WEEKLY BULLETIN: 12TH SEPTEMBER
Club Statement
Unfortunately, there was a tragic accident on land adjacent to the football ground last Saturday that resulted in the fatality of two people. At this stage we know very little about the actual details of the accident and the police have taken control of the incident and their enquiries are ongoing.
We would like to send our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to their families at this very sad and difficult time.
Upcoming Fixtures
Saturday 13 September vs St Albans City (H) – FA Cup
On Saturday 13 September we welcome St Albans City to Top Field in the Second Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup. Kick-off is at 3.00pm.
Step 3 side St Albans have had a rebuild since their relegation last season similar to that at Hitchin Town following our relegation to Step 4. They secured their place in the Second Qualifying Round following a 3-1 win away against Aylesbury Vale Dynamos.
Tickets
As it is an FA Cup match please remember that Season Tickets aren’t valid for this fixture.
We are expecting a large attendance for this match. So please purchase your tickets online if at all possible so you can immediately enter through the turnstiles.
Where possible we advising purchasing online. As well as being cheaper, it will ensure your quick and easy entry into the ground through the gate.
Please purchase your tickets online here:
https://hitchintownfc.ktckts.com/brand/match-tickets
The online box office remains open until 30 minutes after kick off.
If you do need to buy your tickets in person, our Matchday ticket office will be open from 13.30-15.15 , and can be accessed from the rear car park (behind the Canary Club). Once you have purchased a ticket at the Matchday Ticket Office you will then present your ticket at the turnstiles for entry. More details here:
https://hitchintownfc.club/admission-prices/
Turnstiles open at 14.00
Parking
Unfortunately supporter parking is not available in the club car park (unless you are a registered blue badge holder and have made prior arrangements).
Food and Drink
The Canary Club bar is open from 11.00 with some of the lowest prices in Hitchin! Drinks can be taken into the ground in a reusable plastic cup. (£1 deposit required). You can exit to the bar during the match and will be re-admitted via the side gate by showing your hand-stamp.
Please enter the ground as early as possible before kick off to avoid congestion at the turnstiles. We have the following options inside the ground and you can still exit to the Canary Club Bar too:
Mad Squirrel Brewery are serving a great range of craft beers, ciders and lager. They are located adjacent to the main stand.
Canary Kitchen will be open from when the turnstiles open serving a great range of food and soft drinks including our signature HTFC Pies. They also have ice creams on offer!
Club Shop
Get your matchday programme, teamsheet, chocolate bars, sweets and HTFC merchandise from the club shop.
For full details on the facilities at Top Field see our Matchday Info page here:
https://hitchintownfc.club/matchday-info/
We look forward to welcoming everyone to Top Field and hope that everyone has a great afternoon.
Fixture Update
Our FA Trophy game against Biggleswade has been moved to Friday 19 September at Bedford Town’s ground, with kick-off at 7.45pm. Your support would be greatly appreciated.
Important Ticket Office News
As you will be aware, for the past year and a half we have a very small group of dedicated volunteers who have been operating a ticket office window at the Club on match days, selling tickets to those who either have difficulties or choose not to buy their tickets online in advance. Payment is by card only with no cash handled – which ensures safety and security of all ticket receipts as they go straight into the bank. It also protects us serving at the window…..no cash to rob from us!
We are about to lose a key member of our team, Sam, who has done a fantastic job since we opened the office – Sam is off to continue his degree studies in Poland. This means our resources to operate the ticket office are even more stretched than before.
During this time we have committed to keep the Match Day Ticket window open until 15 minutes after kick off for latecomers. We have even gone above and beyond this up till now and interrupted our own supporting of our team to serve people arriving later than 15 minutes after kick off.
The purpose of this article is to let you know that we cannot sustain this going forward.
So if there are any of you out there who previously have arrived for games after the advertised closing time of the Match Day Ticket Office, please be aware that from our game on Saturday 27 September and thereafter, anyone who arrives after the ticket office is closed and wishes to gain entry to see the remainder of the game will need to buy a ticket online from their phone, either when they arrive or better for themself, in advance. There will be no ground entry permitted for anyone turning up after 15:15 or 20:00 for evening games without a valid ticket.
