CB
CB
C COVE BOYS CLUB C
Affiliated to the Scottish Youth Football Association.
Dear
COVE BOYS CLUB Fundraising Dinner 2013
Everyone associated with Cove Boys Club would like to thank all our supporters for your
continued valued support at our 2012 dinner that was held in March at the Altens Thistle Hotel.
Your support was greatly appreciated and contributed to us raising just over £8000 towards the
running costs of our youth football club. As you are probably aware, with over two hundred and
fifty boys and girls from six years to nineteen years of age, the running costs for all our teams
are very substantial. We therefore rely heavily on the success of all fundraising events to
support the annual fees paid by each of our players.
Cove Boys Club have pleasure in again extending an invite to you to reserve a table for ten
people at our 2013 Fundraising Dinner which this year will take place on Saturday 16thMarch
2013 at the Richard Donald Suite, Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen.
Our Master of Ceremonies, Mr Ian Thain shall lead us throughout the night from 7pm until 1am
that will include a three course meal with coffee, penalty shootout, auction, raffle and other
attractions.
This year Cove BC are delighted to welcome as our guest speakers former Celtic and Wales
internationalist and present Wales assistant coach Mr John Hartson and Mr Sandy Strang who
is a unique immensely entertaining and award winning dinner speaker whom is in huge demand
throughout Britain but is new to the North East of Scotland. John will entertain us with stories
from his playing days and present coaching responsibilities with Wales.
John Hartson Profile:
John was born on the 5th of April 1975 in Swansea as the third of four children and in his early
football days John represented Lonlas Boys Club in Skewen. Playing his first match at the age
of six, he went on to join Luton Town youth training scheme at the age of sixteen where he
learned his trade in football.
John won fifty one first team caps for Wales scoring fourteen goals. He is currently the ninth top
scorer of all time for the international team. John also holds record for the Wales Under21 team
by being only one of four players to score a hat-trick at this level. John retired from international
football in February 2006 to concentrate on his career in the SPL.John had a successful career
playing for Arsenal, Wimbledon, Coventry, West Ham and Celtic before retiring in January 2008
after being released from West Brom.
However in July 2009 John’s greatest challenge began when he was diagnosed with testicular
cancer that spread to his brain and lungs and he was in a critical condition. However after a long
spell of treatment on 11 April 2012 John was given the all clear and told all carcinogenic cells in
CB
CB
C COVE BOYS CLUB C
Affiliated to the Scottish Youth Football Association.
his body had been eliminated and not a trace of cancer was left in his body. John had survived
and beaten the greatest challenge in his life.
Sandy Strang Profile
Sandy is a failed footballer!!! An appearance on a winning Cambridge team against Oxford at
the old Wembley ignited serious delusion of soccer adequacy which wasswiftly tempered by two
unsuccessful trials at Queen’sPark FC. “Ye’ve a fine peg leg son remarked manager Eddie
Hunter but sadly it’s attached to your right leg! Dinna gie up yer day job, even if it’s
selling brushes on St Kilda”.
Striker Strang swapped his football boots for cricket whites and a long career as a wicket keeper
saw him play in a record nine Scottish Cup finals for Clydesdale and later with his beloved
Paisley. Australia’s Mr Cricket Michael Hussey once compared him to Michael Jackson – both
wore gloves for no apparent reason!!!
As a journalist Sandy has written many a newspaper feature on sport and he is currently the
Cricket columnist for the Scotsman. Now his prowess as an after dinner speaker and stand-up
comedian has seen him win many awards in the last six years.
Event Arrangements
The cost of a table of ten for this year’s event is £550.00.
A normal bar service will be available throughout the evening, along with waitress service. A
table bar facility will also be available for interested parties, which should be arranged directly
with Pittodrie. A copy of the menu and itinerary has been enclosed.
We hope to encourage business people and groups alike to come along with their customers
and guests for a relaxed night of fun and enjoyment.
If you are interested in booking a table (or two), in sponsoring any part of the evening or
contributing a donation to our raffle, please complete and return the attached booking form with
a £150 non-refundable deposit to myself. The address for returning is contained on the booking
form. Any further information required please do not hesitate to contact Gary Smith on
07770827057.
I hope to hear from you in the near future.
Yours sincerely,
Gary Smith (Cove BC Fundraising Co-Ordinator