We were saddened to hear of the untimely death of Steve Spragg, who we are sure will be remembered by many of you, given that he was a familiar face at the club.
Steve held various roles at the football club over many years, perhaps most prominently as a match-day steward; however, his desire to help the club, usually voluntarily, was diverse.
Steve was one of the organisers of the club’s away travel for a considerable time and managed the AFC Telford United Women’s team.
To properly reflect Steve’s contribution to the club, we called upon former chairman Lee Carter, now the leader of Telford and Wrekin Council, to give us some of his thoughts on hearing of Steve’s passing:
“It is really sad to have to write a tribute to Steve Spragg or ‘Spraggy’ as many of you will know him as.
Steve was a loyal fan and servant of the club for many years. If not in his yellow jacket performing his role as a steward, he would often be seen on the terraces, supporting the team with exactly the same enthusiasm and commitment.
I can tell you that the hard, awkward Steve Spragg who would often annoy the hell of out fans for ensuring they stuck to the ground rules wasn’t the real Steve Spragg. Outside of all of that, he was a kind, caring and generous individual who would always go the extra mile to help. He organised the collection for the local food bank ensuring that the food was collected and delivered, never letting the Telford Crisis Network down.
He ran the women’s team in the very early days, often funding kit and equipment out of his own pocket. He also volunteered to collect Goalden Gate lottery money for the club at a time when funds were sparse. Steve always recoiled if you ever uttered thanks to him. To him, being thanked for just doing his bit was always unnecessary. He typified the early days of AFC Telford United and what it was built upon – loyal volunteers excited to be on the new journey, thrilled by the feeling of making a positive contribution to a much greater cause. Along with many others, he asked not what the club could do for him, but always what he could do for the club.
I had the privilege of keeping in touch with Steve after departing the club and meeting some of his family, including his daughters and grandchildren who we join in mourning at the loss of Steve. They all reflect the very best qualities of Steve and I know he was immensely proud of them.
So, thank you, Spraggy. Thank you for everything you did; thank you for showing us that kindness and generosity, and going the extra mile should be the norm rather than the exception. Thank you for your loyalty to the cause.
May you rest in peace. Numquam Obliviscere.”
We will share details of Steve’s funeral arrangements when we have them.
We send our warmest good wishes to Steve’s family and anyone who knew him and considered him a friend.
The club will pay tribute to Steve with a minute’s applause ahead of the home game with Kettering Town and the players will wear black armbands in tribute also.
