An Interview With Alan Simpson

Alan Simpson presenting an award to Hampton FC player Alan Inns.

Michael Wale meets Alan Simpson, who created the Hancock and Steptoe TV comedies, but whose real love all his life has been Hampton FC.

Simpson and Galton are the most famous names in the history of British TV comedy writing, creating Hancock's Half Hour and Steptoe and Son. Ray Galton continues to write, but Alan Simpson, now 78, gave up writing and concentrates instead on his lifetime affair with Hampton and Richmond football club.

He has been with the club for 41 years.

"It was in 1967 that I joined on the Board, and sat on the committee. In those days Ray and I were writing full time, and I was offered several positions with football clubs including Brentford, and I think someone even mentioned Arsenal. But I did not have the interest that I had in my local club who were in the Spartan league in those days, which doesn't exist any more."

The loyalty of the man is amazing, because when you visit the homely ground there are literally only a few hundred there, whereas in the Football League even a failing club will attract a few thousand folk through the turnstiles. Although Alan is quick to point out that when Hampton met the Conference side Dagenham and Redbridge in the FA Cup this season 2,500 turned up to cram the tiny Hampton ground.

At one end is the Alan Simpson stand which seats 100. He is even self-deprecating about his own grandstand.

"Most people want to stand at our level of football. They just don't like sitting down. The trouble is if we were to get into the Conference we would have to have much more seating, yet you go to all these non league grounds now and they have these great big stands, which are just not needed."

The manager of Hampton, who reached the play offs this season to earn a possible place in the Conference, which is only one league away from the Football League, is Alan Devonshire. He played with West Ham, and also appeared for England. He was what is known as an old fashioned winger, in that he could run fast, and he played wide.

"We have just given him a two year extension to his contract," Alan tells me. "He has done amazing things for us. We have had promotion nearly every year under him, and this season is the best season in the club's history. We got hold of him when he resigned as manager of Maidenhead. He played in Trevor Brooking's days at West Ham, and he won eight caps playing for England. But then he got a bad knee injury and had to give up playing."

Talking about his love affair with Hampton Alan just describes it as 'incredible.'

"I go to every game home and away. I don't watch professional football anymore, and I haven't been for years. Hampton comes first. If a game in the European Cup kicked off at the same time as one of our games I would not dream of staying in to watch the big game on television. I get much more enjoyment watching this sort of football. When players get £130,000 a week, I'm not so impressed. At our level you don't expect the players to be that good, so if they pull something off you get really excited, and they always try their best."

Hampton players aren't the untouchable, well-paid stars of the premiership, and fans canm even meet and have a drink with the players after the game.

"After the game you meet the players and have a drink with them, which is really nice for the public who have just seen them play. It's all so parochial which is nice. Even watching Third Division clubs it was a case of Them and Us, as far as the players were concerned."

"When I was quite well known I used to go on the players coach with Brentford, and it was frowned upon if you talked with the players. When I go on the bus with Hampton I like to talk with the lads, and chat about the game. Our players are all part time, and don't get paid that much. They all have different jobs; there is a postman, train driver and a sergeant at Notting Hill police station. They train twice a week. Basically we're all in the same boat."

So what does he do in his Presidential role?

"You do as much or as little as you want. I give my opinion if asked for. I am asked particularly if it's about money."

At this he laughed - which the whole of the nation has done over the years at the comedy he created.

By Michael Wale

Web Links

Visit Hampton FC's website at www.hamptonfc.net

Photo courtesy of Hampton FC - Alan Simpson presenting an award to Hampton FC player Alan Inns.