I'd heard about Telford's troubles a year ago; their largesse had become both legendary and unsustainable but until my recent Summer visit to the home of the new club AFC Telford United I'd not kept myself up to date.

Debts of £6.5m meant that it didn't take Telford's Supporters Trust long to work out that, unsavoury as it was, winding up Telford United was the sensible way forward. So 26 May 2004 saw the death of the old club and the birth of AFC Telford United, a club 100% owned by the supporters.

To call their progress to date, meteoric, doesn't even begin to do justice to the sequence of events. August began well as CapGemini became the main club sponsors and, more importantly, the Borough Council bought the ground and immediately negotiated a twenty year lease with the club that kick started a working partnership made in heaven.

Telford had always been reasonably well supported but their fan base had tended to be quite parochial and geared to residents of Wellington rather than the wider area. This was all to change ! Telford and Wrekin council had (and still have) the vision to recognise the potential for good that can come from a football club, owned by a democratically elected body, that is determined to immerse itself into the community and produce positive outcomes in key areas such as health, education and social inclusion.

A vociferous crowd of 1800 watched United score a late leveller to clinch a point in their first league game at home to North Ferriby United and the support grew and grew until over 4,200 saw them clinch promotion to the Unibond Premier Division thanks to a goal by ex-Spireite Sean Parrish (pictured left), who also doubles as the Community Liaison Officer.

The club and the council are ambitious and, not surprisingly with support of this magnitude, see the Football League as a realistic target. The council have provided advice as the club formed vital partnerships in order to develop community initiatives. Key organisations such as the PCT, the council, local Business Chamber, local schools, the local College of Art and Technology (which just happens to conveniently be just 100 yards away), local Football leagues and equally important supportive private companies have all come together to create a charitable body that intends to be at the centre of local regeneration with both the area and the club making mutual gains.

The club has recently been granted £1.2m in grant funding and has acquired a similar amount in match funding to commence the build of what will, next season, be a facility to revolutionise learning in the area. The recent progress, and the in place plans that will see 8,000 schoolchildren attend lessons in the new facility that will adjoin the pitch, has already triggered the  "Winners of the Local Government Community Involvement" award. The council's aim is to "become a leading national example of good practice of community and agency involvement in partnership with the football club". The new facility will also house a much needed "Playing For Success" centre and an ICT suite that will act as a crucial learning spur to kids who had lacked the motivation that this facility will provide. Executive boxes will also provide match day income while doubling as study areas during the week.

The club has worked exceptionally hard at creating a family friendly atmosphere (it's just £1 admission for kids in all parts of the ground). Swearing is virtually unheard of and last season local companies sponsored coaches and the admission for local schools to create a Unibond Div 1 record attendance. That record fell four more times during the successful rise from the ashes as United made progress both on and off the field.

Telford Chairman Lee Carter (pictured) used a wonderful descriptive phrase during the meeting; he considered that the new  sports learning centre facility would act as "as a greenhouse and enable United to grow their own supporters". The sentiments are as evocative as the views expressed by many of the supporters who wistfully echoed after the promotion clinching fixture "First time in 37 years that we've won promotion and now it's OUR club !".

There's no doubt it is the fans' club but the fact that supporters hold the reigns is due, in a large way, to Lee Carter who has, in the words of the council leader, Keith Austin "worked tirelessly to rebuild Telford United, through raising community spirit and embracing football within the local community, especially with young people, nurturing a love of sport and good citizenship".

The Leader of the council added "We have all-party support for this honour, which is being given in recognition of Lee's extraordinary commitment, both to the club and to the local community That effort is being rewarded with the Freedom of the Borough"

Every club has stalwarts that live their life selflessly for their club but it's great to see such effort rewarded and the effort produce such wonderful results. Both Rotherham and ourselves have seen the benefit of Supporter Trust involvement - I'm sure we both wish Telford every success in the new season.

By Howard Borrell