BARRIE Hipkiss has spoken of his pride and surprise at being made life president of Chester FC.
Through bad times and good, the stalwart has seen and done it all in nearly 40 years of unwavering service to the Blues.
Given the fact he has never taken a penny out of the club he has supported since a boy, the 72-year-old is arguably the greatest free transfer Chester have ever made.
Barrie is far too modest to agree, but he concurs the honorary position bestowed upon him by the club is fitting reward for his family’s lifelong dedication to the Blues.
Barrie, whose wife Pam and children Jane, Julia and John continue to play active roles at the club, said: “It has come as a shock and a surprise to us all. But I must say it’s a very nice surprise and an absolute honour.
“I must also say it’s not only an award for me, but for my family, too, and my wife in particular. Without her support I don’t think my marriage would have lasted 46 years!”
Although known for the sterling work he does away from the field, Barrie was a goalkeeper in his day and trained with Chester when Bill Lambton was in charge of the club in the early 1960s.
But the retired former Cheshire County Council worker never made it into the first team, and it was not until the end of the decade that he returned to the Blues as more than a fan.
“I knew the assistant secretary to Stan Gandy in the late 60s and as she wasn’t well at the time, she asked me whether I could help with some paperwork,” said Barrie, who worked in council’s architects department. “I accepted and it’s from there that nearly 40 years of voluntary work began.”
From right-hand man to secretaries past and present to chairman of the official supporters club, name a role at the club and Barrie has probably filled it.
In the 70s and 80s, Barrie and Pam even put Blues players up in their family home when they first moved to the city – or in the case of Stuart Rimmer, while he was recovering from injury so he could be closer to Sealand Road.
Barrie, raised in Handbridge but settled in Cop Cottages off Sealand Road, used to work up to 30 hours a week at the club when Chester were members of the Football League.
Since City Fans United took over the running of the Blues, Barrie has scaled down his workload – but he is not ready to take a back seat just yet. As well as acting in the capacity of matchday manager, he continues to organise the away supporters travel and season ticket sales.
“The board we have now are working very, very hard and I really can’t praise them enough,” said Barrie, whose grandson Ryan is an avid Blue.
“Like we once did with Reg Rowlands and Ray Crofts, we now have local people running the club who really care for the club. I’m sure it will go from strength to strength.”
Legendary Blues players Gary Talbot and Grenville Millington have been appointed Chester’s honorary vice-presidents.
