A dedicated football writer who covered his beloved local team for over half a century has died aged 76.

Brian Binnersley was born and bred in Shrewsbury and started covering Shrewsbury Town FC when they joined the football league in 1950.

During the following 50 years it is believed he only missed one home match – and that was because he was in hospital.

Brian began his journalism career at the Shrewsbury Chronicle which is when he began his long association with the club, reporting from the press box which was housed on the top of stilts.

In the early 1960s he left the Chronicle to set up the Shrewsbury Press Service news agency with another well-known local reporter Russell Mulford.

Twenty years later Brian went solo to establish the Shrewsbury Sports Agency and became the regular correspondent for the Press Association and several regional and national newspapers.

As well as writing about his home town club for such an extraordinary period of time, he was a devoted fan and nothing hurt him more than when they were beaten or didn’t perform particularly well.

Shrewsbury Town Chairman Roland Wycherley said: “It was with great sadness that we heard the news that Brian Binnersley had passed away.

“He was a big part of Shrewsbury Town for the whole of his life and will sadly be missed by all at the club.

“Our thoughts are with all of his family at this very difficult time.”

Brian died peacefully at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on Monday. He is survived by his wife June, sons Peter and Nigel, daughter Kate and grandchildren.

Comments

Sam Holliday (13/11/2008 12:00:50)
What a heart-warming example of the truly dedicated and often under-valued sports writers we have in our country. To miss just one home game in 50 years is an astonishing achievement and I think people like Brian Binnersley are a real credit to our profession. He is someone who will have been loved and revered in his ‘patch’ and would have been a fantastic ambassador for local sports journalism.
My condolences to his family and I hope they can take some comfort from the fact that Brian’s dedication to his work earns respect even from those of us who never met (or read) him.