By Jon Couch
THE Evo-Stik Southern League described him as “one of football‘s good guys”, his daughter Polly as “passionate and determined”. Having had the privilege to know and call Fleet Town chairman Steve Cantle a personal friend, I can certainly vouch for both.
To say I was deeply saddened by Steve’s sudden passing last Friday following a heart attack at his home would be a huge understatement.
He genuinely loved his football club, the town as a whole and its community. He was ‘Mr Fleet Town’.
I first met Steve Cantle in my role as Sports Editor of the Fleet News & Mail back in 2001 when he was installed as the club’s secretary. We instantly clicked.
If the truth be known, Steve was actually more of a rugby and cricket fan at the time, but it wasn’t long before he fell in love with Fleet Town FC and its pleasant surroundings at Calthorpe Park.
In particular, Steve was very proud of the club’s thriving youth scheme and worked tirelessly to promote the junior sides which have produced a healthy number of young players now playing in the first team.
Last year, representatives of three Premier League clubs were keeping tabs on talents such as Ben Toye and Josh Harfield – a success story which Steve played a significant part in.
In 2009, after I had left my first spell at the News & Mail, Steve was made chairman of Fleet Town as successor to Graham Smith and he continued to keep the club ticking along amid testing times.
It’s not easy keeping a club the size of Fleet competitive in Step 4, although they did benefit from a couple of relegation reprieves.
Fleet Town without Steve Cantle will be an eerie place. It will survive because more good people remain, but without him there will be a gaping hole in the day-to-day running of the football club.
Warm and welcoming, Steve didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone. He knew each regular supporter personally and if he didn’t he would make a point of saying hello as he strolled merrily around the ground during the game.
As a mark of respect, the Boxing Day game with Farnborough was postponed – a fitting fixture for Steve given he actually had a soft spot for the club’s big local rivals.
There aren’t many people who you can say that about but, then again, there aren’t many people like Steve Cantle. RIP dear friend.
