gruffskyblue
Well-Known Member
No, but I’m glad you got to see the legend. What a crazy game that was today!
No, but I’m glad you got to see the legend. What a crazy game that was today!We're you in Waterstones at lunchtime? I was in with wife and dog and had my photo taken with Hutch. I was in a heritage (1953) Blackpool shirt.
It’s brilliant Gareth! Thank you very much!It was a great honour to be asked to write a song for Tommy, to go alongside his autobiography. I’ve been crazy busy recently but managed to pen something yesterday. Kevin Shannon shared some great stories about him. It’s a shame, being in my mid-forties I never got to see him skipping down the wing. I did, however, see him at Micky Gynns testimonial. That was a treat!
Here is the song:
The legend, the player, the hero, the gentleman. We love you TommyApologies, this post is very long. However I have been so impressed by TH over the last few days that I felt I had to let others know the sort of person he is.
One of the things Tommy said to me when he was telling me his story was how delighted he was that Dennis Law, who was his footballing hero, turned out to not only a great footballer but more importantly, a really nice bloke.
I knew already from working with him over the past 13 months that Tommy was a good person. Even so, the past few days have emphasised this even more. Watching him interact with fans has been an eye opener. He refused no request. Autographs, photos conversations he did them all. His feeling is that if anyone has been good enough to come out and meet him then the least he can do is to give them his time. He is a real down to earth, humble chap.
On Friday it took him nine hours to get down from Fife to Coventry. He had no time to eat before he did an interview with CWR and then went on to do another 3 hours at the JagClub Q and A session.
Saturday started with him being picked up at 8am and finishing his last event in the Casino at 7:30 pm. The only break he had in that time was 20 minutes to eat his dinner( not enough time to finish it) and the chance to sit down when the game was on. This is a guy who is 75.
Where ever we went around the stadium he was respectfully mobbed by fans. In the club shop one chap in his 60s was so overcome to be meeting his hero that he was shaking, almost crying with emotion. Tommy was great with him.
On Sunday he travelled to Lincolnshire to stay with one of his sons. But on Monday morning he was back at the Sphinx Club for a session with the SBitC walking footballers. He phoned me as I was on the way there and I was thinking he was going to tell it was too much for him and that he wasn’t going to make it. I should have known better as he announced as I answered the phone, ‘Kevin, the eagle has landed!’
The walking football session was for me the best one of the weekend. The sense of excitement amongst the guys who play was clear to see and feel. That Tommy was there was exciting enough, but the fact he was going to play on the same pitch as them was even better. We had a full house of players there who were delighted when he took the mickey in a good natured way out of Dave Bennett. We had an impromptu chorus of ‘Oh Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy Hutchison.’
Despite not having kicked a ball for ten years, and quite a few heavy falls, he completed an hours football. He then spent over an hour meeting and chatting and signing books.
When all the guys had gone, he was Sat signing the few books we had left ready to send out to people who had bought online. The manager of the Sphinx came over to him and asked if he would speak to a friend of hers via FaceTime, an elderly man with terminal cancer who had been confined in doors since the outbreak of Covid.This chap was a big City and Tommy fan.
You could hear that this man was a bit annoyed that he was being asked to talk to someone that he thought he didn’t know, but when the lady turned the phone around, he was totally transformed when he saw who he was talking to. Tommy was fantastic, making this chap laugh and being totally at ease talking to him. Again this poor chap was in tears at the end, thrilled he’d been able to have a chat with Hutch. I have never seen someone who is so at ease talking to anyone and everyone and who has the knack of saying the exact right thing.
We had a problem. Despite ordering extra books, we now only had a few left to send out to those who had ordered on line. We had more books arriving in Coventry the following day but these would be unsigned as Tommy returning to Fife that afternoon, couldn’t sign these and we had promised signed books.
The only solution that I could see was that I would take the recently arrived books up to Fife for him to sign. I didn’t tell him this until yesterday when he was back in Fife.
After a bit of discussion he agreed the books needed to be signed. He agreed that people needed to be given exactly what they had been promised and payed for.However, he wouldn’t hear of me travelling all the way to Fife. So today, while I travelled up to Gretna from Coventry with six boxes of books. He travelled another 120 miles down from Fife. I have to say I was very grateful for this.
The upshot of this trip was that I saved five hours of travelling time and 240 miles of diesel but that tomorrow all the remaining signed copies of the book will be sent out or delivered. ( apologies for the slight delay). We also now have signed books for anyone else who wants one.
I had a phone call while we were signing books today from someone in Coventry who owns a memorabilia shop asking if Tommy would sign some prints of himself for which he would be paid. I gave the phone to Tommy and once he had established the guy was selling these things, told him he didn’t want any money but he was to give what he was going to be paid to a charity of his choice.
Tommy was delighted that his hero Dennis Law was a great person as well as a great footballer. Well, I have to say I feel exactly the same!
