From Howard Drysdale: “Our involvement with the club all started when the crew of the Malaviya 7, which had an all-Indian crew who hadn’t been paid their wages and were detained in the Port of Aberdeen for 18 months.
Peterhead directors, through the club chaplain, Neil Cameron, invited the crew to attend a game for the full hospitality package as their guests. They had a great time – so did I. I was very impressed by the setup.
Fast forward to March 2018 when Byron had been to an Aberdeen game with his carer. I was surprised to discover that he really enjoyed it. I looked at options for a season ticket, but the prices at Pittodrie were expensive. Then I remembered my visit to Peterhead and thought I would give it a try. I called Neil and asked if I could book in for that Saturday’s game. He said, “Leave that with me, just get here around 1 pm.”
Byron and I were given a warm welcome and the full hospitality package. Byron enjoyed his first visit and even left with the match ball! We never looked back.
Byron has additional support needs, and while he is currently 24, he operates at the level of a toddler with limited speech and significant balance issues.
We have been attending for many years now, and he looks forward to the games and even attends the away games on the team bus. The players, to a man, always speak to him, as does just about everyone at the club.
On his 18th birthday, the club kindly gave him a very special birthday gift – presented by Rory McAllister!
Each Saturday, when I pick him up from Camphill and tell him it’s time to go to Peterhead, his face lights up, and he gets very excited. We usually travel to the match with a fellow supporter and good friend, Gordon Duthie. Byron knows the routine very well. He looks out his scarf along with mine and puts them in his backpack, then we are picked up by Gordon. Byron knows Gordon’s red car and gets very excited when he arrives around 12:30, then we head for Peterhead.
He has his regular seat, and the ladies all know he has a J2O and bring him his soup, with a glass of ice to cool it down for him. He scoffs his roll and soup, then it’s his main meal. He is a good eater! The staff get him a bowl of chips to go with the main course, and Nat Porter (and a few others) try to pinch a chip or two off him, which he finds funny! Mary looks after him too and is a firm favourite!
Byron especially likes the puddings – usually eating mine as well! He also knows that once I have my cup of tea, it’s time to go to the toilet, then out to our named seats, primarily to watch the team warm up. He does this in sunshine or rain, whether it is warm or, more often than not, freezing!
Graeme McLean, the matchday announcer, usually comes over to Byron and gives him two bags of Haribo sweets, one for each half. Then, at 3 pm, the players get set to start the game. Byron matches me in his enthusiasm, shouting encouragement to the players. The fans all around us are very kind and helpful towards Byron. Throughout the game, Byron expresses his joy and desire to see Peterhead win! I have been known to engage in some banter with the away team managers (we sit behind their dugout) saying “Watch your language mate, there’s kids up here!!” The best one was when ex Clyde manager Danny Lennon spewed a tirade of abuse towards his players and I said to him to watch his language… He didn’t look up, just said sorry and hid in the dugout. Silence in the crowd ensued during which Byron shouted clear and loud, “FxCK!” to which I shouted down, that is why I don’t want you swearing! His response? He didn’t come out of the dugout, but simply gave a thumbs up! Everyone had a good laugh…
At half-time, we look forward to the 50/50 draw, with Byron holding up his tickets – even though he hasn’t won, but nobody minds that!
When it’s an away game, we head to Kingswells, and he really enjoys the bus journey. The supporters all have a bit of banter with him, as do the players.
Whatever the result, he still smiles and can be heard shouting out for the “Blue Toon!” Indeed, one of the players spoke to me after one heavy defeat, saying, “We love having Byron on the bus… even when we play badly, he still smiles and cheers us all up!”
Byron continues to sponsor captain Jason Brown, and he gives him a shout or two at every game – wonderfully, Jason never tires of responding and often speaks to him.
We then head home with a very happy young man…
I suspect that the directors who made that act of kindness to the crew of the Malaviya 7 never thought that it would result in gaining two executive members!
Everyone at the club is so welcoming to Byron, and he really loves his time there. Personally, I just love the family of supporters and staff at Peterhead who make us feel a valued part of that wonderful family.
Roll on the next game!”
