
FRANK KING
As many will know by now, long-time Hitchin Town Supporter and former Supporters’ Club Chairman, Frank King, passed away last week.
I asked Roy for the task of penning a few words in memory of Frank as I worked very closely with him for ten years on the Supporters’ Club Committee between 2000 and 2010, first as Membership Secretary and then as Vice-Chairman. During this time I got to know Frank as well as anyone else.
Frank was a kind, generous and fun-loving bloke who was always good fun to be around. He lived for his football and was totally committed to making Hitchin Town a better place to be. He followed Hitchin home and away for many years, and missed very few games during a season, even when the team was at its lowest ebb. We spent weekends in Truro and Bideford on a number of occasions – and Frank and I can lay claim to being two of the “Bideford Three” at Bideford on Saturday 21st December 2013, which represented the lowest-ever away following that I have experienced in my thirty plus years of following Hitchin Town.
Frank was a highly sociable man and loved a few pints. How it came about I can’t remember – but somehow four of us came together and our little group which acquired a tag known as the “Beer Monsters” was born. Steve Maxted, Roger Berry and myself had followed Hitchin to away games as a group for some time and Frank just fitted in as the fourth member perfectly. Our mission has always been to seek out the best beer in the best pub we can find, at every away venue that we travel to. Frank loved his Mild, Stout and Porters – all the dark beers. He always projected an image of being younger than his years – until recently people always thought he was ten years younger than he actually was. Indeed, he was ten years older than the rest of us “Beer Monsters” but that was never evident with all the laughs we had. He was a charmer with the ladies whilst remaining totally respectful, everyone I know warmed to Frank and nobody had a bad word to say about him. He reluctantly retired from work at about the age of 70, and would have gone on working had he had the opportunity to do so. After retirement, he would devote quite a bit of his time at the Club helping with maintenance, be it wielding a paintbrush or sawing a piece of wood.
The one time that you would see a different side of Frank was behind the goal once the match had started. He had a pathological loathing for all men dressed in black on or around the pitch. From the start of the match, EVERY referee and linesman was biased against Hitchin. Some were even accused of “cheating”, and every decision which didn’t go in Hitchin’s favour was wrong. I would have loved to have given Frank a whole season to mark each referee’s performance out of 10. I guarantee you that the overall figure would have been a minus figure!
Although Frank was highly sociable, he was a very private man and lived alone. He would always go on holiday alone (Malta was always his favourite venue), and we knew very little about his family or past until recent times. He was Hitchin born and bred, but from what we can gather, the only member of his family with whom he was in contact was his sister who lives in Rushden. I have contacted her and spoken to her, and I await further news of what will happen re his funeral.
So very sadly we have lost another club stalwart and friend from our midst. But we have the abiding memories of a wonderful chap who loved a laugh and a drink, and his football, but not match officials. We shall miss him terribly. Rest in Peace my friend. I shall raise a pint of dark beer to you.
Chris Newbold