Football club celebrates Glastonbury band link

Frank Allen, singer and guitarist with the band, says performing at Glastonbury will be a great way to finish their career

As The Searchers plan their final stage appearance this weekend, a football club in Worcestershire is celebrating its connection to the band.

The Merseybeat stars, who had a string of 60s hits, including Don't Throw Your Love Away and Sweets For My Sweet, will take to the stage at Glastonbury on Saturday.

In 2005, they made a donation to help launch the football club in Crowle which shares their name and even has a guitar in its logo to honour the link.

Adrian Coleman, chair of Crowle Searchers FC, said the name and logo were a conversation starter in the community.

"We wanted some identity for the club, and we thought what better way than to thank The Searchers for their sponsorship [than] by having the guitar and the name," he said.

Club chair Adrian Coleman says the club's branding is a conversation starter

"Like all grass-roots clubs, we are completely volunteer-led," he said.

"It is really, really rewarding to see so many young people down here enjoying themselves every weekend and over 50 adults giving their time freely to enable that to happen in a safe and competitive environment."

Hope Dickson, who coaches the club's girls' team, said their branding made them stand out.

"When we have a tournament and you see the badge everywhere - it's not something you see every day and the connection is quite interesting," she said.

Hope Dickinson says the club's connection with the band is "quite interesting" and not something you see every day

While the band's appearance on the acoustic stage will be their first time performing at Glastonbury, it is set to be their last performance together as a group – although it is not the first time the band has tried to retire.

"This is our fourth final tour, believe it or not. It's the final goodbye, you'll see no more of us," said bass guitarist and singer Frank Allen.

"It's a great way to go out, saying we finished at Glastonbury," he added.

The Searchers have tried to retire several times before

He said supporting the football club had been "great" and that the kids were "very grateful".

"We like to help out when we can – it's not every time we can, but that was a lovely cause," he said.