtime.

"I said to myself when you come back through this door, you could be in League One," said the Shrewsbury Town chairman.

A little under two hours and a single goal victory over Dagenham later, his dreams were realised.

Dreams that had been in the making from the moment Wycherley succeeded Ray Bailey as chairman in 1996, four years after becoming an associate director.

The scenario Wycherley had craved – League One football in an all-purpose, all-seater stadium – had been achieved. But it is a position he could scarcely have imagined becoming reality when he first became the chief decision maker at a club he had supported since the age of seven.

"We were £750,000 in debt, the bank wouldn't lend us any money," Wycherley recalled of the position he was confronted with when coming to the helm 16 years ago.

"It was the sale of Dave Walton (to Crewe) that gave us breathing space to continue.

"We were very close to being submerged with debt, there was no money to invest in the team and inevitably we were relegated (from League One).

"That was one of the darkest periods of my life – not quite as dark as when we went out of the Football League – but we were in a very difficult position."

Wycherley set about securing a sustainable long-term future for Town, but relegation from the elite 92 in 2003 provided an unwelcome jolt.

"I think it was three months before I went out in public," he added.

"I wouldn't go to a dinner or a party. I offered my resignation to the Board. As chairman you feel personally responsible and that will live with me forever."

But slowly, the pieces of the jigsaw came together.

Promotion from the Conference was achieved at the first attempt.

And, behind the scenes, Wycherley was close to completing the biggest crusade of his tenure – the move to the Greenhous Meadow which has now witnessed its first major celebration and has laid the foundations for the club's long-term future.

"The Football League put a cap of 8,000 on the old ground, it was at a stage where we couldn't get insurance on it, it flooded twice a year and it was 97 years old," he added.

"Without the move, we wouldn't be here, certainly as a League One club.

"Anything that we spend is from reserves or money generated and that is the sustainability we have tried to build up.

"The stadium has given us the opportunity to generate income and every penny goes into putting the best team out on the pitch as we can."

Which brings us to Graham Turner, the man who Wycherley had been desperate to bring in to the Shrewsbury helm since he succeeded Bailey in 1996.

"I first knew Graham 35 years ago when I used to play local football for the Blue Triangle and Harlescott Athletic," added the chairman.

"Graham used to come on train us for two hours a week at London Road.

"Being amateurs, we used to be straight in the White Horse for a drink when we finished training.

"I noticed Graham was the only one who wouldn't take an alocholic drink on a Thursday when he was playing on a Saturday and that has stuck in my mind since."

Turner and Wycherley have now combined to bring the good times back.

And, while the man at the helm may prefer to stay out the limelight, his desire and determination to continue to succeed is beyond doubt.

"Someone once quoted: 'Don't tell them you're coming', let them ask how you got there'," Wycherley added.

"I think if you leave the club stronger than when you joined it, you have done something."

Whatever his remaining years with the club brings, Wycherley has certainly achieved that in 16 years of unstinting dedication.

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