Occasionally I get a little concerned that the commercial beast BHAFC is nowadays means the club will lose the personal touch we all cherish.
However, based on my experience yesterday evening, I needn’t worry.
Quick background: the daughter of one of my nieces contracted leukaemia 18 months ago. She’s 11 years old, and has been going through some pretty intense chemotherapy, but is a remarkable girl and coping really well. She’s started to get interested in football, and a couple of weeks ago her parents decided to take her to the Albion women’s match v West Ham last night.
I thought it would be good to ask the club whether they could do anything for her. Bozza helped me track down the right contact. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but the club were amazing.
We had seats right behind the bench (great fun listening to the subs chatting away!). And after the game we were taken on to the pitch and introduced to the players - who were all wonderful. A big shout out to Vicky Losada who took the time to have a little chat in Spanish with my great-niece (who’s learning Spanish at school). It must be slightly surreal for Vicky to be playing at Crawley after over 100 appearances for Barcelona, and winning the Champions League! But she was great. Maisie Symonds was also very chatty - by the way, I’d be really surprised if Maisie doesn’t make the full England team soon - she is very talented.
One other mention - Grace McEwen (who made her debut last night). 16 years old, and was sympathising with my great-niece as she also had to go to school the next day!!
Everyone at the club was brilliant. And for someone like me - for whom the club has been a really important part of my life for 54 years - it is incredibly reassuring to know that the people who work there (playing staff AND the “behind the scenes” employees) are so good.
However, based on my experience yesterday evening, I needn’t worry.
Quick background: the daughter of one of my nieces contracted leukaemia 18 months ago. She’s 11 years old, and has been going through some pretty intense chemotherapy, but is a remarkable girl and coping really well. She’s started to get interested in football, and a couple of weeks ago her parents decided to take her to the Albion women’s match v West Ham last night.
I thought it would be good to ask the club whether they could do anything for her. Bozza helped me track down the right contact. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but the club were amazing.
We had seats right behind the bench (great fun listening to the subs chatting away!). And after the game we were taken on to the pitch and introduced to the players - who were all wonderful. A big shout out to Vicky Losada who took the time to have a little chat in Spanish with my great-niece (who’s learning Spanish at school). It must be slightly surreal for Vicky to be playing at Crawley after over 100 appearances for Barcelona, and winning the Champions League! But she was great. Maisie Symonds was also very chatty - by the way, I’d be really surprised if Maisie doesn’t make the full England team soon - she is very talented.
One other mention - Grace McEwen (who made her debut last night). 16 years old, and was sympathising with my great-niece as she also had to go to school the next day!!
Everyone at the club was brilliant. And for someone like me - for whom the club has been a really important part of my life for 54 years - it is incredibly reassuring to know that the people who work there (playing staff AND the “behind the scenes” employees) are so good.
