PRESENTATION EVENING
On Tuesday evening we had our last event of the season when we had an enjoyable evening at the Canary Club with our end of season presentation event. We enjoyed an excellent buffet from Canary Kitchen with whom we have formed an excellent partnership this season.
Mick Docking did a great job as MC for the evening and he also hosted a quiz mainly themed around the football club and he was aided by Freddie Cardy and Peter Else.
After the quiz there was a moving and powerful video presentation put together quite brilliantly by Kate Deller and Paul Sprague. It told the story of how our successful Crowdfunder led to the transformation of the stadium at Top Field.
It paid tribute to the great work of the volunteers and showed before and after images of the ground. It brought home how every penny you the supporters raised was put to the maximum benefit of our famous old ground and we can only thank again everybody who contributed to our Crowdfunder however large or small their donation. Mark and myself felt really proud watching the video and hopefully it will go on our website in the near future. The financial results of the Crowdfunder are shown below.
Mark told me that many visiting managers tell him how impressed they are with the ground and the improvements that have been carried out. The evening continued with Mark doing a review of the season. It was humorous but included thanks to all who make HTFC the club it is and he remembered those who had passed away including long time sponsor Peter Gooch.
He then handed over to Kate who announced a new award to be presented for the most outstanding contribution to Hitchin Town FC each year. It was named the Matthew Malarowski Award after our volunteer who tragically passed away this season. The first winner of the award announced by Kate was appropriately Matthew himself and his brother Marek, another long term volunteer, was very humbled to collect the award on behalf of Matthew.
Then Mark presented his Manager’s Player of the Year. The winner was Ciaren Jones who Mark said started the season playing well but as the season progressed he improved and was excellent in the run-in. Mark’s selection was endorsed by the squad who voted Ciaren as the Players Player of the Year. The supporters chose Charlie Horlock as their Player of the Year which was presented by Dave Neale.
Mark then said an emotional goodbye to club legend Dan Webb who has retired after 400 games. Dan himself said a final emotional farewell to everyone.
The final award was the Gerald Lincoln trophy. Gerald was a past chairman and his award recognises fair play as well as ability and Ciaren Jones won this for his third trophy of the evening.
Thanks to Mark Burke for his help with this article.
CROWDFUNDER FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN
Below there is a detailed breakdown of the Crowdfunder finances. We always promised we would be totally open and would give full details of how your money was spent–
SOUTHERN LEAGUE CENTRAL DIVISION 2022/23
The FA have announced the make up of the Southern League Central Division for next season—
AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Alvechurch
Barwell
BASFORD UNITED
Bedford Town
Bromsgrove Sporting
Coalville Town
Hednesford Town
Hitchin Town
ILKESTON TOWN
*Kings Langley
Leiston
MICKLEOVER
Needham Market
Nuneaton Borough
Redditch United
Royston Town
Rushall Olympic
St Ives Town
Stourbridge
Stratford Town
Tamworth
CAPITAL letters are clubs switched from Northern Premier League
*Lateral movement
MESSAGE FROM KATE DELLER
When I started to write this article it had reached 2 x A4 pages and was ongoing. I realised I needed to do some hefty editing! But I needed to edit in a way that would not belittle the work that people put in. So, whilst I have not listed all of the jobs each of these people do, believe me when I say they can do no more than they are doing! Everything they have done is with the intention of giving every supporter the best match day experience they possibly could, whilst also being themselves a supporter of Hitchin Town FC. We have asked a lot of these people and they have all gone beyond what we could have expected.
The season has come to a close and for many of us it has been a good one. A good one because it has run smoothly! We have managed to see an incredible 8485 supporters (including preseason) safely through the turnstiles. An extraordinary number of supporters, home and away. We are so grateful for all your support, not only at Top Field but also to Canary Kitchen. Paul and Kirsty Foster have done an extraordinary job in keeping you all fed with quality food. The Club shop has been successful, and it is really heartening to see young and older supporters leafing through the old programmes, making donations. The merchandise has sold well, and it is always good to see so many home shirts and scarves worn to our matches.
I would like to shout out for our volunteers, without whom NONE of this would be possible. You face every challenge with a smile making every supporters’ visit to Top Field pleasurable.
