Up Close: with Hadleigh United legend, firefighter and first responder Mervyn Bignell
By Derek Davis
27th Jun 2022 | Local Sport
There will be a very familiar face missing in the dugout when Hadleigh United begin their new season in a few weeks time.
Mervyn Bignell has given Hadleigh United and Suffolk football more than 50 years of continued commitment but decided at the end of the Brettsiders' last campaign to had his magic sponge over to someone new.
Although the club legend is carrying on as groundsman at Millfield that will be the only times he goes on to the pitch he has loved for half a century.
The love affair began as a 12-year-old with Hadleigh Hotspurs at the tender age of 12 before joining Hadleigh United at 15 and going on to play for 'A' team and reserves.
His versatility at the back before pulling on the goalkeeper's jersey for many years, helped him become an invaluable member of the Brettsiders squad and made his United debut against Wetheringsett as a 17-year-old in 1974.
" I started at left back, then right back and then centre half," Meryn recalled. "Anywhere there was space would fill it.
"I just wanted to play, not like today when too many are on the bench thinking 'I done want to be here' or whatever.
"If Dougie Wade or any other manager wanted me I was 'yes get in there'.
"I would sit there every week either as sub or whatever, I just wanted to be involved. I felt privileged to be asked to play."
A fall out with a manager saw him leave Hadleigh for short while and he had spells with Brantham, Elmsett and Bildeston Rangers, while also turning out on Sunday mornings for Goldstar.
But it was Hadleigh where he enjoyed his football, and saw success, with promotions, league title and cup final glory, of varying degrees.
Although often between the sticks, Mervyn weighed in with plenty of goals, including six one Sunday morning in a 28-0 win over Wickham Market.
But his favourite was a screamer against Old Newton in a Sunday Cup final.
He said: "I was right-footed but playing on the left side. Now, normally my left is just four standing on but the ball came over and I caught it beautifully on my left, it sailed over the keeper and went straight in.
"I remember Terry Adams laughing his head off.
"What made it even better was my brother Steve also scored in that game which we won."
As if to show you are never too old to win a bit of silverware, Mervyn also remembers the time in the 2003/04 season when Hadleigh got to the finals of both the Suffolk Premier and Junior Cup finals, both played at Portman Road in a week.
So, at 47-years young he picked up a Senior Cup winners medal and a Junior Cup Runners up medal as substitute goalkeeper.
"Imagine that," he said. "Me, at 47, in a Junior Cup final. I was also the physio for the reserves so got on the Portman Road pitch a couple of times."
Away from football, Mervyn has been married twice, has four grown up children (the eldest being 44) and worked for Celotex in the town for 30 years.
His 25 years as a retained fire fighter and First Responder helped him prepare for becoming the club's physio after being thrust into the role some 20 years ago.
"I was asked 'will you do it' and I just yes and it started from there. It was not official but I knew a little as I had been with Hadleigh First Responders and after being in the retained fire service for 25 years, blood doesn't bother me
"If it is too big for me I just tell them to go to a doctor or hospital."
That was shown last season when Mervyn acted efficiently and professionally to realise player/manager Steve Holder had probably cracked ribs and damaged a lung and quickly got in paramedics, who took him to hospital.
He admits problems with his own knees and being beaten in a race with other physios to get to injured players underlined his desire to pack in it, particularly when the banter was flying as he and a young lady legged it across the Millfield pitch after a collision in the goalmouth.
He laughed and said: "I remember she beat me.
"I used to be able to get across the pitch like whippet but now I'm more a tortoise.
"It was getting embarrassing at the time and it was coincidence that I have been here 50 years."
In typically loyal and diplomatic manner, Mervyn declined to pick out the best players, or managers, he had played and worked with over his 50 years but is confident the good times are on the way back for Hadleigh United.
"I have been privileged to play with a lot of very good players so I won't pick any out as the best.
"It is the same with managers, there have some very good ones, Stevie Jay, Louis Newman, Crawford all terrific."
Speaking alongside the pitch he tends, Mervyn is delighted with the improvements at Milfield but has reservations about too many costly changes to the ground.
"It is good to see improvements," he said. "We used to just have a wooden hut and that fell apart.
"The changes may be nice to have but I'm not sure it is a necessity.
"I feel we need to focus on getting a settled, winning side, to draw in more supporters through the gate."
After a couple of pandemic interrupted seasons, new boss Holder is already plotting a promotion challenging season and Mervyn believes he can succeed.
"I like Stevie," he said. "He had a good first season he has done well in a difficult time and he knows players and keeping hold of him.
"I would hope Steve is aiming for top ten and I feel we can do that.
"Get the support in, spend a bit of money and improve the team.
"We also have an excellent under 18s and other coming through the youth section so it bodes well for us."
Apart from a short, enforced, absence, Mervyn has been loyal to the club and when asked why he came straight back with: "Nobody else wanted me.
"Joking side, why would I go anywhere else, this was my club and I have always loved the place.
"It has been awesome, we have won lots of promotions, relegation, the lot.
"It was so hard getting back to the premier I would never want to go through relegation again, and won't, because he club is on the up."
With his positive nature, keen sense of humour and willingness to help out whenever and wherever he can, Mervyn is seen as the perfect clubman.
He said: "That is my outlook on life, if things go wrong put it right.
"Everyone I know here, committee members, supporters, players, the lot have always been good with me, so I don't have a bad word for anyone."
Chairman John Chenery hailed Mervyn's contribution to the club over the 50 years and said: "Mervyn is a Hadleigh United man through and through,.
"He epitomises what it means to be a grassroots volunteer and everyone connected with the club realises the huge amount of time and effort that he has put into the club over the years and are indebted to him for his continued efforts."
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