THE TOY TRADE TROPHY How did it start ?
On the 12th October 1985 most of the leading buyers and suppliers in the Toy Trade were working in Hong Kong this was usual for that time of the year. Ken Simmonds and Eric Robinson who were working with an American company, Shelcore at the time invited a crowd of people for an evening in a wonderful Colonel House in Fanling. When I say house it was a very unusual setting as it had its own football pitch.
We were wined, dined and entertained by Chinese dancers and gymnasts in a wonderful setting and the weather was perfect.
I guess there would be 40 or more people at the dinner party, however, after a few drinks my dearest friend Graeme Cutts and I started to talk about the idea of using the soccer pitch. As Graeme was a southerner ( West Ham supporter) and I was a northerner ( Huddersfield Town) We called the boys together and told them to split up into north and south so we could have a game.
Bearing in mind we were not dressed for football or indeed not fit enough after dinner to attempt a game, but boys will be boys.
The pitch was in perfect condition, floodlight and ready for play, the owner warned us that if the ball went into the long grass do follow it, let one of the Chinese boys do it as we are pestered by snakes, he did have a brown bear on a chain to help reduce the snake problem.
So off we went for a kick around like school boys, I don't remember who scored the most goals but at the end of the day we all won.
Graeme and I got together when back in the UK and discussed organising a charity game of football to raise money for a chosen child related charity. This made good sense as we all earned our money from the sale of toys for children.
I had already done some charity work for Huddersfield Town, was a big supporter and I knew the players and management.
I contacted Steve Kindon ex player then promotions manager and he agreed to let us have the use of the club for the day.
Graeme and I decided we would follow a format.
We would play on the day of the FA cup final. And name it the alternative cup final.
We would have lunch and watch the cup final on a large screen at the football ground.
We have a formal dinner at a hotel with guest speakers.
We would have identified a needy preferably a small children's charity.
We would each take it in tern to host the event, mined being the first at Huddersfield Town.
You will see more information on the drop downs, Huddersfield, Luton, Leicester.
The Toy Trade Trophy still exists and is played in Hong Kong every year, gosh who knows how much they have raised since 1986 when just the 4 years Graeme and I run the event we raised around £ 100,000, a lot of money in the 80's.
On the 12th October 1985 most of the leading buyers and suppliers in the Toy Trade were working in Hong Kong this was usual for that time of the year. Ken Simmonds and Eric Robinson who were working with an American company, Shelcore at the time invited a crowd of people for an evening in a wonderful Colonel House in Fanling. When I say house it was a very unusual setting as it had its own football pitch.
We were wined, dined and entertained by Chinese dancers and gymnasts in a wonderful setting and the weather was perfect.
I guess there would be 40 or more people at the dinner party, however, after a few drinks my dearest friend Graeme Cutts and I started to talk about the idea of using the soccer pitch. As Graeme was a southerner ( West Ham supporter) and I was a northerner ( Huddersfield Town) We called the boys together and told them to split up into north and south so we could have a game.
Bearing in mind we were not dressed for football or indeed not fit enough after dinner to attempt a game, but boys will be boys.
The pitch was in perfect condition, floodlight and ready for play, the owner warned us that if the ball went into the long grass do follow it, let one of the Chinese boys do it as we are pestered by snakes, he did have a brown bear on a chain to help reduce the snake problem.
So off we went for a kick around like school boys, I don't remember who scored the most goals but at the end of the day we all won.
Graeme and I got together when back in the UK and discussed organising a charity game of football to raise money for a chosen child related charity. This made good sense as we all earned our money from the sale of toys for children.
I had already done some charity work for Huddersfield Town, was a big supporter and I knew the players and management.
I contacted Steve Kindon ex player then promotions manager and he agreed to let us have the use of the club for the day.
Graeme and I decided we would follow a format.
We would play on the day of the FA cup final. And name it the alternative cup final.
We would have lunch and watch the cup final on a large screen at the football ground.
We have a formal dinner at a hotel with guest speakers.
We would have identified a needy preferably a small children's charity.
We would each take it in tern to host the event, mined being the first at Huddersfield Town.
You will see more information on the drop downs, Huddersfield, Luton, Leicester.
The Toy Trade Trophy still exists and is played in Hong Kong every year, gosh who knows how much they have raised since 1986 when just the 4 years Graeme and I run the event we raised around £ 100,000, a lot of money in the 80's.