When Harry met Massey ...
Massey Ferguson was formed when tractor pioneer Harry Ferguson joined in partnership with a harvesting machinery company called Massey Harris. In 1946 Ferguson tractor production had begun in Coventry at the old Standard car works production lines, used during the war years to make motor vehicles. The very first tractors produced were the Little Grey Fergie T20 petrol/paraffin fuelled machines sold to farmers around the country and still much in use today. Over the years, and with increased use of technology, a varied assortment of tractors came out of the Banner Lane site, the most notable being the Massey Ferguson 135s and 240s, produced for the home, European and world markets. In the company’s heyday, through the 70s and 80s, several thousand personnel were employed at Banner Lane, all members of a vibrant sports and social club located on the site. As you might expect with such a strong workforce, inter-departmental rivalry soon emerged and competitions in football, cricket, tennis, bowls, snooker, darts and other sports were keenly contested.
Over the years there had been as many as twenty-eight different sections allied to the club, including a thriving running section, well known around the
Midlands. At that time, the facility included two football pitches, a cricket square, rugby pitch, bowling green and tennis courts. With the boom in manufacturing, and subsequent employment during the 1980s, many major local companies also provided their own sports and social club facilities within their factories, and this led to local works leagues across many sports, boasting indoor and outdoor activities. These companies included such well known names as Alvis, Courtaulds, GEC Telecommunications, Jaguar Cars, Rolls Royce, Lucas Aerospace, Peugeot, Dunlop, AP Lockheed, Alfred Herbert’s, Reynold Chain, Standard Triumph Motors and Morris Engines. It is important to note here, that these sports and social facilities played a hugely important role in maintaining the morale of the workforce and were considered an integral part of the employment package. In 1981 Massey Ferguson FC became a founder member of the newly formed Coventry Alliance League, winning the league title three times and the Challenge Cup on nine occasions. In 1993, the club rose to non league status by joining the Midland Football Combination to replace Coventry Sporting FC, making a good impression in their first years with a string of trophies including Division 1 league
champions and the Birmingham County FA Vase.
In their early years the cricket team moved in high flying circles and played against the likes of Northampton, Coventry & North Warwickshire, Hinckley, Nuneaton and Leicester. The team included a number of top class players who, whilst not employees of Massey Ferguson, were invited to participate in these elite matches and also to pass on their skills to employees and their young families.
In 2001, following a few dormant years, the club was resurrected moving into the Warwickshire League where they won Divisions 3 and 2 respectively, and now boast a very strong junior section with age groups from under 10s to 16s.
In 2003 tractor production was moved to France and Brazil. Whilst it was a sad reflection on British manufacturing it was an
understandable financial move. Massey weren’t the first and, certainly, won’t be the last.
But now, the good news ...
Persimmon Homes purchased the Banner Lane site in 2003 to build 900 homes, apartments and industrial units but, soon realised that the sportsground was green belt and, therefore, could be not built on.
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