WEEKLY BULLETIN – 26TH JUNE
Manager’s Notes
Pre Season
We returned to training this week as we started our pre season schedule. It was great to see everyone again and welcome the new players to the club. Despite the heat we were still able to have a very competitive, enjoyable session. We also had a few trialists that were invited in to join us for training with all of them fitting into the group nicely and giving a very good account of themselves.
The players will now be due back in Saturday for a morning training session. We will also be going through our standards and expectations for the season in the classroom before training, so everyone knows what we are working towards this season and what we expect from all of them.
We then have two more training sessions before our first outing against Eynesbury Rovers.
Academy Update
The academy players are now into their final week before they have to submit all their projects for the academic year.
The players will then have a few weeks off before we return for pre season in August.
If you would like to be part of the academy or for further information please use this link
Or email Michael.jones@wearescl.co.uk
Michael Jones
Peter Hammond
One of the greatest Hitchin Town players sadly passed away recently. Peter who was 92 was in the Hall of Fame and was Hitchin’s first England amateur international. The following exert is taken from Neil Jensen’s excellent Tales of the Town. ‘’Peter Hammond joined the club from Arlesey Town in 1953 to begin his long association with Hitchin Town. Hammond, a busy forward with an excellent scoring record, was the sort of player who epitomised the age of the amateur. Good conduct, fair play and a tub and a half of Brylcreem to boot. His career spanned 26 years and included spells with Enfield as well as a host of local clubs.’’
Peter played 318 games and scored 143 goals before leaving in 1964.
Season Ticket Sales Update
These are progressing well. The chart below shows sales so far compared with total sales for the three previous seasons:
As you will see, sales are getting closer to the full totals sales for the past two seasons. However you will also notice that sales totals at 24th June 2026 are almost 60% more that they were at 24th June 2025. Whether this means 60% more commitment so far from our wonderful supporters, or eventually 60% more sales of season tickets, only time will tell, but what is clear is that we have a fantastic season to look forward to.
I’ve said every week about the savings that can be made on normal or match day ticket sales – Season ticket holders also enjoyed priority ticketing for big games last season, and it will be the same this season. There may be other priorities available as our new season progresses.
Remember….if you attend 14 of the 21 League games this season a season ticket will have paid its way. If you have previously been a Match Day ticket buyer, 13 games will have covered the price of your Season ticket. What’s not to love???
Plastic Card season tickets will arrive in the middle of next week and be posted out from there.
Chris Newbold
Hitchin Town Goes Global
Or rather…..it’s been going global for the past nine years!
Back in 2006 I remember being absolutely chuffed in sending out a Hitchin Polo Shirt, scarf and baseball cap to a chap in Melbourne, Australia who had family history and connections with Hitchin. Hitchin Town’s first known overseas supporter! Over the years between then and 2017, sales of Hitchin Town FC merchandise was restricted to the Club Shop, and the Hitchin Town brand was a local one – outside the season, there was no scope for buying any merchandise which carried the Hitchin Town brand.
Come 2017, the Club started to see the benefits of reaching out and decided to offer online ticketing to encourage supporters to buy tickets in advance. There was opportunity to start selling merchandise online at the time then, but initially there was some reticence to allow this. Eventually the benefits of selling merchandise were seen, and we started offering a limited amount of merchandise online. Although slow at first, it started to pick up and people away from the Hitchin area started to buy.
Everything changed in the two turbulent years during Covid (2020 and 2021). The launch of a completely new brand, new and energetic volunteers committed to promoting the club and sales of its branded merchandise, saw sales not only take off but go through the ceiling!
So I decided to look back at the impact of where the Hitchin Town brand has reached since 2017. I was stunned!
In England:
Avon, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cleveland, Derbyshire. Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire. London, Merseyside, Middlesex, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire. Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands, West Sussex, West Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire.
In Scotland:
Angus, East Renfrewshire, Fife, Glasgow, Highlands, Midlothian, Scottish Borders.
In Wales:
Flintshire, Neath (Port Talbot), Pembrokeshire, South Glamorgan, Vale of Glamorgan.
In Northern Ireland:
Co. Antrim.
Then to other countries in the world:
Australia. Canada, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan and the United States of America.
So the Hitchin Town brand is really getting out there…..long may it continue!
Chris Newbold
Walking Football Update
Next Walking Football Session
The next session is this evening – Friday 26 June 2026 from 7pm to 8pm at The Arena, Baldock. First session for any new faces is FREE and everyone of all abilities is welcome to attend.
