A testimonial football match organised to honour Hitchin Town’s long-serving treasurer has raised £1,000 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
Roy Izzard, 69, was awarded the game to recognise his 50 years of service to the Pitching In Southern League Premier South club.
He began working as assistant treasurer in 1974, before taking over the role a couple of years later.
Over the last five decades, Roy estimates that he has seen more than 3,000 matches. However, his association with The Canaries goes back even further.
“My Dad took me to my first game when I was six,” he said. “When I was a bit older, I started helping as a ball boy and selling programmes. I watched every match, home and away, of the 1968/69 season and since then I’ve only missed a handful of games.”
In addition to his responsibilities as treasurer, Roy has also filled the role of club secretary for the last 20 years after taking over the post on what was meant to be an interim basis.
“You would have thought I’d have been ground into the dust by now, but I still love being involved,” he added. “We’ve not been the most successful side, but that only serves to make success we do enjoy all the greater.”
During his time with the club, the FA Cup has provided Roy with many of his favourite moments. Among these were Hitchin Town’s famous 2-1 win over Football League opponents, Bristol Rovers, in the 1995/96 season, and the opportunity to host the live television broadcast of the first round draw in 2018. However, he cites his proudest achievement as helping to prevent the sale of the club’s Top Field home to land developers.
“The landlord wanted to sell the ground and move us to a site in the middle of nowhere,” Roy continued. “It would have been disastrous for the club. We started a campaign, got the national press involved, and organised a march through the town ahead of a big match with the League leaders.
“The weather that week had been terrible. I was worried no one was going to turn up, but we had the gods on our side. The sun shone that day, and a 1,000 people joined the march. I remember walking through the town and people coming out of shops to applaud us.
“We ended up winning the match that day with an 88th minute winner, but most importantly we won our campaign to keep the club in Hitchin.”
To recognise Roy’s long service, Hitchin Town organised a special match with local FA Premier League outfit, Luton Town. More than 500 people attended the game, which ended 4-1. Roy, who still works as accountant, decided to use the match to support the BHF.
In 2018, Roy was at home when he suffered a mini stroke. “I was making breakfast when I just collapsed,” he recalled/ “It was a little while before I could get up. I knew something was seriously wrong, so I called my brother to drive me to hospital.
“The strange thing was my first question to the doctor wasn’t about whether I was going to live, it was about whether I was going to be able to get to the game on Saturday. I’m on tablets now, but they don’t stop me leading a normal life.”
Roy was also keen to support the BHF following the work they have recently done with Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a game at AFC Bournemouth. Lockyer is currently supporting a new BHF campaign aimed at training more than 250,000 people in lifesaving CPR over the next 12 months.
“I would like to thank all the supporters for coming along to the game and helping raise money for the BHF,” Roy added. “I am also very grateful for the support of Luton Town and the way they publicised this charity event. I was very honoured to be awarded a testimonial game, but more than anything I’m proud to have raised money for such a great cause.”
Nicola Reavey, BHF Fundraising Manager, added: "I would like to thank Roy for his wonderful generosity in using this special football match to support our research work.
“The money that has been donated to us will enable our scientists to look for new discoveries which can help save and improve millions of lives and outsmart heart conditions for good.”
Pictured we see Roy with Nicola Reavey from the British Heart Foundation.
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