Steve Henley gives his “heart and soul” to Shurdington Rovers Football Club.

Those are the words of the club’s chairman Dan Pardoe, who has been in and around sport long enough to know a good person when he sees one.

Henley, who is 47, joined Shurdington Rovers last season and is their vice-chairman.

He’s also an occasional player, the first-team’s assistant manager as well as being on the committee of Shurdington Sports Club, which is home to the football club. 

“He’s a real character, he works tirelessly,” added Pardoe.

Pardoe’s words will come as no surprise to anyone who has been involved with Henley in a sporting capacity.

He has played, managed and worked on the administrative side for a number of football clubs over the years, most notably Dowty Dynamos but also Rowanfield and Bassalona.

He enjoyed his time wherever he was, of course he did, but these days all his footballing focus is on Shurdington Rovers.

The club have got two teams competing in the Cheltenham League and the flagship side are currently top in the Premier Division under manager Ryan Taylor.

“We want the first team to progress,” said Henley. “Our aim is to win the league and get into the Northern Senior League but it’s going to be very tight, we’ve still got to play Tewkesbury Athletic, Whaddon and Lakeside.”

The club’s reserves play in Division Three and have made an encouraging start to the campaign under manager Dan Harris and his assistant Mike Tales.

“We want to bring the youngsters through,” explained Henley, who said that the club were hoping to run a couple of youth teams next season.

Henley, who is Cheltenham born and bred, will no doubt be involved in that in some way, shape or form but while his main role at the club is obviously off the field, he’s made his mark on the field too.

“I played in goal for the first team a couple of weeks ago when Nathan Buckland was on holiday,” he said.

“And I also played the first 20 minutes of a County Cup game in centre midfield against Gala 3rds. I had the armband!

“A couple of players were late because of work, I’ll help out anyway I can.”

Shurdington won that tie 4-3 on penalties after the match had finished 1-1 and while it’s a bit of a cliche to say that as a central midfielder Henley covered every blade of grass that day, it’s fair to say he’s covered pretty much every inch of Shurdington playing fields.

That’s because, in addition to his many other roles, he looks after the club’s pitch and the outfield, while Keith Knight, once of Cheltenham Town Football Club, tends to the cricket square.

Former Bournside School pupil Henley is a keen cricketer himself, having originally started playing the game as a young teenager with Dowty Arle Court.

These days his club are very much Charlton Kings, a club he first played for in 1998.

“I was vice-captain of the 3rd XI last season and I will captain the side next year,” he said.

And while next season is obviously going to be an important one for him, he’s done much, much more for the club over the years.

“I’ve got a lifetime membership at the club,” he added. “Up until last season I’d been looking after their ground for a number of years.”

It’s fair to say that football and cricket keep Henley rather busy all year round – it should be mentioned at this point that he’s also on the Cheltenham Football League’s committee – but he still has enough time to fit in one more sport.

“I play skittles for Madhatters in the Cheltenham League,” he said. 

“The team have been going since the 1970s, I’ve been playing for them for more than 20 years.

“We play our home games at Shurdington Sports Club. I’ve been captain for the past 10 years and I’m also treasurer.

“We won Division Two last season and we’re currently top of Division One.”

Just as with his football and cricket, Henley, who lives in Shurdington, clearly pours his heart and soul into Madhatters.

And in these post-Covid times, grassroots sport certainly needs more people like Steve Henley.