CROWDFUNDER
It has been another remarkable week for our Canary Crisis Fund Crowdfunder appeal. When we originally set a target of £25,000 we thought that even over six weeks it would be very difficult to achieve. So to have smashed through the target in less than two weeks is beyond our wildest dreams. I have been working for Hitchin Town FC for most of my life and I have felt really humbled with the support we have received and I am also immensely proud of fanbase. It is reassuring to know so many people care about our great Club and want it to continue to be an integral part of the Hitchin community.

We have been lucky to receive some sizeable donations and this week both our chairman Terry Barratt and our chief executive Andy Melvin pledged £5,000 each. But they only wanted to praise the generosity of our supporters and to thank every single person who had donated regardless of how much they had pledged. People have very different financial circumstances and I am certain that some of our smallest donations have involved a degree of sacrifice that we should be very grateful for. People can only donate what they can afford and we will ensure all the money raised will be carefully spent.

We have now stretched our target to £50,000 and we have already made great inroads to reaching this figure. We are still looking to spread the word on our Crowdfunder. It was great to see we were the front page story on the Comet while I have been speaking to BBC Look East who are aiming to film a feature about the Crowdfunder the week before the season starts. The Non-League Paper article led to one sizable donation and the more the message is spread the more donations we will receive. I would also like to thank Adam Nethersole for supporting our Crowdfunder by involving Hitchin Town Youth FC and the 450 members of the Football for Fathers group which has led to further donations. Here is the Crowdfunder link.

Teddy Donnelly, our 5 year old version of Captain Tom, has already beaten his £500 target for our Crowdfunder for walking 25 laps of Top Field on Sunday 27 September. You can sponsor Teddy via the following link.

MANAGER’S NOTES WITH MARK BURKE

BEDFORD TOWN

I was very happy to score six goals away from home against Bedford. However I am not going to get carried away and I was not pleased with our start to the game which Bedford dominated. Our first goal was against the run of play but it was a clinical finish. We conceded an equaliser through a self inflicted error but I was pleased that we responded well. We scored two goals from set pieces that we had worked on at training the previous Saturday which is always very satisfying.

At the start of the second half Bedford came at us again but we defended well. We then scored an excellent free kick which allowed us to relax and gave me the opportunity to make a number of substitutions. I felt all the subs acquitted themselves well.

I would like to thank Bedford manager Mark Ducket for the game and hope they have a successful season.

HARPENDEN TOWN AND BARNET

I am really looking forward to returning to Top Field for our first home games of the season and it will be great to see the supporters again after a long absence.

CROWDFUNDER

I have been blown away by the generosity of our supporters and am very grateful. It shows just how much people care about the club and like Roy I feel proud of what our supporters have achieved.

ARRANGEMENTS FOR HARPENDEN AND BARNET
We have two friendlies at Top Field next week. On Thursday 10 September we play Harpenden (limit – 300 capacity) and prices are adults £5, concessions £2, teenagers £1 and accompanied children under 13 are free.

On Saturday 12 September we host Barnet (limit – 600 capacity) and prices are adults £7, concessions £4, teenagers £2 and accompanied children under 13 are free.

Both games are ALL TICKET with no pay on the day. Tickets are now on sale at this link.

Season ticket holders will receive free entry to both games and if you have not already bought one you will need to purchase it before 5.00pm on Monday 7 September to get this extra bonus.

To ensure you receive your season ticket before the first league game on 19 September you will need to purchase it before 5.00pm on Friday 11 September.

Season tickets already purchased are being despatched early next week.

SEASON TICKET SALES

We are pleased to announce that we have currently sold 88 season tickets. As we only sold 56 last year and in previous years we sold less than 40 this is a remarkable increase. It would be great to break the 100 barrier and a season ticket really does represent great value. If you watch every home league game it works out at £8.81 per game for adults, £5.24 for concessions and £1.19 for teenagers.

Up to the start of the season tickets can be bought for £185 for adults, £110 for concessions and £25 for teenagers. So do not delay buy your season ticket now. Here’s the link.

HITCHIN TOWN YOUTH FC BY ADAM NETHERSOLE

U6 FOUNDATION WORKSHOPS RE-STARTING
The club are pleased to announce the popular workshops for early years players up to and including 6-year olds will be re-starting on Saturday 26th September. These workshops are conceived and delivered by the brilliant Marc Campbell – one of, if not the best youth football coach in the area and they have an entertaining Brazilian twist to them. Many of the clubs current U7s-U12s have been through Marc’s tuition. The sessions last an hour, the first taster is free, and they take place between 9.30-10.30am, at Muga – Westmill Community Centre, Hitchin, SG5 2PG. More information is available here: https://hitchintownyouthfc.com/foundation-football

NEW PLAYERS NEEDED
Many of our youth sides from U10 to U18 are still looking for players. Here is a quick rundown of what is needed:

  • U10 NITROS – Looking for outfield players (Contact Steve on: s-granger@hotmail.co.uk)
  • U11 HORNETS – Looking for a goalkeeper (Contact Dogan on: doganffrench@hotmail.com)
  • U11 PANTHERS – Looking for outfield players (Contact Peter Johnson on: hizit75@googlemail.com)
  • U12 HORNETS – Looking for outfield players (Contact Geoff on: secretary@hitchintownyouthfc.com)
  • U13 TIGERS – Looking for outfield players (Contact Rupert: burwashr@hotmail.com)
  • U13 SCORPIONS – Looking for outfield players (Contact Leon on: leongutzmore@icloud.com)
  • U14 HOUNDS – Looking for outfield players and a especially a goalkeeper (Contact Craig on: kit@hitchintownyouthfc.com
  • U15 EJA – Looking for outfield players and especially a striker and midfielder (Contact Marc: on marcus.campbell@stevenagehaven.org.uk)
  • U16 LIONS – Looking for outfield players and especially a goalkeeper (Contact Michael on: mjkennedy74@googlemail.com)
  • U17 YELLOWS – Looking for a goalkeeper (Contact: Chris on christopher.pond@ntlworld.com)

GROUND REPORT BY STEVE BARKER
Today thanks once again to our wonderful volunteers we completed painting the pitch perimeter fence.

The final coat of wood stain was applied to the boardroom exterior walls and a coat was applied to some of the back boards on the terracing until all the stain was used up. It will be completed as soon as possible.

The week night painting team have painted the walkway steps white on the large concrete terraces and also completed painting the crash barriers green and yellow to tidy them up. Yellow hatchings were repainted in front of the gates by the club shop.Various other areas were painted too.

The pitch was cut yet again and repaired after Thursday evenings training session.

The goals were put up which makes it look like a football ground again but the nets won’t be put up until later in the week before we play Thursday’s game v Harpenden which is a 7:30 kick-off.

We purchased a new (new to us that is) ride on Ransome Mastiff mower this week which will give a finer cut than the rotary ride on ones that are used as well.

I would like to thank Allan Johnson for driving all the way to Wolverhampton this afternoon after he finished work to collect the mower which took him over two hours each way.

I think I’ve covered everything except to say that I will be at the ground all day this Thursday doing final preparations for that evening’s game and anyone would be welcome to come along and lend a hand tidying up.

BY ROY IZZARD