Steve was born in Morden Surrey, the son of Joan and Douglas Harvey. He had a brother Richard and attended the Greenshaw Secondary School before becoming an apprentice electrician. This led to him eventually owning his own highly successful Electrical Contracting Company here in Poole.
His interest in football probably began with his Dad and Grandad who used to run a local team called St Hellier Athletic. It is not known if Steve actually played for his Dad’s side, or not in his playing days. He also became and still is an A.F.C.Wimbledon Supporter, yes there are some.
He met Kim, who was to play a huge part in his life in 1974 at The Dukes Head pub, and they got married three years later before moving down to Dorset to be near his parents who had already moved there. They have two children James and Louisa, both of whom have played a large part in their lives.
Steve soon got involved in the local football after moving down to Dorset. First of all, he ran Windgreen Football Club in the Sunday League at Corfe Mullen Recreation Ground in the early nineties. He then went on to manage Corfe Mullen F.C in the Dorset Saturday League playing on a piece of ground owned by the Wessex Water Company which he turned into a football pitch.
Almost single handed he maintained the pitch as well as running the team. After a while this became too much, and so they returned to playing at the Rec. Steve went on to manage Lytchett Red Triangle and Bournemouth Sports before deciding to quit managing.
The Hammers did try to get him to join the Club, but at that stage he was not ready to do so, but he did later accept an offer to become a Director of Poole Town FC. After becoming a little disillusioned with how things were going at the Dolphins he resigned from the Board. He joined HUFC as Chairman for a while and then went to Wimbone Town as a Director.
Steve returned to Hamworthy United when it was going through a very tough period due to several members of the Committee having retired, or had left the Club. It was in serious danger of folding through lack of volunteers.
He steadied the ship and together with the then President David Manuel threw himself into the planning and building of the new clubhouse. Steve is very much a deliverer, and when he has made a decision he acts on it. Unfortunately David Manuel died, and never saw the completion of the Clubhouse.
However Steve not only oversaw the building of it, but spent hours doing a lot of the work himself. He was also responsible for turning the Club into a Limited company run by Directors, instead of having a committee. One of these was his wife Kim who became the Financial Director where she has been doing a great job ever since. Steve got the new turnstiles built and sponsored. He also did a lot of the work on the layout and building of the external refreshment area outside the Clubhouse.
Steve convinced Harry Redknapp to not only open the Clubhouse, but also to speak at a Fund Raising Dinner free of charge.
Steve had a clear vision of where he wanted to take the Club, but in the last few months he has been unfortunately diagnosed with a life threatening illness and has now had to reluctantly resign his position.
There is no doubt without Steve Harvey’s hard work and drive, Hamworthy United would be all the poorer, making him a True Hamworthy Legend.
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