Is Tommy still in touch with Colin Stein, maybe through CCFCFPA? I was talking to a Hibs fan at work about how we bought them both at the same time & he was telling me that Stein also played for Hibs and was alive & kicking and now living in Linlithgow & he knows where he lives.Hadn’t seen each other for 25 years apparently
He is still in touch with Colin Stein. I think Colin is a match day host at Rangers where he is a true legend for their fans. I think they see each other occasionally. I know Hutch also meets up sometimes with Roy Barry.Is Tommy still in touch with Colin Stein, maybe through CCFCFPA? I was talking to a Hibs fan at work about how we bought them both at the same time & he was telling me that Stein also played for Hibs and was alive & kicking and now living in Linlithgow & he knows where he lives.
Love that!Apologies, this post is very long. However I have been so impressed by TH over the last few days that I felt I had to let others know the sort of person he is.
One of the things Tommy said to me when he was telling me his story was how delighted he was that Dennis Law, who was his footballing hero, turned out to not only a great footballer but more importantly, a really nice bloke.
I knew already from working with him over the past 13 months that Tommy was a good person. Even so, the past few days have emphasised this even more. Watching him interact with fans has been an eye opener. He refused no request. Autographs, photos conversations he did them all. His feeling is that if anyone has been good enough to come out and meet him then the least he can do is to give them his time. He is a real down to earth, humble chap.
On Friday it took him nine hours to get down from Fife to Coventry. He had no time to eat before he did an interview with CWR and then went on to do another 3 hours at the JagClub Q and A session.
Saturday started with him being picked up at 8am and finishing his last event in the Casino at 7:30 pm. The only break he had in that time was 20 minutes to eat his dinner( not enough time to finish it) and the chance to sit down when the game was on. This is a guy who is 75.
Where ever we went around the stadium he was respectfully mobbed by fans. In the club shop one chap in his 60s was so overcome to be meeting his hero that he was shaking, almost crying with emotion. Tommy was great with him.
On Sunday he travelled to Lincolnshire to stay with one of his sons. But on Monday morning he was back at the Sphinx Club for a session with the SBitC walking footballers. He phoned me as I was on the way there and I was thinking he was going to tell it was too much for him and that he wasn’t going to make it. I should have known better as he announced as I answered the phone, ‘Kevin, the eagle has landed!’
The walking football session was for me the best one of the weekend. The sense of excitement amongst the guys who play was clear to see and feel. That Tommy was there was exciting enough, but the fact he was going to play on the same pitch as them was even better. We had a full house of players there who were delighted when he took the mickey in a good natured way out of Dave Bennett. We had an impromptu chorus of ‘Oh Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy Hutchison.’
Despite not having kicked a ball for ten years, and quite a few heavy falls, he completed an hours football. He then spent over an hour meeting and chatting and signing books.
When all the guys had gone, he was Sat signing the few books we had left ready to send out to people who had bought online. The manager of the Sphinx came over to him and asked if he would speak to a friend of hers via FaceTime, an elderly man with terminal cancer who had been confined in doors since the outbreak of Covid.This chap was a big City and Tommy fan.
You could hear that this man was a bit annoyed that he was being asked to talk to someone that he thought he didn’t know, but when the lady turned the phone around, he was totally transformed when he saw who he was talking to. Tommy was fantastic, making this chap laugh and being totally at ease talking to him. Again this poor chap was in tears at the end, thrilled he’d been able to have a chat with Hutch. I have never seen someone who is so at ease talking to anyone and everyone and who has the knack of saying exactly the right thing.
We had a problem. Despite ordering extra books, we now only had a few left to send out to those who had ordered on line. We had more books arriving in Coventry the following day but these would be unsigned as Tommy returning to Fife that afternoon, couldn’t sign these and we had promised signed books.
The only solution that I could see was that I would take the recently arrived books up to Fife for him to sign. I didn’t tell him this until yesterday when he was back in Fife.
After a bit of discussion he agreed the books needed to be signed. He agreed that people needed to be given exactly what they had been promised and had paid for.However, he wouldn’t hear of me travelling all the way to Fife. So today, while I travelled up to Gretna from Coventry with six boxes of books. He travelled another 120 miles down from Fife. I have to say I was very grateful for this.
The upshot of this trip was that I saved five hours of travelling time and 240 miles of diesel but that tomorrow all the remaining signed copies of the book will be sent out or delivered. ( apologies for the slight delay). We also now have signed books for anyone else who wants one.
I had a phone call while we were signing books today from someone in Coventry who owns a memorabilia shop asking if Tommy would sign some prints of himself for which he would be paid. I gave the phone to Tommy and once he had established the guy was selling these things, told him he didn’t want any money but he was to give what he was going to be paid to a charity of his choice.
Tommy was delighted that his hero Dennis Law was a great person as well as a great footballer. Well, I have to say I feel exactly the same!
Hope he wears his shin padsHe is still in touch with Colin Stein. I think Colin is a match day host at Rangers where he is a true legend for their fans. I think they see each other occasionally. I know Hutch also meets up sometimes with Roy Barry.
How can i get a signed copy pleaseLove that!
If you read the book you will know thHope he wears his shin pads
If you go to the link below, you can order a signed copy.How can i get a signed copy please
Do you have an ear at the club? Any chance they could offer Tommy a one day contract so he could retire with us?If you read the book you will know th
If you go to the link below, you can order a signed copy.
