Albion stalwart Fred Woolven will learn tonight if he's won the Football League's Unsung Hero Award at tonight's annual ceremony at the Brewery in London. The Football League Awards celebrate on and off the pitch achievements across the league’s 72 clubs - and Fred will join Albion directors and management at tonight's ceremony, which will be broadcast live on the FL's YouTube channel and here at seagulls.co.uk.
When told of the nomination, Fred told seagulls.co.uk, “I was absolutely amazed. As far as I am concerned I am just an ordinary fellow doing a job. I don’t feel I am special.“I am proud of the fact that the club has seen fit to nominate me. I would like to win it, obviously, but to be in the top three national is something to be proud.”
Fred’s career with the club began in 1975 as a part-time agent on lottery until 1978 when he was appointed to the role of lottery area manager by vice-chair Harry Bloom, the current chairman’s grandfather.
Fred was also a steward in the 1970s and 1980s on the Seagulls Special steam trains and after the trains stopped running became a steward on the coaches looking after fans as they travelled to away games. He also
worked at the Goldstone on a matchday looking after the mascots and their families.
We did lose Fred for a while during the Bellotti years when, in 1994, Mr Bellotti asked him to retire! Fred returned to his beloved Albion in 1999.
While Fred’s contribution to the club has been significant through the years, it was never more important than during the financial challenges associated from the late 1990s to 2011.
It is not an exaggeration to say that money raised from lotteries was integral to the survival of the club. Fred inspired and cajoled his lottery agents to even greater income generation and supporting the club to succeed.Diligent, reliable and respected, nothing is too much effort for Fred, and he has been known to drop everything to help his agents at a moment’s notice.
Fully recovered from bowel cancer a few years ago, at 86 he continues to work as a volunteer on the club’s lottery scheme and is an inspiration to us all.
Fred is fully deserving of this recognition and all at the club wish him good luck at tonight's awards.
Original article
When told of the nomination, Fred told seagulls.co.uk, “I was absolutely amazed. As far as I am concerned I am just an ordinary fellow doing a job. I don’t feel I am special.“I am proud of the fact that the club has seen fit to nominate me. I would like to win it, obviously, but to be in the top three national is something to be proud.”
Fred’s career with the club began in 1975 as a part-time agent on lottery until 1978 when he was appointed to the role of lottery area manager by vice-chair Harry Bloom, the current chairman’s grandfather.
Fred was also a steward in the 1970s and 1980s on the Seagulls Special steam trains and after the trains stopped running became a steward on the coaches looking after fans as they travelled to away games. He also
worked at the Goldstone on a matchday looking after the mascots and their families.
We did lose Fred for a while during the Bellotti years when, in 1994, Mr Bellotti asked him to retire! Fred returned to his beloved Albion in 1999.
While Fred’s contribution to the club has been significant through the years, it was never more important than during the financial challenges associated from the late 1990s to 2011.
It is not an exaggeration to say that money raised from lotteries was integral to the survival of the club. Fred inspired and cajoled his lottery agents to even greater income generation and supporting the club to succeed.Diligent, reliable and respected, nothing is too much effort for Fred, and he has been known to drop everything to help his agents at a moment’s notice.
Fully recovered from bowel cancer a few years ago, at 86 he continues to work as a volunteer on the club’s lottery scheme and is an inspiration to us all.
Fred is fully deserving of this recognition and all at the club wish him good luck at tonight's awards.
Original article