Tony Hancock leads me onto Hampton and Richmond Borough FC, whose President happened to be Alan Simpson, one half of the comedy script team that created Hancock, Steptoe and Son and other classics. His ceative chum was Ray Galton, pictured here.
Simpson (on thr right), 87 years old, died this week; he was a regular non-league supporter, having started as a Brentford follower. Finding a Brentford league game impossible to get to one Saturday in the 1960s, he went to his local club, playing in the Spartan League and fell in love with it. He enjoyed a free flowing match played on a slightly sloping, tree-lined pitch, supported by "lovely people". He stayed.
An appeal for floodlights interested him and from that time he raised money for the club by speaking at dinners at the Hampton club house, The Beveree, as well as a guest at other clubs. The "Beavers" club house became his "local" and he blended in seamlessly with local volunteers. Steptoe and Son (Harry H Corbett and Wilfred Brambell) helped out opening the club's summer fetes, and knowing that 28 million BBC viewers watched their programme at its pomp, there was a good turn out.
His writing partner was not particularly interested in football but they gained a reputation and even spoke at the PFA Awards' Dinner. Simpson was a widower, had no children and made the Beveree his home, where visitors would find him with a glass of red wine and ready to chat about football. His last game was just before Christmas but he became ill and died last week. He always had The Non League Paper delivered.
Another celebrity, Martin Tyler, the TV commentator, is presently first team coach for The Beavers. looking after this National League South team that is presently 6th in the division. Winifred Atwell was a patron in the 1950s and Brian Barwick joined the Board in 2009.
H&RBFC stadium, The Beveree.
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