When the Ticket Office closes, it will remain closed. The volunteers who operate it have other match day responsibilities that they still need to carry out and will not reopen it for latecomers to buy tickets. No different from other event venues once the event has started.
So please if you want to watch your team at Top Field, be mindful of kick off time and make sure you have your ticket for entry – preferably before you arrive. The Club is still providing the service that it has committed to provide, and buying online in advance ensures your own entry into the ground will be much quicker and your experience improved. And it’s cheaper!
Thank you for your co-operation.
Chris Newbold
Managers Notes
Win over Biggleswade Town in the FA Trophy
Saturday we travelled to Biggleswade Town in the FA Trophy. Biggleswade are the only team to beat us so far in our 10 competitive games in all competitions and we certainly did not want a repeat of this.
Biggleswade started the stronger without really creating anything as they were trying to manage the game as they were against the wind in the first half. We were awful in the opening 20 minutes as we were struggling to get to terms with the conditions, wind and grass. We were also being bullied by the hosts and this meant we did not really get going. Biggleswade then scored a goal from a cross come shot which caught everyone by surprise to give them the lead. We were now not playing well, 1-0 down and playing a team that specialise in disrupting games of football. Everyone probably thought the worst at this stage. We then started to get a better foothold in the game and we now started to force Biggleswade to defend very deep in their half. We created some half chances but were not really able to test their keeper fully. We kept pushing and minutes before half time a wonder strike from Josh Jackman got us back level.
Half Time and we encouraged the players to keep moving the ball, despite the conditions, warned them about the wind and the part it might have to play in the game and also made sure they were up for working hard, battling and believed we could win the game.
Second half we started on the front foot and never took our foot off the gas. We created some good chances this half and made sure the whole game was played in the Biggleswade half. 58 minutes and we took a deserved lead through Callum Kane. Callum Nicolson had a shot from the edge of the box which was saved and Kye Tearle was able to provide the assist from the rebound for Callum to put in from the back post. We continued to try and add another goal and late on in the game another Kye Tearle assist provided Taylor Rhiney with another goal for the club.
We ran out 3-1 winners and I am really pleased the group dug in deep to turn the game around, especially away from home in very difficult conditions. This has now set us up nicely for the FA Cup game on Saturday.
Once again I need to thank our huge support. We outnumbered the home crowd again and made another positive atmosphere which helped the group get over the line.
This Weekend’s FA Cup Clash with St Albans City
Saturday we host St Albans in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. St Albans have built a very good team this season despite having a slow start. They have plenty of experience, physicality and have a few individuals who possess the ability to be match winners.
We go into this game as underdogs but we have the confidence and belief that we can cause another upset and progress further in the competition.
We will need everyone’s support on Saturday as St Albans will bring a good away following and we need to make sure the Canary faithful create the best atmosphere to drown them out and help inspire us on to a win.
I look forward to seeing you all Saturday and can’t wait to hear the atmosphere that I am sure you will all create.
I spoke to Matt Furniss in more detail around our preparations for this game & this season so far earlier this week. You can read that here: https://hitchintownfc.club/michael-jones-hitchin-town-vs-st-albans-fa-cup-preview/
Congratulations Taylor and Blue!
I would like to congratulate Taylor Rhiney and Megan on the birth of Halo Helen Rhiney. We all can’t wait to meet the newest Canary.
I would also like to congratulate Blue Joy on passing his driving test Thursday.
Player News
- Lewis Barker is currently taking a break from football due to increased work commitments/personal issues.
- Fernando Bell-Toxtle continues to play for Newport Pagnell as he steps up his recovery from his long term injury.
- Tyrese Kamara has had a setback from his injury and he remains out injured.
- Will McNeill is on a dual registration with Biggleswade United.
- Liam Brooks returned to training Thursday after his holiday.
- Cole Butler has played two games for Potton United.
- Blue Joy has played two games for Potton United.
- Plamedi Bomolo played for Kempston Rovers on Saturday.
Academy Update
Everyone has enrolled now and we have had our first week back in education and training.
We are now in the process of training in preparation for our upcoming fixtures.
We still have a few spaces remaining for this season so please use the link below to find out more information.
