David's Silsden snaps

By Richard Bailey

In non-league football, clubs need all the fans they can get. So imagine the delight of Vodkat League Division One side Silsden AFC when they gained one more.

David Brett is the club’s match day photographer and explains that after taking match day photos at the club for seven years he has become a fully fledged fan.

 “I am very much a supporter of Silsden but because I visit lots of other local clubs I also am keen for them to do well. It’s great to see a well managed team and enthusiastic participation from the players.”

David describes how he first came to pick up a camera, “My eldest brother was into photography and he taught me all the technical stuff. I used to be a teacher and used to take photographs for display in school. Eventually I sent some into the local paper and they used them alongside articles about the school.”

David then takes up the story of how he came to take pictures for Silsden. “After submitting photos to the local paper for free I eventually asked if I could get paid. I went to the editor and came away hopeful but nothing happened for six weeks. I then got a call when they were stuck for a photographer.

“From this haphazard start I began doing regular freelance work for the Keighley News alongside my teaching. As Silsden moved up the ranks I began to give them more coverage.”

David goes on and says tongue in cheek, “At a weak moment I offered to help Silsden out by setting up their website. Through the newspaper work and the website, the link became quite strong. I now try to get to most home first team games and occasionally to the other teams such as the under 19’s on a Sunday.”

David’s love for football is clearly obvious and had it not been for one fundamental floor he may have even enjoyed a career in the game as he explains, “I would have loved to have played football but my playing career was held back by the complete lack of ability.”

This didn’t put him off the game completely as he highlights, “I was always a supporter of the game and used to be a season ticket holder at Leeds United during the Revie era. I used to run school teams and qualified as a referee but eventually photography became my link to the game.”

In one game alone David explains that he will take up to 300 pictures of which only 30 will be useable. So with David concentrating on where his next picture is going to come from, can he actually afford to enjoy the game as a spectacle?

“You see the game from a different perspective. Anticipation is very important so you are trying to second guess situations and when you are using a long lens you see a very narrow angle of view. Having said that, I enjoy hunting for the picture and there is a great deal of pleasure in capturing a moment that would be otherwise lost.”

There are however, some negatives of attending games, “It’s very easy to lose concentration either because you end up watching the game or because it’s so boring you end up watching something in the crowd.”

But David insists the perks of the job far outweigh the negatives and indicates why he especially enjoys the work he does, “I guess the funny side of the game is the many characters you come across.” With over 500 football games covered you get the impression he has met quite a few.

With so many games under his belt you would suspect that David has seen a far bit through his lens. It also appears he has made a few friends along the way as he explains. “Last season I was sent off from the side of the pitch by a linesman because he had decided I was a danger to the players with my camera and monopod. With the help of one or two people who shall remain nameless, the story grew some legs and it was posted on the clubs forum that I was being ‘charged’ by the West Riding County FA but was appealing. It was great to know that some people wanted to put together a petition on my behalf.”

David also has some fond memories of his time at Silsden but is defiant in citing his favourite moment, “Silsden winning the County Cup was a very special evening. It was for the club a huge accolade and acknowledgement of the progress they had made as a team.

“Many of the squad had been together with the manager for many years so it was very much a ‘team’ feeling. For me it was great to be a part of it and you could see the genuine emotion in the celebration photographs.”

Another moment for David to treasure was when he got the chance to go back to his beloved Elland Road all be it for a rugby league game. “Given my many years at Elland Road as a supporter it was great recently to return to the ground as a photographer. The only problem being that it was a rugby game. It was Leeds Rhinos Vs Melbourne Storm for Leeds Met University.”

Despite reaching such heights it seems that David still has the same enthusiasm as when he first picked up a camera and you can be rest assured that you may just see him at a few more Silsden games yet….whatever the level.