Roy Noble - Society Secretary

I am an exiled Yeller Belly, having been born in North Scarle. However, getting married and my employment meant that I had to exile myself to Balderton, near Newark. Supporter friends from North Scarle introduced me to the Imps in 1962, and I have been hooked ever since.

My job included weekend working and coupled with having a young family this meant my constant match attendance support has been in two halves, the sixties and up to 1972 and then the mid-nineties onward. So I missed the Taylor years and the Murphy Conference campaign.

My highest point with the Imps was the first play-off final in Cardiff. There I was, watching my team in a magnificent stadium. Dreams are like this!! If, like me, you watched the Imps in the sixties then I suppose you also experienced the many low points. Standing in the pouring rain just knowing we would have to apply for re-election again (five votes in nine seasons) while some smart ‘person’ was telling me I had been too young to see the great days of the fifties. At least I saw Graham Taylor score on his debut against Notts County!

The saddest moment has to be seeing the scenes on television from Bradford City when the fire occurred, and my whole family crying as the horrendous events unfolded.

I don’t have a favourite manager, I support whoever the present incumbent is and expect them to ‘deliver the goods’. These days I sit with a very good bunch of friends in the Echo (library) stand and although we have the reputation of being quiet, it’s only because the manager never listens to our carefully thought out advice!

I must confess not to going to too many away matches but I do like travelling to games at Nottingham, Mansfield or Peterborough, hoping we come away victors so that I have the local bragging rights. What a great day recently to travel to Nottingham Forest for a competitive match after so many years. You may understand that I get a lot of stick from Forest, County and Town fans.

I became involved in the Trust some seven years ago when Rob Bradley asked for volunteers to help form the Trust. Since then I have been Treasurer for three years and Secretary for four. I am particularly passionate in wanting all supporters to join the Trust and also for any Trust member to be able to be elected the main Board of the Club they love. There should be no restrictions, baring the legal limitations. Of course, like me, not everyone wishes to have the responsibility of being a director but being a Trust member helps to make sure supporters views are channelled to the Club board through our elected directors.