Brakes earn promotion 50 years ago

Happy times for Brakes 50 years ago as they secured promotion to the Southern League Premier Division.   Writing in the Coventry Evening Telegraph, Roger Draper noted: ‘AP Leamington have come a long way in a short time – now they intend to move “Heaven and high water” to make further progress. 

Brakes will play in the Southern League Premier Division next season.  This prospect does not frighten them.  From ambitious club president Bill Garner down to the youngest fan the message is loud and clear: “We are in the Premier Division to stay.” 

And manager Jimmy Knox feels that the optimism surrounding the Windmill club is well founded.  After years of near misses Knox finally achieved his managerial life’s ambition at the weekend when Witney lost and opened the door to the top grade. 

He can see nothing but blue skies from now on.  “We are not kidding ourselves.  There is a terrific difference between the best Premier Division sides and the top six in Division 1 North,” he says.  “But I have built the present AP side with the Premier Division in mind.  We do not need to sign many more players to ensure that we will finish in the top half.”

 Now free of the worry surrounding his possible move to Nuneaton Borough – “it is a relief to know that it is all over” – Knox can get down to the job of completing the squad.  [Knox was considered by many as the favourite for the vacant Nuneaton Borough manager’s post.]  “I know who I want,” he says.  “Premier Division status will be a great lever as I attempt to fill in the remaining gaps.  I am confident 1976-77 will be a fabulous year in the continued development of AP Leamington.”

Tenacious chairman Gerry Lock mirrors his manager’s optimism.  “I have laid it down on a line what I want.  We are on course and not going into the Premier Division to make up the numbers.”  

Lock was the driving force behind Knox’s move to Leamington from Rugby Town.  His confidence in the Scot’s managerial ability has been totally justified.  “I have never made any secret of the fact that in Jimmy we have the best manager in non-League football.  I really mean that.  He will lead us even further and it is up to everyone interested in the club to give him their fullest support.”

AP officials estimated that Premier League soccer would cost the club an additional £5,000 a year in increased costs such as higher wages and greater travelling costs.  That would require a break-even gate of 1,000 to 1,200 which was unlikely.  Hence the club decided to appoint their first full time commercial manager.  

The post went to 32-year old Roy Maiden from Radford Semele who had been an industrial engineer at AP for 10 years.   Maiden, who had joined the AP committee in the season ending, set himself the task of raising £500 a week to keep the club afloat.  As well as raising cash by selling weekly bingo tickets throughout the area, he planned to publicise the club itself with well-known players such as Derek Dougan and Geoff Hurst coming to play at the Windmill.

  The Courier noted that news of the appointment would please manager Knox who was looking to begin negotiations with the players he hoped to re-sign.   Knox took the view that one of the main assets of the promotion-winning side was its stability and he was anxious to keep the players together.