WEEKLY BULLETIN – 31ST JULY
FIXTURES
Saturday 31st July – 15:00 – Barton Rovers – Friendly – Away
Tuesday 3rd August – 19:30 – Bedford Town – Friendly – Home
Tickets for the Bedford game are only available to purchase through our website.
SATURDAY 7TH AUGUST
A week on Saturday we are holding an open day. There will be no charge to supporters who are welcome to come to Top Field to see the squad in action. At 10.30am there will be a training session for the squad after which they will change in to the new kit for the official photo session for the new season.
This will be followed by a 30 minutes each way internal game which should be a lively affair! The players and management will happily engage with supporters after the game.
This is a new innovation and it will hopefully bring supporters, players and management closer together. Hopefully the new Fishponds Road terracing will be complete by then so the revamped Top Field will be fully open for business.
The Canary Kitchen and Canary Club will both be open.
MANAGER’S NOTES WITH MARK BURKE
LEIGHTON TOWN
It was good to meet up with Sean Downey and Roy Parker from Leighton who we got on well with when we were in the same league. I would like to thank manager Joe Sweeney for the fixture and when I arrived at the ground I thought the pitch looked immaculate and the best I had ever seen it. It was conducive to the style of football we want to play.
The first 5 minutes saw us ride our luck a little as we relied on the woodwork and Charlie Horlock to make sure we did not concede. But once we settled we played some very attractive football and thoroughly deserved the 2-0 half-time advantage. The second half saw us extend our lead and at 4-0 I was able to make a number of substitutions to give more game time to other squad members.
BEACONSFIELD TOWN
Beaconsfield play at the equivalent level to ourselves as they are in the Premier South division of the Southern League. I expected a stern test and this proved to be the case especially in the first 25 minutes when similarly to Saturday the woodwork and Charlie Horlock came to our rescue. Beaconsfield were the dominant team in this period and it was a good test to be put under pressure. We then scored a very well worked goal quickly followed by a second.
I thought we then took control and we continued to play our attractive style of football. Thanks to manager Gary Meakin for sending his team to Top Field.
BARTON ROVERS AND BEDFORD
On Saturday and Tuesday we look forward to playing our old friends from Barton and Bedford in two local derbies. They will both be very competitive games with plenty of ex-Canaries in the opposition line-ups.
COMMERCIAL UPDATE BY MICK DOCKING
Last week we welcomed another lodger to Top Field – the ubiquitous webuyanycar.com. So far Philip Schofield hasn’t parachuted into Top Field although give it time. This arrangement does means the loss of a couple of parking spaces out front, but that is compensated for by way of their monthly payments to us. Our other site partners were kept informed and raised no objections.
So if you are thinking of selling your old motor, pop up the club and chat to wbac branch manager Alan, (via Mastercars and Hitchin Audi if you are looking to buy something else). Find time to pop over the road for a swim followed by a refreshing beer in the Canary Club polished off by a 5 star meal from the Canary Kitchen. Perfect.
ACADEMY UPDATE BY MICHAEL JONES
Monday 2nd August we will start our pre-season training sessions in preparations for the start of the season in September.
We have also been drawn at home to Bugbrooke St. Michaels in the FA Youth Cup and that has been provisionally scheduled in for Thursday 2nd September at Top Field.
HTFC WOMEN’S UPDATE BY KARLA CHAFFEY (HTWFC CHAIRPERSON)
The 2021/2022 season starts and we have made a few changes for the future! Firstly we have come away from Hitchin Town Ladies FC and become Hitchin Town Women’s FC. Our First Team & Reserve Teams are no more as it created a divide within the set up. Hitchin Town Ladies FC Firsts have become Hitchin Town Women’s FC XI and Hitchin Town Ladies FC Reserves have become Hitchin Town Women’s FC Canaries. Our Canaries manager Jez has stepped back from Hitchin Town and is devoting his time with his new born. Jamie the Assistant Coach has stepped up to become a Canaries manager and Callum has stepped back into coaching within the set up again. Richard and Wayne have remained as the management team of the XI squad. I am also so pleased with the new kit launch and our club are very excited to be a part of the new rebrand. It has been a whirlwind experience this past season and I am glad we can start moving forward. I would like to thank all those within the club who are key workers. You have been our heroes throughout and no matter what challenges you faced you were still returning back to work to do it all over again. I applaud you all.
We are recruiting! We are looking to add to our coaching pool so if you are a Level One or higher FA Qualified football coach with current First Aid, Safeguarding certificates and an in date FA Criminal Records Check please get in contact. We train Wednesday evenings and play games Sunday afternoons. If you would like to know more information please contact us me HTLFC.ClubChairperson@gmail.com
We are also recruiting for new players! So if you are wanting a new challenge, new team or simply just want to improve your fitness then again do get in touch! Please contact Callum Ellis on HTLFC.ClubSecretary@gmail.com. Training is hosted at Ickleford Recreation Ground, Chambers Lane, Ickleford between 1930-2100. Players must be 16 years and over. We are looking for new volunteers to assist us with day to day admin and social media, so if you are a dab hand with social media do get in touch.
We will be releasing our fixtures in due course for our pre-season matches along with fixtures within the Beds and Herts Women’s Football League.
BY ROY IZZARD