Chris Foy is our next Business Club speaker
IT has been one high profile guest speaker after another for Altrincham FC's Business Club members, and the trend will continue into March after top former Premier League referee Chris Foy agreed to address our next breakfast get-together at The J.Davidson Stadium.
Chris will have a fund of fascinating stories to call on when he takes the floor at a packed Mornflake Sponsors' Lounge on the first Friday of next month after a stellar career in the company of football's biggest names as one of the country's most respected match officials.
Wembley Cup final appearances are included in an enviable cv, but the 61-year old from St Helens has also sampled the cut and thrust of non-League football after featuring in the team of officials at two FA Trophy finals.
In 2001, the year he was promoted to the Premier League list, he was fourth official at Villa Park as Canvey Island lifted the Trophy with a 1-0 win over Forest Green Rovers, while, six years later, he was the main man as he took charge of Stevenage's 3-2 Wembley triumph over Kidderminster Harriers.
By then, he was becoming an increasingly familiar figure, entrusted with officiating some of English football's showpiece occasions.
He refereed the 2009 League Cup final, at which Manchester United edged out Tottenham on penalties after a goalless draw, and he was back at Wembley in a matter of months for the Community Shield, with United this time being on the wrong end of a spot-kick shoot-out following a 2-2 draw with Chelsea.
His biggest honour came the following year, as he led the teams out for the 2010 FA Cup final, an eventful encounter that saw Kevin-Prince Boateng miss a penalty for Portsmouth just four minutes before Didier Drogba scored what proved to be the winning goal for Chelsea.
He retired at the end of the 2014-15 season to become a senior referee's coach for the Professional Game Match Officials Board under the leadership of Howard Webb. An Everton fan, he also likes cycling and is a parish councillor at Bold, near St Helens.
So, it's clear there will be no shortage of enthralling material when Chris climbs to his feet to address the Business Club's next meeting, with breakfast rolls and hot drinks being served in the Sponsors' Lounge from 8.30am on Friday March 1st.
Notification of the meeting has already been sent to Business Club members. Anyone wishing to become a member or interested in attending two weeks on Friday should contact sales@altrinchamfootballclub.
