Over the season I have happily pontificated about all things Albion-related. I have berated mercenary footballers, revisited past glories and scratched my head about ticketing issues. I have also heaped praise on the staff who work tirelessly every day to ensure the club runs as smoothly as possible. When I say that Derek Allan is the best club secretary in the league, or that Martin Perry works ridiculously hard, I am not being sycophantic, but simply acknowledging how difficult it is to work for a homeless, cash-strapped football club. I feel the praise I offer is thoroughly deserved. One person who I have deliberately avoided mentioning so far is perhaps the person that deserves the most credit of all. This person has worked tirelessly and often beyond the call of duty for the club for well over 20 years now. The reason I have not mentioned her before is because she is my mother, Sally Townsend, and I didn’t want to abuse my position as columnist by chatting about my folks. However, she has shown a level of professionalism, loyalty and love for the Albion that deserves applause, family member or not.
Sally’s role within the club is so far-reaching that I don’t even know what her job-title is anymore. PA to Martin Perry? Office Manager? Ticket Office Overlord? Who knows? The simple fact is that pretty much everything that happens within the club goes through Sally. That is how integral she is to the running of things. She is the first person that the players, staff, manager or directors turn to if they have a problem that needs solving.
Along with a handful of others that remain at the club, she had to put up with Bellotti everyday during the dark times. In fact, when he first arrived at the club, he made a lot of people redundant. Sally was one of those he randomly culled. Within a couple of days, he was begging her to come back, as the club simply couldn’t cope without her. Despite feeling let-down, she returned, and has barely missed a day’s work since. A few years back she had a serious operation that would normally demand months away from work, but such is her loyalty that she was back in the office within a fortnight, and continues to make that arduous journey on the train from Eastbourne every day.
Whenever Sally eventually decides to hang up her boots, I doubt there will be a massive fanfare, but there really ought to be. After all, there can’t have been many more loyal employees in the history of the club, and, while she doesn’t seek a pat on the back for her efforts, she surely deserves one.
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