Maulden Tournament
Hitchin Town entered a team into the June tournament at Maulden. We were defeated against experienced opponents from Leighton Town, Maulden and Dunstable but were competitive in every match – no bad considering only two outfield players had any previous experience playing competitive walking football against opponents who play regular competitive walking football. We will be returning to the Maulden tournament in July and looking to register our first win!
Criteria
We welcome anyone over the age of 45 to our sessions. Walking football is one of the fastest growing sports in the United Kingdom and Hitchin Town are rolling it out to the people of North Hertfordshire. The benefits are:
- Good for your fitness
- Great for your mental health and wellbeing
- No running and no tackling means less injury and more time on the ball
- Great way of meeting new people and socialising
Already we have a great group of people and the numbers are growing slowly. We have regular sessions throughout the summer months with tournaments and friendlies also lined up in the weeks and months ahead but just playing in the sessions is fine if you’d rather not play competitively.
Why not give walking football a go and come and represent Hitchin Town!
Here is the link to the Hitchin Town Walking Football page on Facebook… https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589079573247
or if you would like more information WhatsApp/Text or Call Barry 07970 464286.
Barry Swain
Cider and Cheese Festival
It is only a week until the Cider and Cheese Festival at the Canary Club on 3 & 4 July.
The line up of ciders is complete with old favourites retained and a number of exciting new ones added. This is a fun event where everyone is welcome and no specialist cider knowledge is required. Trust the expertise of our cider team to find one that is right for you!
Visit our dedicated web page for more details and our programme with a full list of the ciders available. www.hitchintownfc.club/cider-and-cheese-festival/
Community Update
Coaching Courses at The Arena
Summer Holiday Courses
The Arena, Baldock – Football Holiday Camps
We will be staging 5 weeks of football holiday camps at the Arena, Baldock over the School Summer holidays starting on Tuesday 27th July and finishing on Thursday 27th August. Each camp runs for 3 days Tuesday – Thursday over the period.
Preston Primary School – Multi-Activity Holiday Camps
We will also be staging 3 weeks of multi-activity holiday camps at Preston Primary School over the School Summer holidays starting on Tuesday 4th August to Thursday 20th August. Each camp runs for 3 days Tuesday – Thursday over the period.
Junior Ability Counts
Our Junior Ability Counts sessions at the Arena, Baldock on Monday’s and begin again on the 8th June and run for 6 weeks until 13th July from 5-6pm.
We will also be extending our Junior Ability Counts sessions by offering additional sessions on a Wednesday at the Arena from 5.30pm – 6.30pm from 10th June and run for 6 weeks until 15th July.
The sessions are open to 5 – 16 year olds with physical and or SEN but be able to walk.
Safe Hands Goalkeeping Course
Our Safe Hands Goalkeeping sessions at the Arena, Baldock begin again on Wednesday 10th June for 6 weeks from 5.30-6.30pm with Hitchin Town 1st Team goalkeeper Josh Mollison. The sessions are open to 6 – 14 year olds
Coaching in Schools
We continue to work in our local schools delivering coaching sessions at:
- Preston Junior Wraparound Care, Lunch Time Clubs and PPA
- Oughton Primary Lunch Time & After School Clubs and PE Lessons
- Icknield Infants After School Clubs and Morning Clubs
- St Mary’s Morning and After School Clubs, PE Lessons & PPA Cover
- Woolgrove Lunch Time Clubs
- Brandles PE Lessons
- Samuel Lucas After School Clubs everyday Monday – Friday (Excluding Thursday)
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
Mark Burke
Message from Our Chaplain
The footballing world is currently thriving. With the biggest footballing tournament on earth in full flow, and all the ups and downs that come with a world cup, football has never felt so good. England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia in their opening game got the whole country believing. Most of us have not seen an England team play with that much attacking flair in a long time. But against Ghana, stubborn defence, a low block, and a team that were simply playing for a draw, meant the three lions couldn’t put the ball in the net.
Kane’s chance on the volley that went flying over the bar, the sort of thing that we have seen Kane finish time and time again this season for Bayern Munich, showed the reality that one moment, you can feel on top of the world, and the next, watch the best striker on the planet miss an empty net form 5 yards away.
But, despite England’s demoralising stalemate in game 2, there is definitely football in the air. Brazilian legend Ronaldinho certainly thinks so, as he decided he could stay away from the game no longer, and, after 11 years, came out of retirement to play for a 3rd division Italian side. There is certainly nothing else quite like a world cup, something that brings the whole nation together, and somewhere where you see the biggest superstars on the biggest stage.
Maxine Howarth