Lucky charm Ken's luck runs out

Nick Garnham

Lucky charm Ken's luck runs out at Hadleigh

KEN RAMSEY'S reputation as Hadleigh United's lucky charm since taking over as the club's chairman came to an end on Saturday.

Ramsey stepped up into the role as chairman the week after the Ridgeons League Division One side lost 4-1 away at Gorleston on November 8 last year.

Since then Hadleigh had put together an undefeated run of 13 matches - 11 in the league and two in the Division One KO Cup - as they cemented second place in the league and reached the KO Cup final before losing 1-0 at league leaders Newmarket Town on Saturday.

Ramsey said: “We had won 12 of those games and drawn one, which was 2-2 away at Downham when both their goals had more than a suspicion of handball about them.”

The 44-year-old, who was born in East London and moved to Hadleigh from Basildon ten years ago, has not missed a match since replacing John Whitwell as chairman.

“I am not a superstitious person, but I had got to the stage where if my wife wanted to arrange for us to do something on a Saturday it had to be before or after football - I had got to go to the game!

“All the players were aware of my 'unbeaten' run as chairman, and it had been a case of lucky 13 up until Saturday.”

He first became involved with the club four years ago when his son Scott, who was then 15, was playing in the reserves, although he is no longer able to turn out due to work commitments.

Ramsey, who works as a railway signalling engineer in Ipswich, has been a committee member ever since and also had a spell as secretary.

He spent two seasons in goal for Isthmian League side Leyton Pennant while still a teenager, even played two matches between the posts for Hadleigh Reserves a couple of years ago.

But his playing days are now behind him as he concentrates on his role as chairman of a club who hope to be able to celebrate promotion, and also possibly cup success, this season.

Whatever happens on the field Hadleigh will have cause for celebration when the official opening of their new clubhouse takes place on Saturday, April 25, when they play Saffron Walden in their final home league game of the campaign.