For all new parents/coaches who don’t know me or my role I am Gary Henry and I have stepped into the role of Chairman from Norman Gray who has decided the time is now to retire after celebrating his 60th Birthday last weekend. I would like to start by wishing Norman a happy retirement, Norman has been with the club and on the executive committee for over 15 years and has seen the club grow into the success that it is today. In the last few years he was chairman during some of the most challenging times during the global pandemic, but still managed with the help of the committee to continue to provide the club and the area with football once it was allowed to re start. Norman will still be around the club as his grandson and granddaughter are now playing at Tots and within our Honeys team (who knows he may even start coaching again).

I started myself with Hebburn Town Juniors approx. 6 years ago when my son went along to tots aged 5 and at first I was happy to stand and watch from the side lines behind the cage at Hebburn CA as I was running a Sunday morning team Hebburn Iona, but after being harassed constantly by Joe Vickers every week I decided to help out, the rest is history as they say. I now coach Saturday Blues Barca u11s and Sunday Hornets u11s along with Stephen Hall and Mark Brown, and also manage the Senior u23 team on a Saturday afternoon along with Mark. 3 years ago Norman asked me to be his vice chairman when he took over from Stephen Rutherford as chairman and help with the juniors, although dubious at first thinking what am I getting into here, I agreed and alongside Steve Richardson, we set out helping Norman and the club as vice chairman.

Taking on the task of Chairman is a great honour for me, and I will look to carry on the great work that the previous chairs have done. The club now has over 600 children registered with approx 100 coaches, over 50 teams across Saturday and Sundays along with Futsal teams.

As a committee we are proud of the achievements of the club and the children playing for us, and we hope that they continue to be proud to be a part of this great club.

Let's hope to make many new wonderful times for the kids across the coming weeks months and years

Cheers
Gary

Well, the time has come for my tenure as Chairman of this great junior club to come to an end. It has been an absolute pleasure seeing the club grow as it has. This has been down to the hard work and dedication by a lot of 'volunteers'. We have a lot of grassroots junior clubs in the north east but none have the same sort of 'family' feel like we do...and even though I will not be an official anymore I will still refer to the club as 'we'.
I started my journey with HTJ with my 4 year old son...he is 20 next month, so it's been quite journey.

I had previously volunteered for juniors and senior football before joining HTJ.
Although it has been great seeing some of the lads progress to academies and in the professional game...the greatest joy I have taken is seeing them grow into nice people. When I see some of them around and about and they go out the way to say hello etc it is a really joy to me.

I know the club is in great hands with Gary (Gash) Henry and the other volunteers. I look forward to see all of the things we will hopefully see come to fruition soon.

Please, feel free to ask me anything if you see me floating about ... I will still be about the place.

Cheers,
Norm.