To find out a bit more about our new president, why not have a read of the Fan Tales article that featured in a Matchday Programme article last season: Steve Summers, also known as Stevie Blue, the Gainsborough Trinity supporter who quite possibly puts in the greatest miles each week to lend his support to those donning the Gainsborough Trinity colours of the occasion, with a 120 mile each way pilgrimage from his home just north of the M25 circle, from a small town by the name of Hitchin. And it’s from all those miles away that a young lad first got bitten by the Gainsborough Trinity bug! "All I can say, is that from an early age, I would always read the footie news in the Gainsborough News or Gainsborough Standard which was sent to Hitchin weekly by my mother’s family."
Thus beginning a love affair with the Holy Blues, that would take until November 2000, for Stevie to embark on his first visit to the Northolme, where he took in a match between Gainsborough Trinity and Barrow. "It was the 25th November, to be precise. I remember before the match I visited the Club Shop to be welcomed by Basil Godley and his wife Wendy. Basil went out of his way in making me feel at home. I also met up with the late Mr Pat Lobley; a charming man! As for the match Trinity won 2-0 with the captain Ally Pickering scoring on 34 minutes and Darren Holmes scoring with 76 minutes on the watch. Oh, and by the way one Steve Housham was on the losing side that afternoon! After that and with my late wife Babs’ blessing, I became a regular visitor."
It had to be asked though, how does a fella living in Hitchin develop such strong ties with the Holy Blues? And with that question in mind, Stevie set about answering it, the best he could: "Both my parents were Gainsborough people. My father having done an apprenticeship with Roses then found himself out of work (it was the 1930s). Having found work down south, they moved to Hitchin. But every summer holiday I would come to Gainsborough to stay with my Grandma/Aunties Holland at 9 St Johns Terrace. Even today I have family relations living in and around Gainsborough, some of whom I have even had join me at a match once a season, ensuring the Trinity in the family lives on!"
Considering the distance of home, from home, making the pilgrimage to follow the Blues is quite the commitment, when asked how frequently Stevie would make the journey, his excited response was, "Last season, the 2017/18 season, I went to 36 games, which is about the norm." With an affiliation to Gainsborough dating back as long as it does, it’s "the late Mr Pat Lobley, who is my club legend, as in my time following the club, I saw him guide the club through some difficult times, giving us the club we have to support today."
Picking out the best game Steve Summers, as he was christened unsurprisingly chooses, "Saturday 29th October 1983 v Hitchin Town in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round. I took my eldest son along to see the mighty Trinity win one - nil! I might add that was a one-off for me to visit the Top Field. Despite living in the area, Gainsborough are my team!"
Steve takes a very philosophical stance on the worst game, as he points out "Win or lose they've all been enjoyable in one way or another, so I suppose it’s coming all the way to Gainsborough, only to find the game has been postponed!" Something we all hate, no matter how far we travel to games! A most memorable Trinity moment is tinged to with a degree of sadness, as "Sadly losing to Nuneaton at home in that League play-off Final has to be up there. The expectation, the crowd - and the so nearly... it would have made for such a memorable day, for all the right reasons, if we had cleared that final hurdle."
Nobody can be accused of saying following Trinity is boring, but it’s current Chairman, Richard Kane who provides Stevie with his funniest moment watching the Blues, when "I saw Richard doing his thing on the pitch after us losing at FC United of Manchester in the final game of the 2016/17, despite losing the game, avoiding relegation gave us reason to celebrate!" With attention turning to this season and the new recruits brought in by Lee Sinnott and John Reed, Stevie Blue didn’t single out one signing in particular, instead remaining hopeful, "To be fair I just hope that they all play to their full potential, so we can be 2018/19 League Champions!" And with that, he hopes that "those in charge of the Club always get all the support and backing they deserve!"
Lots of football supporters up and down the country have their rituals that they recreate every week, for fear of upsetting the Gods, Stevie is no different, as he explains: "Getting up at 04.30 for a short car drive to Hitchin Station to catch the 05-42 train to Stevenage/ Retford and into Gainsborough Central for 9am. Having arrived in Gainsborough it’s off to meet up with friends in town, some of whom are not even Trinity fans. It’s then maybe on to the Horse & Jockey, before finding our way onto the Elm Cottage."
And as we come to part, we give Stevie Blue the fictitious power to become chairman for the day, what do you think he proposed? "I would play the home games in HITCHIN!! But on a more serious note, although it wouldn’t quite be the Southgate Waistcoat, I would love to see all Club Officials wearing a Club jacket with a Gainsborough Trinity Football Club badge on it, that should be worn on match days!"
Good luck in your new role Stevie, the early signs have certainly yielded some promising results as we look to climb the table! We are always looking for new people to contribute to the programme, whether as a one off, or on a more regular basis. If you would like to feature in a future 'Fan Tales' please get in touch via social media, or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We'd love to hear from you!