Legends turning out in force!

10 Nov 2016 By David Watters

Hitchin Town’s fans are looking forward to one of the biggest nights in the EVO-STIK League Southern club’s recent history tonight (Thursday) with Arsenal giving them a game for the second time in their history to turn on a set of new floodlights.

Gunners legend Pat Rice, MBE, will officially switch on the new lights at Top Field nearly six decades after the North London giants provided the opposition for the first ever floodlit match at the ground back on 27 November 1962.

The 67-year-old right-back agreed to be the guest of honour after the Canaries chose the Gunners as fitting guests to help them celebrate their new Football Foundation funded facilities.

Brian Talbot and Ian Allison, currently managing St Albans City, are among a host of ex-Gunners expected to be among the bumper crowd along with four players from the Hitchin side who turned out back in 1962 - Charlie Turner, Terry Waldock, Tommy Everitt and Peter Hammond.

Top Field will also see at least two of the Gunners from their first meeting - David Court – who played 175 matches and scored 15 goals in his eight year Highbury career – and Billy McCullough, who played 268 games for the North London giants.

The host of ex-Hitchin players invited are led by Tony Martin, Steve Gear, Gerry Sylvester, Nigel Hann and Peter Clarke as well as ex-manager Peter Lawrence. A number of other top names from the game expected include ex-Luton stars Mick Harford, Kingsley Black, Wayne Turner and Gary Doherty and ex-West Ham player Jack Collinson, now a coach at Peterborough.

Designated as a ‘pay what you want’ match for fans, proceeds from the night will be spilt between the club’s ground development fund and The Willow Foundation, set up by Arsenal legend Bob Wilson, OBE, to provide special days out for seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40.

In the run-up to the celebrations, Wilson sent his best wishes to the Canaries on the night and thanked them for their support.

He said: ”Congratulations on your new lights and thank you so much for raising money for Willow, the charity which my wife Megs and I set up 17 years ago following the death of our daughter Anna six days before her 32nd birthday. Your efforts tonight will help us provide even more Willow days. Thank you again to all at Hitchin Town."

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Where next?

Making the grade to bounce back EVO-STIK League Southern Farnborough have been given the green light for promotion by the Football Association after passing their latest ground-grading inspection at Cherrywood Road.

Southern League Cup round-up Tuesday night's Southern League Cup action saw Chesham United, fresh from their exploits in the Emirates FA Cup First Round, brought down to earth with a bump when they bowed out on penalties to Barton Rovers, writes Pitchero's Steve Whitney.