By Tom Thornton

A FOOTBALL club stalwart who first joined as a teenager and has remained for half a century has had a special celebration thrown in his honour.

Haddington Athletic president Drew Donaldson, 66, joined the committee in April 1969 and is in now in his 50th year with the club.

Drew, who lives on the town’s Knox Place, thought he would have a quiet night after attending Saturday’s home win over Eyemouth United, believing he and partner Jean were going for a meal at the town’s Mazzoli Italian restaurant with friends Jim and Moira Graham.

But he was instead confronted with a packed house.

As well as committee members, helpers and friends of the club, and the current management team, there were several faces from yesteryear.

Jean, along with another long-serving club official, treasurer Dave MacKay, had co-ordinated the surprise gathering to celebrate Drew’s landmark with the club.

Among the gathering was Bill Inglis, 83, the Hi Hi’s manager when Drew joined the committee formally at the club’s 1969 AGM, having been helping out for a few months previously. Graham Falconer, manager from 1991 through 1996, was also among the guests.

Looking back on his half century’s involvement with the club, Drew – who has three children: Murray, 35, Amanda, 31, and Lindsay, 22 – acknowledged he had inherited his love of the Hi Hi from dad Jackie, who had been involved with the committee in the 1950s.

“I got the Hi Hi’s bug from my dad, who took me to Brewery Park as a youngster,” he said.

“Later in my latter years at Knox Academy I played rugby on the Saturday morning and we all went to Brewery Park in the afternoon.

“I was in my last year at school when my friend, Gordon Weir, and I went to the AGM and ended up on the committee.

“Provost John Wood, manager Bill Inglis, and Eddie White were the main men then and, within a year, Gordon was the treasurer and I was secretary – we must have been the youngest officials in the league.

“The years have flown by and there have been many highs and lows, an early high the East of Scotland Cup final win over Linlithgow Rose at Tynecastle in 1973.

“The club has been fortunate in having a dedicated committee and at least half of the current committee members have each put in over 30 years’ voluntary service.

“We have set ourselves high standards and Haddington have gained a reputation of being a well-run club.

“We were the main drivers in the creation of Haddington Athletic Community Football Club and I take great pride from the facilities we now have at both Millfield and Whittingehame Drive. I also get a kick out of seeing our youngsters, both boys and girls, wearing the club colours.

“Our immediate challenge is to gain full membership of the SFA and also to encourage more young people to get involved with the club so that it will still be here in 50 years’ time!”

Drew, who worked for Standard Life before retirement, thanked everyone who attended and praised Mazzoli boss Paul Kinnoch and staff.