If you would like to be part of the academy or would like to find out more information on what we offer please register your details using this link – https://extranet.wearescl.co.uk/ToolkitNew/webenrolment.aspx?page=~/webcontrols/courseapply.ascx&OfferingId=85258
Michael Jones
Hitchin vs St Albans History in the FA Cup
There have been nine previous meetings between Hitchin and St Albans in the FA Cup. Our record is five wins, one draw and three defeats. Here is the complete record:
08/10/1960 home 4-0
19/09/1964 home 4-0
18/09/1965 away 0-2
16/09/1967 away 0-0
19/09/1967 home 3-1
19/10/1968 home 0-2
19/10/1974 away 2-1
21/10/1995 home 2-1
03/10/2020 away 0-5
Hitchin Belles in the Women’s FA Cup
It was great to host the Hitchin Belles for their Women’s FA Cup against Leyton Orient. A fantastic attendance of 403 including lots of the young Hitchin Belles teams. A great afternoon that seemed to be enjoyed by all, regardless of the result! We look forward to more stadium hires from Hitchin Belles in the future.
RIP Steve Hodge
It is with great sadness that I inform you of the sudden passing of former Hitchin Town Centre Forward Steve Hodge last weekend. ‘Hodgey’ was a larger than life character, very popular with his former teammates and he will be missed dearly.
He had two spells with the Canaries first joining in September 1975 from Ampthill scoring on his debut against Cheshunt in the Herts Charity Cup.
Steve went on to play a further 30 times, scoring 9 goals in the 75/76 season with him scoring in his final match against Hemel Hempstead in the Final of the Herts Charity Cup that Hitchin won 4-0. He left to join Tring the following season.
Steve returned to Top Field in December 1978 from Letchworth and made his second debut on 27 December 1978 against Boreham Wood in a 2-0 League defeat.
He went on to play a further 38 matches scoring 19 goals in a stretch of just over 14 months before finishing his Canaries career on 22 March 1980 in a 3-1 win against a mighty Enfield team. Steve would go on to join Barton Rovers where he enjoyed a very successful time.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Steve’s family at this very sad time. Out of respect the Club will be having a minutes silence before the match against St Albans in his honour and to honour the two victims of last weekends tragic accident.
Mark Burke
Community Update
Summer Holiday Camps
It feels a long time ago now, but we had a very successful time hosting Summer Holiday Camps over 5 weeks with football camps at the Arena and a multi-activity camp at Preston Junior School.
The courses ran from 9.30am – 3.30pm on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week with the Arena running for 5 weeks and 4 weeks at Preston Junior School.
The camps were open to children aged 5-14 years and were well attended at both camps as illustrated in the data below:
Coaching Courses at the Arena
Junior Ability Counts
Our Junior Ability Counts sessions at the Arena, Baldock started back again on Monday 8 September from 5-6pm. The sessions are open to 5-16 year olds with physical and or SEN but be able to walk.
Safe Hands Goalkeeping Course
We also started Our Safe Hands Goalkeeping sessions at the Arena, Baldock again on Wednesday 10 September from 5.30-6.30pm with former Hitchin Town First Team goalkeeper Josh Mollison. The sessions are open to 6-14 year olds
Schools are Back
We have returned to delivering coaching sessions in our local schools including:
Preston Junior, Oughton Primary, Icknield Infants, St Mary’s, Woolgrove and Brandles but we are always looking to expand our provision and so if there are any schools requiring support for their PE, PPA, After School and Breakfast Clubs please contact Josh Mollison on info@htcfc.co.uk
HTWFC Update
We firstly want to say that after the horrendous incident on Saturday, we send our deepest sympathy & condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those that died.
We urge that people do not speculate what has been reported in the media and respect the privacy of the families.
Our springboard into the new football season was halted with St Chris unavailable, it saw us without a home venue to play our first game. HTWFC v Sherrardswood was postponed. Baldock Town Ladies FC Development hosted HTWFC however due to a technicality with their pitch grading no competitive fixtures were allowed to continue. So a friendly between the two teams proceeded.
The Canaries ran out 6-1 winners getting vital minutes before the season starts.
Sunday 14th September 2025 – 14:00
Cranfield United Ladies FC v HTWFC
Cranfield United, MK43 0AA
Contact us today on hello@hitchintownwomenfc.co.uk
Callum Ellis