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Video leaves fans with goosebumps as Scunthorpe play potentially last game at Glanford Park

An emotional video leaves fans with goosebumps as Scunthorpe United play potentially their last game at Glanford Park, at least for now.

There are still hope that the National League North club’s home game against Brackley won’t be their last at Glanford Park.

Local businesswoman Michelle Harness this week took over the Iron from David Hilton – who withdrew from funding.

Before that was confirmed – the clubs final home game at Glanford Park was due to take place on Saturday, with games to be moved to Gainsborough, who themselves said nothing had been agreed.

Scunthorpe’s next home game isn’t until the 24th of October when they face Spennymoor Town. The hope is something can be done to continue matches at Glanford Park, but as of right now, no one knows what will happen.

In the video, the narrator can be heard saying: “Supporting your home team is a special thing. There’s no feeling quite like it. It’s not even a choice. It’s like a part of you. And because it’s a part of you, you feel everything that happens so much more. The highs, and the lows.

“Right there, that is your great grandparents, along with your granddad, they would stand week after week at the old Showground to watch the Iron play. The love that I have for this club because of them. That kid right there, that’s me outside.

“A yet to be complete Glanford Park, totally unaware of the significance that this place would hold in my life for decades to come.

“I’m too young to remember the Show Ground days. Glanford Park is all I have ever known. It’s basic. It’s breeze blocks and steel. But it’s our home. And the memories that have been made there just can’t be replaced.

“The club now finds itself in some of its darkest days, and that home is about to be taken from us. I could talk all day about how we’ve got to this point. The fact is, it should never have been allowed to happen. A town needs a club, and a club needs its people. And as long as we have that, there’s always hope. When I think of Scunthorpe United, I don’t just think of the football.

“I think of my grandparents, my dad, my friends, who I’ve stood alongside for decades now. I even think of the people whose names I don’t know, the faces that I see week after week. You’ll be the fourth generation of our family to follow the Iron, and I just hope you have the chance to experience something that I truly believe is so, so special. And I just hope.”

Scunthorpe United board member Simon Elliott says they want to resolve the situation: “We need to do our very best with Peter Swann who is engaging with us to get our home back really, and to be able to stay at Glanford Park into the future.

“There’s a lot of challenges but we are all prepared to work very hard to achieve that goal.”

“We haven’t got bottomless pockets of cash we’re gonna have to rely on a lot of goodwill. We are going to have to rely on local businesses who are already talking about sponsorship deals and investment.

“But the most important thing is our supporter base, we have to get the supporters to come through to watch Scunthorpe United to buy shirts – that’s the sustainability of any football club.

“That’s the passion, the supporter base that we have. Our fans at Scunthorpe are just incredible quite frankly and they have been even through the lowest and darkest of times.

Chair of the Iron Trust supporters group Tony Gosling is hopeful that Glanford park remains the Iron’s home: “We are hopeful that the takeover will allow the club to stay at Glanford Park for the foreseeable future.

“We are extremely grateful that a new owner has been found. It’s been a terrible time for a lot of supporters and caused a lot of upset for the last few weeks.

“We’ve known Michelle and Simon for a number of years – they are both big supporters of the Iron Trust and have helped us in the past”.

The club’s assistant manager Chris Plummer praised the team after a 1-0 win over Brackley.

Jacob Butterfield got the only goal of the game, a 61st minute free-kick in front of over 5,000 United fans, following quite the emotional week.

Plummer said: “It was a big occasion for the club. A lot has gone on over the last few weeks, but the fans came out today and it was really important for us as a playing staff, coaching staff and a whole club that we got the three points, and we got them so it was fantastic.

“Brackley are a good side, who are organised with good players and I think they’ll be up there this season. They were tough to break down, but we edged the chances, plus the attempts on goal territorially, but it did take something special to get that goal and he (Butterfield) certainly delivered.”

First team manager Jimmy Dean couldn’t be at the game having been discharged from hospital earlier in the week following urgent spinal surgery, he was re-admitted with an infection, but is now back home recovering.

Talking about taking to the sideline without Dean, Plummer added: “It was strange. I did miss a few of his messages that I received during the game but thankfully we made the substitutions he mentioned to us! He’s over the moon of course. He watched a stream of the game as it was ongoing and is delighted with three points.

“He’s on the mend and it’ll be a slow process, but naturally he’s happy with the win.”

On the back of a big crowd turning out, Plummer stated: “It’s crucial. They’re the 12th man, from the warm-up all the way to the end of the game they were fantastic today. If we can get that atmosphere every week, it makes a huge difference to the players out there.

“We have our part to play and I said that to the lads before the game – the fans played their part and we had to play our part. There were some good performances out there. It was hard-working and while there are things we could improve on we’re delighted with the three points.

“The clean sheet was really pleasing and we defended really well as a team today.”

Plummer commented on not having to play until the 21st of October: “It falls how it does, but there are things we want to work on. We have a long injury list so hopefully we can get some of the players back involved in the squad to boost what we have. We’ll make good use of the two-week break.”

“It’s a rotten Saturday if you lose, but if you win you feel great. I’ve told the lads to enjoy it but don’t get too silly tonight. We’ll be back in at work on Monday to work on things we can get better at, but ultimately we go home happy with the three points.”

As mentioned, the video by Aaron Cheeseman leaves fans with goosebumps as Scunthorpe play potentially their last game at Glanford Park…

@simonelliott33: Aaron that my friend is bloody fantastic, that is why we are trying to do what we are doing, for people like you who care and a community that needs its football club, thank you thats given me further belief and hope for the next decade if our existence.

@Lancsiron: This touched me massively. The links to family, going with friends and those people I have now seen for 30/40 odd years whose name I don’t know but there presence hasn’t stopped… I showed my kids yes it’s your family but it could be mine in the pics too. Thankyou! #United

@TheDaveCalaz: Incredible. This is a perfect example of why there’s no such thing as a club without history. Every club is important to someone. I love it.

@bowiebhoy72: I don’t know what it is about those bloody floodlights but I always get excited to see them on my way into scunny from Doncaster on the train

@GavC87: Our club!

@cmacd57: This is amazing, goosebumps!

@Ianrobi23151941: Fantastic video from a Pompey fan… just love the passion and love it when fans support their local club, it means everything. I am the same with Pompey, born and bred at the hospital next to the ground, my 2 sons were the same and they came to fratton park every week with me now

@DeanHarrison76: That is brilliant mate, captures exactly what we feel as fans!

@lally_kev: Amazing video Aaron. Football clubs are vital to communities and we need to do everything we can to protect the future of these clubs. Always enjoyed my trips to Scunny – even though results there for us haven’t been great – and I’m glad this can now continue

@aidanmccartney: That’s brilliant, mate. Sums up what it means ❤️ @jamesiron95 should get this on the big screen tomorrow. #UTI

@RobJefferson: Tremendous, Aaron. I’m taking my daughter tomorrow for her first ever match, under better circumstances than it was when I bought the tickets at the start of the week. Your video sums up exactly why I’m taking her and explains it far better than I have done so far. Thank you.

@capsnbovril: This will resonate with so many people. Beautifully put together, Aaron! Wow.

@SUFC_Iron_Art: Fantastic video 🥹 The old Unity Badge scarf really finished me off as my Grandpa went especially to the club shop to buy me one for my Birthday despite being unwell at that point 🧣

@Leonbradley7: I couldn’t have summed it up any better Aaron. Class this 🫡 UTI

@Jugger21000: Come to the match for your Grandad, come to the match for your Father, come to the match for your Son..come to the match for for your Grandson..this Day this Time this Life this love!! Anyone that loves real football come!! ❤️❤️

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