WEEKLY BULLETIN – 9TH AUGUST

FIXTURES

• Saturday 10th August League Home to Bromsgrove Sporting kick-off 3.00pm. You are advised to buy tickets online but you can buy tickets on the day from the match day office by credit card only.
  Last season Bromsgrove won 2-1 at Hitchin with Jack Snelus scoring in front of 690 supporters
• Tuesday 13th August League Away to Stamford kick-off 7.45pm. Coach leaves at 5.15pm.
  Last season Stamford were 2-0 victors.

MANAGER’S NOTES BY BRETT DONNELLY
That’s the end of all the nonsense, it’s now time for the real stuff. I, for one, can’t wait to get my teeth back into this league campaign.

We finished with a 1-0 win against a very very good young Arsenal U18’s side. They kept the ball so well and moved us around like an experienced step 2 side can. It was a great exercise for us in keeping your shape and pressing high when we needed to, all things we want to be seen doing this season. Obviously, our goal came from a great press by George Morrall, who was superb Saturday. Sadly George has picked up a knock and we are unsure if he’ll be available for tomorrow. I am gutted for him as he’s been great preseason for us and will only improve the more he plays. So we finish with a clean sheet and a home win. The issue of goals reared its head again. We should have had more on Saturday but let’s not waste them in preseason. Believe me when I say we have enough. I would rather 5 lads get 10-15 then 1 lad 25-30.

Pre-season went ok. Probably give it a 6-7/10. Getting the lads all together without injuries, holidays or weddings is hard. I do realise like I’ve said before, the boys need lives away from football. Balance is huge. It makes for a happier camp, which should make for a better team. That said I now need them all available as soon as possible. Injuries and suspensions hit us hard for tomorrow with up to 8 missing. That’s too much especially when I wanted a squad of 20. But we have enough to compete, which is what I wanted. No spare parts in the squad, all capable of starting and playing a huge role. We don’t have players in making up the numbers. That was the biggest task in the close season. I had to get a squad together, not an 11 or 16, a squad. I feel we have done that. Judging by the group chat this week I’d say the lads are starting to build relationships as well. One lad, who will remain nameless, has been the butt of all jokes pretty much for 2 weeks. Its character building.

On to Saturday and we have a huge task ahead of us in Bromsgrove Sporting. This is a side that will want to be in and around the playoffs and will want to start with a convincing win. We plan to spoil a few parties this season starting tomorrow. I want to put on a hard working, solid performance. It’s a tough fixture in what is a tough start. By the time I get to write again we would have played Bromsgrove and Stamford away who narrowly missed out on the playoffs last season. Then its title favourites Telford away and you start to see it’s a very tricky start. But it’s one we are relishing. Hopefully those 3 games will bring 3-4 points, but who actually knows it could be 0, it could be 9. I can’t wait.

Last weekend saw over 800 of you come to watch Arsenal. I hope we can get around that or more for our first proper game tomorrow. Bring your mates, your partner, your family or just yourself and your dog. But get down and support the boys in what I hope will be a positive start to the season.

Donners

USEFUL ADVICE FOR THE BROMSGROVE GAME
This Saturday see’s us kicking off our 24/25 Southern League Premier Division Central campaign by welcoming Bromsgrove Sporting to Top Field. Following our reprieve in the close season Brett has reshaped the new look Hitchin Town team and they are excited to continue playing at Step 3 and hoping for a positive start to the season.

The information below should help you make the best out of your visit to Top Field.

Tickets
For lowest prices and quickest entry into the ground please purchase your tickets online here:
https://hitchintownfc.ktckts.com/event/hit2425h01/hitchin-town-v-bromsgrove-sporting
The online box office remains open until 30 minutes after kick off.
If you do still wish to buy your tickets in person, the matchday ticket office is 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 Canary Club you will then need to present your ticket for entry at the Turnstiles on Fishponds Road. 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

For a trial game this weekend we also have Mad Squirrel Brewery serving draught craft beers in the ground. They will be located between the main stand and the Fishponds Road stand. They will be open as soon as the turnstiles open at 14.00 and throughout the match. Please let us know what you think.