Ground staff: Steve Barker, Rupert Russell, Marek Malorowski, Alan Johnson, Sam Johnson, Steve Monk, Gary Prutton, Kevin Lowe, Geoff Thomason, Andy Smith, Alan Jordan, Mark Mountney, Paul Moon, Martyn Tomlin, Peter Mountney you make an outstanding team.
Match Day & Beyond: Chris Newbold, Paul Sprague, David Tudball, Roy Izzard, Mick Docking, Terry Barrett, Nick Sopowski, Steve Maxted, Roger Berry, Jan Berry, Paul Harris, Colin Hawkins, Peter Else, Jacqui Else, Alan Clark, Irvin Morgan, Frank King, Rowan and Finn Scourfield, Marac Kolodzinski, Freddie Cardy, Eddy Reilly, Matt Furniss, Stewart Curtis, Chris Jones, Brian Gray, Ben Christmas, Chloe Ping
Turnstile: Catherine, Alison & Michael
Car Park: Roy Hancock
Big shout out to Moulton Security Lisa and Clinton have been outstanding in providing us with the best security. Their staff are amazing and know exactly what to do in every eventuality.
Finally, a very big thank you to all of our supporters. Thank you for your persistence in coming, keep doing what you are doing, growing in stature and supportive noise. Let more families come and help fill Top Field up next season and beyond. Without you we are simply an empty stadium!
CHRIS NEWBOLD
Chris Newbold, who has fulfilled a number of volunteer roles at the club over the past 21years, has decided that he will be stepping back from a number of his current responsibilities with immediate effect.
Chris has tendered his resignation from the Club Management Committee and also from the role of Club Administrator to take effect immediately. He has the following to say about his decision:
“After 21 years involvement in a voluntary capacity at the Club, the last 12 of them as the Club’s Administrator as well as many other roles, I have decided that it’s time for me to get a better balance in my life which will involve spending more time with my long-suffering wife and pursuing other hobbies.
The last season has been particularly tough, largely of my own making because I tried to take on too much, and there were times where Hitchin Town became a full-time job and more and the balance in my life just wasn’t there. Everything was Hitchin Town and basically, I had over-committed myself. So I had to take stock of the situation and decide what things were most important to me.
I shall not be walking away from the Club, but I will be reducing my responsibilities so that I take a more back room role and concentrate on the things where I am best placed to still help the Club and have a better balance in my life.
I will be staying on as Fixtures Secretary and I will still be handing the online ticketing and merchandise and helping if needed in the Club Shop, things where I can have better control on how I organise when I do what’s needed, rather than it control me.
I’d like to end by saying that the demands for good administration at our level of football are getting greater and greater every season as new computer systems are introduced – and to do a good job it needs people with time. At our level of football you are now running a business. Most clubs at the level above us, and one or two at our level, now have paid employees to do the administration – not something we are in a position to accommodate, so any help that can be offered on a voluntary basis by people able to give the time and with the right skills would be greatly welcomed I am sure.’’
I can fully appreciate what Chris has said. It is getting ever more demanding to run a club like Hitchin Town and we always need more helpers. Chris has done a brilliant job over the last 21 years and only I probably know just how many hours he has put in to the club. He is highly professional and I would really have struggled to do my jobs as treasurer and secretary without his support. Thankfully he is staying on but at least will have more time away from the club to help keep his sanity! We should all thank Chris for his fantastic contribution to HTFC and long may he stay.
MERCHANDISE
Away shirts have gone really well in the sale and stocks are now running down, so get in whilst we still have them (we have less than 20 left overall of the three sizes). Remember the online shop is open throughout the close season. Also new lines will be added for next season.
VOLUNTEERING FOR THE CLOSE SEASON MAINTENANCE AT TOP FIELD
On Saturday 14th May from 9.00am to 12.00pm there will be the first volunteer session where there are various gardening and maintenance jobs to be tackled. Most Saturdays will see volunteer sessions but there will also be sessions on some Mondays and Wednesdays—watch out for announcements.
TOUR
The players returned safely from their Dublin tour. As to what happened on tour—that stays on tour!
BY ROY IZZARD