Hutch' order form
That was meant to say, if you read the book you’ll know why he never wore shin pads.Do you have an ear at the club? Any chance they could offer Tommy a one day contract so he could retire with us?
If I could ‘like’ this 10 times…Apologies, this post is very long. However I have been so impressed by TH over the last few days that I felt I had to let others know the sort of person he is.
One of the things Tommy said to me when he was telling me his story was how delighted he was that Dennis Law, who was his footballing hero, turned out to not only a great footballer but more importantly, a really nice bloke.
I knew already from working with him over the past 13 months that Tommy was a good person. Even so, the past few days have emphasised this even more. Watching him interact with fans has been an eye opener. He refused no request. Autographs, photos conversations he did them all. His feeling is that if anyone has been good enough to come out and meet him then the least he can do is to give them his time. He is a real down to earth, humble chap.
On Friday it took him nine hours to get down from Fife to Coventry. He had no time to eat before he did an interview with CWR and then went on to do another 3 hours at the JagClub Q and A session.
Saturday started with him being picked up at 8am and finishing his last event in the Casino at 7:30 pm. The only break he had in that time was 20 minutes to eat his dinner( not enough time to finish it) and the chance to sit down when the game was on. This is a guy who is 75.
Where ever we went around the stadium he was respectfully mobbed by fans. In the club shop one chap in his 60s was so overcome to be meeting his hero that he was shaking, almost crying with emotion. Tommy was great with him.
On Sunday he travelled to Lincolnshire to stay with one of his sons. But on Monday morning he was back at the Sphinx Club for a session with the SBitC walking footballers. He phoned me as I was on the way there and I was thinking he was going to tell it was too much for him and that he wasn’t going to make it. I should have known better as he announced as I answered the phone, ‘Kevin, the eagle has landed!’
The walking football session was for me the best one of the weekend. The sense of excitement amongst the guys who play was clear to see and feel. That Tommy was there was exciting enough, but the fact he was going to play on the same pitch as them was even better. We had a full house of players there who were delighted when he took the mickey in a good natured way out of Dave Bennett. We had an impromptu chorus of ‘Oh Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy Hutchison.’
Despite not having kicked a ball for ten years, and quite a few heavy falls, he completed an hours football. He then spent over an hour meeting and chatting and signing books.
When all the guys had gone, he was Sat signing the few books we had left ready to send out to people who had bought online. The manager of the Sphinx came over to him and asked if he would speak to a friend of hers via FaceTime, an elderly man with terminal cancer who had been confined in doors since the outbreak of Covid.This chap was a big City and Tommy fan.
You could hear that this man was a bit annoyed that he was being asked to talk to someone that he thought he didn’t know, but when the lady turned the phone around, he was totally transformed when he saw who he was talking to. Tommy was fantastic, making this chap laugh and being totally at ease talking to him. Again this poor chap was in tears at the end, thrilled he’d been able to have a chat with Hutch. I have never seen someone who is so at ease talking to anyone and everyone and who has the knack of saying exactly the right thing.
We had a problem. Despite ordering extra books, we now only had a few left to send out to those who had ordered on line. We had more books arriving in Coventry the following day but these would be unsigned as Tommy returning to Fife that afternoon, couldn’t sign these and we had promised signed books.
The only solution that I could see was that I would take the recently arrived books up to Fife for him to sign. I didn’t tell him this until yesterday when he was back in Fife.
After a bit of discussion he agreed the books needed to be signed. He agreed that people needed to be given exactly what they had been promised and had paid for.However, he wouldn’t hear of me travelling all the way to Fife. So today, while I travelled up to Gretna from Coventry with six boxes of books. He travelled another 120 miles down from Fife. I have to say I was very grateful for this.
The upshot of this trip was that I saved five hours of travelling time and 240 miles of diesel but that tomorrow all the remaining signed copies of the book will be sent out or delivered. ( apologies for the slight delay). We also now have signed books for anyone else who wants one.
I had a phone call while we were signing books today from someone in Coventry who owns a memorabilia shop asking if Tommy would sign some prints of himself for which he would be paid. I gave the phone to Tommy and once he had established the guy was selling these things, told him he didn’t want any money but he was to give what he was going to be paid to a charity of his choice.
Tommy was delighted that his hero Dennis Law was a great person as well as a great footballer. Well, I have to say I feel exactly the same!
When I got back from game yesterday my book had arrived although it was addressed to Kevin ShannonIf you read the book you will know th
If you go to the link below, you can order a signed copy.
Hutch' order form
That’s the consequence of having the same first name as me!When I got back from game yesterday my book had arrived although it was addressed to Kevin Shannon
Broke my young heartTommy Hutchison, the reason for me why the team of the late 70’s should always be regarded as the best ever. Gutted when him and Bobby McDonald left for Manchester City.
Thank you, it’s kind of you to say that. It would be useful, if you had the time, to leave a review on Amazon as this helps sales so the publisher has told me.Finally finished reading the book last week, one of the best I‘ve read for some time.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?