Canary Kitchen will be open from 14.00 serving a great range of food and soft drinks including our signature HTFC Pies.

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/

Be there to be part of the start of a new era at Hitchin Town FC. We hope everyone has a great afternoon at Top Field and enjoys the start of a new season!

Mad Squirrel at Top Field
In line with our goal of continually trying to improve our matchday experience at Top Field we have regularly reviewed how we can introduce an opportunity to purchase drinks into the ground. This has been an aim for quite a while as we look to take on board feedback from supporters. This Saturday for our game against Bromsgrove Sporting we take the first step towards solving this. After a lot of work behind the seasons we are pleased to welcome Mad Squirrel brewery with their Craft Cruiser Truck. This is capable of bringing up to 8 different draught beers, lagers and even their very own stout.

We are delighted to have partnered with Mad Squirrel, they are a fast growing and innovative Hertfordshire based business that launched in 2010 and has grown rapidly since then. Many of you will already be familiar with their range of fantastic craft beers as they are already served in 8 pubs in Hitchin and also available on the supermarket shelves.

Initially this will be for a trial game this Saturday, come and sample a pint, ensure the new facility is a success and let us know your feedback as we hope to then develop and continue the partnership for future games.

Obviously for those that wish to, you will still be able to buy our full range of drinks from the Canary Club bar as usual and bring those back into the ground.

Merchandise Update
Our great range of Hope & Glory fanwear and replica shirts continue to prove very popular. This success does however mean that a few sizes are currently limited or out of stock. Please bear with us, we have deliveries almost every week at the moment and so it shouldn’t be too long before we restock your size.

Call in to the Club Shop on Saturday to have a look whilst grabbing your programme, teamsheet or a bar of chocolate.

Matchday 50/50 Draw
Just a reminder that each matchday draw now includes a second price of a £30 voucher for food or drink at our sponsors The Plume of Feathers Ickleford. Grad a ticket as you come in through the turnstile. Winners can then claim their prize from the Club Shop at Half Time

Hitchin Town FC Strategy
We have today launched our strategy. Our Strategy provides a structured action plan to achieve our overall goals for the next four years, from 2024-2028. The Strategy provides a framework to guide our decision making and planning; and helps us when setting our targets and ambitions for Hitchin Town FC. We will monitor our performance against the strategy and provide progress reports.

Read the full details here: https://www.hitchintownfc.club/strategy-2024-2028/

ATTENDANCES
Many thanks for the great turnout last Saturday. To get a crowd of 826 was beyond our expectations. As you have seen above we continue to try and improve the match day experience and we hope to see attendance continue to increase. Last season we had a crowd of 438 for our first Saturday league game against Alvechurch so the first target is to surpass that figure.

HERTS CHARITY CUP UPDATE
There have already been a number of games played in the Herts Charity Cup—this is the up to date position.

FIRST ROUND

• Berkhamsted 2-0 Hemel Hempstead
• Cheshunt 2-1 Ware
• Leverstock Green 0-3 Hadley
• Hitchin v Hertford Tuesday 20th August
• SECOND ROUND
• Welwyn Garden City 2-1 Royston
• Hitchin or Hertford v St Albans
• Cheshunt V Berkhamsted
• Hadley v Potters Bar

SEMI FINALS

• Hadley or Potters Bar v Cheshunt or Berkhamsted
• Hitchin or Hertford or St Albans v Welwyn Garden City

ACADEMY UPDATE BY MICHAEL JONES
On Monday 29th July we started our pre-season training. We are training twice a week at the moment to ease all the players back in before we start full time in September.

Unfortunately we were meant to host Tring FC at Hitchin Town FC on Monday in our first pre-season friendly but they cancelled on Sunday afternoon and we were unable to find a replacement team. This meant we trained at the Arena instead.

We are looking forward to hosting Bishop Stortford at Hitchin Town FC on Wednesday 14th August which will now be our first preseason game.

If you are interested in joining the academy or wish to find out further information then please register your details here – https://www.northhertsarena.co.uk/next-trial-dates

BY ROY IZZARD