THE VICS COLUMN - by Dennis Wareing

DURING the pre-season, I contacted Northwich Victoria’s commercial team informing them I’d like to purchase my first season ticket since the late 80s.

With other commitments and working away during the week, I may only get to as few as eight games but in buying that ticket I wanted to show my commitment to everything that the on and off field Vics’ teams appear to be building while the club continues to grow and grow again.

I’d attended a few games at the end of last season. Admittedly I was initially drawn back in by the FA Vase run but I also made it to a few further games.

It felt good to be back around some of the old familiar faces on the terraces and I met a couple of my old school friends.

Then learning more about how the supporters organise themselves for various events, and particularly for away travel, I started talking to some of the guys involved and witnessed close up some of the great work they and the committee do together.

I see a great local sponsors’ presence, mostly Mid-Cheshire based, but each fully invested as part of the team.

Small businesses with the same shared values of the football club. Heritage and integrity.

I see fantastic links to the community, for example working with great charities such as Tiny Steps and the Offside Trust. I see a great camaraderie around the Supporters.

There’s a positive social media family, which I already feel a part of through Twitter. This often provides interaction with the club, its players, committee and management team.

The first priority of a club playing at this level must be to survive and to preserve its legacy. Preserving the legacy of one of the oldest clubs in the world is huge!

The committee and the club’s owners - its supporters - have fostered an environment where survival is already met and now aspiration and achievement are very much on the agenda. A testament to where my boyhood club currently sits is their ability to attract a non-league manager with the pedigree and experience of Steve Wilkes and his management team.

Steve, as someone who has managed over 1000 games, attracts some of the top players from this level to come and play for our famous club.

Going back to the club’s adopted charities, and one in particular, Tiny Steps, I have a positive personal story to share.

Through Vics’ adoption of Tiny Steps, I learnt earlier in the year the charity’s aims to provide sensory play and specialised events to support children with special needs, who could particularly benefit from such things.

I’ve learnt about their drive to do this, for the benefit of many children in our community and how this drive was inspired by their own personal circumstances and experiences.

The link between Vics and another wonderful community based organisation seems such a perfect match.

Moving on to October, Vics helped run a charity auction on behalf of Tiny Steps. The prize auctioned was a signed away shirt which not only features the Tiny Steps logo, but was also signed by the Inspiral Carpets keyboard player and now legendary DJ, Clint Boon.

Having participated in the auction, and taken a punt that a large bid would also help this great charity, I was delighted to hear from Vics’ commercial team that I had won this piece of North West Culture memorabilia.

On Saturday, I was pleased while attending the match to be presented with my shirt. I was also able to introduce my 17-year-old son to his first Vics’ game up at Wincham Park, a great moment.

There is so much positive activity going on at the club right now.

Many people are coming together, and doing a lot of things right.

With those invested coming from management, players, supporters and sponsors, there can only be good times ahead.