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It’s a galaxy away from superstars and the flashy cars of the Premier League at Havant and Waterlooville, with the humbler chasing of the Ryman League title and as a commentator on Hawks Radio and hawksTV reporter I’ve had the pleasure of going behind the scenes at games on the team coach and the kitroom, but an invitation onto the kitvan would be a different kettle of fish as I see first-hand the operation that goes on behind the scenes to keep the players and management tick.
It starts at The Westleigh Pub next to the ground at 10am where all assemble and with the equipment already for the day ready to go, it was all systems go. The journey up there epitomised the down to earth nature of Non-League Football where the kitmen, club secretary, cameraman and media man approach the journey like the many football fans that go to matches up and down the land. Conversations would be about stories of times past, thoughts of the game and debating the key issues and the usual banter. One thing which I took out of the trip up there more than any other is that “no kitvan journey is complete without Magic 104.5, they never play a bad song”. Leave it to you to judge that one, but an hour and a half later we arrive at the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium some three and a quarter hours before the game got underway.
From here on in is what fans don’t see and really showcases how these people are the unsung people of the Football club. With all equipment transferred from van to the away dressing room, it was time to decorate our home for the day. Towels all in place for players individually, the kits come out, one by one each player with shirt, warm up top and jacket all in one with three coat hangers attached to a piece of electrical tape. Boom box put in pride of place for the players and tactics board in shape, player’s bottles filled, part one of the operation completed.
The next stage was that of declaring the team for the afternoon, left in the capable hands of club secretary Trevor Brock with a helping hand from Kitman Rich. Another of the rigors that the fans don’t know about, the preciseness that the document handed to the club needs to be completed in before being handed into the powers that be. The completion of that document is final and any errors made on it cannot be rectified.
So with that over it was time for us to have an inspection of the pitch and all the bobbles that were on it along with seeing patrons of Enfield’s athletic club jogging around on the track next to the pitch, only in Non-league football. Then an opportunity which we could not refuse, a chance to have a lie on location Ask the Kitmen on the centre circle.
Then time to return to the away changing area for a cup of Tea and discuss the game in hand and things in general all before the arrival of the first hawk to the changing room in Theo Lewis. A fan favourite and another reason to love Non-league football, not just getting up close and personal, you are personal friends to players. With the team coach still an hour away we put the world to rights discussing a whole range of topics before the arrival of Jason Prior and the conversation continued.
With the clock ticking 1:30 the coach arrived and the players arrived in the changing room ready for battle happy to see some familiar faces in the changing room before the game. So for me time to evacuate the changing room and then to head outside to setup for our pre-match interview with Lee Bradbury. A little laugh and joke off air before the serious business of the interview, with Lee staying post interview for a little chat.
For me it was time to do the commentary for Hawks Radio where I was in the main stand enjoying and feeding off the banter in which the Enfield fans provided us, a club with such a friendly fan base. With the match underway the serious action started and the Hawks got underway with a flurry as Alfie Rutherford gave the Hawks an early lead. After Enfield equalised from the penalty spot the Hawks then saw themselves 4-1 victors.
Post-match as I made my way from the box to the side of the field as I prepared to do my second interview of the day with Lee Bradbury but not before the players came up to shake the fans of the media staff and fans alike for making the trip to London. Lee Bradbury took a bit of time again to talk with us off air before the interview, something you wouldn’t see in the Premier League.
After that we make our way back to the changing room where me and Steve Talman, the club cameraman put all equipment from the dressing room to the back of the van. With all but Wes Fogden departing the scene it was time to sweep the changing room through and as you expect it was a hefty job on a muddy pitch. Wes having scored in the encounter was the first to ask how I described his goal in the second period. He departs and a pat of the back later from him, that was it, time to put the room back where it was left and time to check out in the same vein in which one checks out of a hotel room.
As we left the players and management wished us and the players all the best for the season and hopes for our promotion, a kind gesture the like of which you see all too often in the lower echelons of the game. As we departed back on the kitvan, the players came out the bar ready for the journey home and Jordan Rose preparing for his karaoke, a tradition for a first timer on the team coach. With them in great spirits it was the tone in which our journey would be.
On the way back we discussed the run-in and the permutations and what possibly could happen from here on in as well as discussing the Haye V Bellew fight. So just a tick after 7pm we returned to the scene in which the day started at Westleigh Park and an incredible day and a fascinating insight to the workings of this successful but humble non-league side worked.
This is what Non-league is about, the person working 9 to 5 during the week and then come Saturday are the people in which fans idolise. The players that are just you average person, not that unrelatable Premier League player, with weekly wages bigger than a life’s earnings. The directors, down to earth people who enjoy football and enjoy a close relationship with all at the club. You can have you Premier League, but this football club is a true example of the game in which we all love so much.
Henry Deacon
Henry Deacon Media 