The latest from the programme:

Here is what Liam Hickey had to to say, from our Commercial & Community team, in yesterday's programme

Good afternoon,
Today we are pleased to welcome Enfield Town to Champion Hill. Much as we, of course, enjoy hosting each & every Ryman League club who come to us, it’s always a pleasure to meet & greet opposition such as Enfield Town, a fan owned club that do so much work in their own community. Indeed, they were the first of the ‘modern’ fan-owned clubs having taken the brave, but ultimately proved one hundred per cent correct, decision to break away from the old Enfied FC. They are now just a shell of a ‘re-formed’ outfit still eeking out an existence in the depths of the Essex Senior League, where they currently sit second to bottom and play out of a ‘home’ at Harlow Town, with an average crowd of 58. They seem to be in a similar predicament to our own tenants, Fisher FC, who are also struggling at the rear end of the Southern Counties East League, but at least The Fish have a relatively higher average gate of 98 but have a new ground in their Rotherhithe heartland to look forward to next season. So hats off to them for everything they have achieved, and their self-determination to do solely what is best for Enfield Town Football Club.

We are pleased to welcome today children, family and friends from the Goodrich Community Primary School, who have taken up our offer of free vouchers specific for the match today. We hope you enjoy your visit, and keep an eye on future fixtures. For those of you who aren’t aware, Goodrich was the primary school of the legendary Hamlet player Edgar Kail, who has the approach road from Dog Kennel Hill to the ground named after him. Another former Hamlet man with Goodrich connections, is none other than one of their current teachers, Lennie Dennis, who had a spell in the Pink & Blue in the Eighties!

So here we are, in a good position on & off the pitch, hopefully the ‘Happy’ in the traditional Happy New Year greeting being added later on, when the planning application for the new stadium moves on, and we can look forward to a secure and sustainable future on the adjacent plot of land, next to our current home. The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about, if that application fails.

But this time of year isn’t all about looking forward, let us look back too. There are many in our Club who put in many, many hours outside of their ‘day jobs’ on a totally voluntary basis, simply to make our club tick. I am sure you all know who they are. None of us who do so, in whatever capacity, or no capacity at all, do it for kudos, or I would hope not anyway. We all help out simply because we love our Football Club. At the risk of offending anyone who I leave out I thought it would be nice for me to acknowledge some of the ‘unsung heroes’ this afternoon. These are the people who quietly work behind the scenes, helping here and there, so much so that nobody notices. Take 96-years old Bill Kirby who first saw The Hamlet in 1932, and is a regular home & away! At every home match he gently badgers both home & away guests in the Boardroom, where he runs a quaint little raffle, which helps cover matchday hospitality costs in that area. Another, who the majority of terrace fans won’t know, is Paul Rickerby. He is also a great help in the Boardroom, as he regularly donates teabags and large jars of coffee for matchday use in there. He also recently purchased a couple of dozen of the excellent Pink & Blue striped & crested mugs which the Supporters Trust sell in their matchday Megashed, paid for out of his own pocket, and donated to the boardroom for matchday hospitality use. Without people like Bill and Paul football clubs up and down the land would not be able to operate the way they do, and we are extremely grateful for their support.

I just mentioned the Supporters Trust, and whilst I am not privy to much of the work they do, being the independent body that they are, I do know that two of their their Board members in particular have been working way beyond the call of duty, if the reports I hear are correct. Both concern the merchandise arm of their work, with much of the running, stock control & mail ordering being done by Mel Hughes. In addition, Alex Crane has put in a huge amount of time, & graft, into the design, & purchase (the costs being met fifty per cent each with the Football Club) of the new Megashed, that will morph into the Mega-container; so praise for them both too.

Before I sign off, just a reminder about next week’s big FA Trophy tie at home to Guiseley. It would be most helpful if as many of you as possible could arrive in plenty of time, so as to avoid large pre-match queues at the turnstiles immediately prior to kick –off. We’d also like to remind you all that, in accordance with Football Association regulations, NO ALCOHOL MAY BE CONSUMED WITHIN THE GROUND for this match. We would appreciate you all adhering to this, and spreading the word behind the goal.

Liam Hickey (Football Committee. Commercial & Community Department)
Tel 07967212353
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