Let’s start with a quick question: where were you on 14 July 2015?
– If you were French and living in the 13th century, you’d probably be thrilled about having a new king, as Louis VII took the throne on this day in 1223.
– If you’re Canadian, you surely won't forget the massive floods that threatened to wipe out Montreal in 1969.
– But if you're English, you will never forget the historic friendly match between humble 8th-tier Hitchin Town and Championship side Norwich City, which took place on 14 July 2015.
Yes, it actually happened.
Hitchin Town FC, representing the peaceful, leafy Hertfordshire town, has been around since 1865. It is one of only three clubs that competed in the very first FA Cup and are still in existence today (alongside Marlow and Maidenhead).
In October 2014, a steering committee gathered in the town to brainstorm a fitting way to celebrate the football club's 150th anniversary.
Join us in that historic meeting:
"Right then, lads. We’ve decided to play an exhibition match, but who do we play? Who’d want to play us?"
– "Maybe Nottingham Forest?"
– "Why?"
– "Well, that's easy! They were founded in 1865, exactly like us!"
– "Okay... good shout. Any other ideas?"
– "How about Reading?"
– "Why?"
– "Their manager, what's-his-name... David Dodds, he played for us when he was a lad!"
– "Brilliant. Next."
– "Maybe... Royal Engineers?"
– "What, the ones who played us in the FA Cup 150 years ago?"
– "Yeah!"
– "They don't exist anymore, mate. Folded."
– "Wanderers then!"
– (Silence)
– "Mate, they haven't existed for 128 years... read a newspaper."
– "Gutted."
– "Arsenal it is!"
– "Haha. You really reckon they’ll turn up just because they played our first-ever floodlit match here?"
– "Why not?"
– "Not a chance, mate."
It’s worth noting that the club’s top brass put a lot of thought into finding a quality side, one that would draw a crowd. The goal was a Premier League or at least a Championship team...
Just as almost everyone was ready to give up, and Roy Izzard was about to reluctantly hit 'send' on an email inviting local 5th-tier neighbours Luton Town out of sheer desperation, Colin Ridgway chimed in with a brilliant idea:
"What about Norwich???"
– (Silence)
– "They play in yellow and green, same as us?"
– "Yeah."
– "And they’re also called the 'Canaries'?"
– "Yeah!"
That was enough.
The very next day, Roy Izzard fired off an email inviting Norwich to the commemorative friendly. While everyone remained suitably cynical, one morning in November 2014, a reply arrived from the East Anglian Canaries' club secretary: "We'd love to come!".
The highly anticipated fixture was scheduled for 14 July 2015, about eight months later. As fate would have it, Norwich were having a cracking season and were dead certs for promotion. Over in Hitchin, fears began to grow that Norwich's preparations for life in the best league in the world wouldn’t leave room for the match everyone was waiting for...
But Norwich didn't disappoint. On 8 June 2015, another email arrived from the lovely secretary, confirming their attendance and Norwich's participation in the "Clash of the Canaries". Promotion to the Premier League had left the successful club in absolute high spirits, and they sent their entire first-team squad on a coach, 92 miles west to Top Field in Hitchin.
The next issue that popped up was logistics: how on earth do you properly accommodate a visiting squad worth multi-millions in the rather dilapidated changing rooms at the ground? The problem was solved by converting both of the ground's changing rooms (home and away) into one large dressing room for the visitors, while the hosts had the honour of using the showers at the nearby public swimming pool. Simply brilliant.
Later, the car park was also expanded into some nearby real estate at a grand total cost of roughly £486.54 (which today, by the way, post-Brexit, is about half a Shekel).
The final problem that arose was: what would the hosts wear for the match? After all, the visitors also play in yellow and green. We return to the historic meeting:
"Right, so what are we wearing against Norwich?"
– "We could just wear all yellow..."
– "Any other ideas?"
– "Ummm...."
– "Ummm...."
– "How about a shirt that's half white, half pink, with blue shorts?"
– "You're having a laugh, right?"
– "Not really."
And at long last, it happened. Norwich kept their word and sent their full squad to face off in front of 1,777 spectators and 11 local heroes in a historic exhibition match. The game ended 10-0, and we'll leave you in suspense over who won. Hint: it wasn't the ones in the bizarre white, pink, and blue kits.
Let's just say that at half-time, Norwich swapped out their entire starting XI for youth players and reserves who hadn't seen a blade of grass before the game, nor since.
Here's the video summarising the sporting event:
Our connection:
We visited Hitchin on 5 October 2015, as part of our fifth Cinderella Tour. The club will forever be etched in our memories as one of the most welcoming and supportive we’ve ever visited. We were hosted in the dressing room just minutes before their league fixture against Leamington, spoiled with gift badges to mark their 150th anniversary, and the club’s official photographer even captured us raising our green and yellow flag right in the centre circle.
