FIXTURES
Saturday 27 October home to Hayes and Yeading F A Trophy kick off 3.00pm.
Wednesday 31 October home to Kings Lynn League kick off 7.45pm.

If we draw with Hayes and Yeading the replay would be on Tuesday and the Kings Lynn game would be postponed. Likewise if Kings Lynn draw their tie at Buxton the Wednesday game would be postponed.

PLAYER NEWS

  • Macsen Fraser returns to the squad for Saturday after his recent injury.
  • Jay Dowie starts a three game suspension on Saturday after his sending off against Leatherhead.
  • Jordy Mongoy has permission from Billericay to play on Saturday after joining on loan.
  • Mark Burke will need to assess other players’ fitness levels after the strength sapping replay at Leatherhead.

HITCHIN TOWN V SOLIHULL MOORS
As expected we have already been inundated with questions about the Solihull game. Unfortunately the demands on the club in staging this game are much more onerous than for a normal game. Discussions have to take place with the police, local authorities, the F A and Solihull Moors. We have a meeting Monday evening and would hope to finalise arrangements which will then be put on our website.

HITCHIN TOWN UNDER 19’S
There was no game this week.

HITCHIN TOWN LADIES
The Ladies did not play last Sunday but are at home to Welwyn this Sunday at Offley 2.00pm kick off.

REFLECTIONS ON THIS WEEK
I am very late in writing this week’s bulletin because I have been so busy with football work. I was lucky enough to be involved with the club in their two giant killing runs in 1994/5 and 1995/6 so I knew that my life would be turned upside down if we made it through to the First Round Proper this year. But I had not expected it to start before we had even played the Fourth Qualifying Round game. This was because I had the phone call from the BBC saying we were in line to host the First Round draw live on BBC 2. I have written a separate article explaining all that went on with the draw but even as I write this bulletin I still keep thinking I will wake up and find it has all been a dream! Hitchin Town on national and international television is still a bizarre situation for me and the coverage we have had and the media exposure is absolutely priceless. Every other non league club would be envious of our good fortune and I hope you agree we presented the club in a favourable light.

I have had great difficulty sleeping being so excited, nervous, proud, apprehensive etc. I have been waking up early thinking about what needs to be done and sitting through the games I have really needed a doctor by my side to keep me calm! I seem to be getting worse as I get older but I do not think I can change now. But this has probably been the greatest week in my life and having been involved in so many bad seasons in the last 50 years I have learnt to really enjoy the good times.

As if Wednesday’s victory was not enough when I felt so proud of the players management and supporters things just kept getting better. An email from the F A arrived with the news that the Solihull game would be moved to the Sunday and feature on BBC with another £12,500 fee to come. I had only just stopped dreaming of the £25,000 cheque on its way from the F A and it means we will have made £67,500 from the cup run. As treasurer I feel like the cat that got the cream!

I am sure the Sunday switch will mean an even bigger attendance as so many supporters of other teams will now be able to attend. I cannot wait and expect to continue to struggle to sleep but I would not change a thing. We have waited 23 years to reach the First Round Proper so we need to make the most of it.

Mark’s manager’s notes are on a separate thread yesterday.

ROY IZZARD