He’s the stadium announcer at Huddersfield Town’s home games.
But what has lifelong Town fan Paul Ramsden made of this sensational season?
Paul, 47, who lives at Lightcliffe, said: “My seven-year-old son Monty doesn’t know how fortunate he is to be a Town fan at this time. I have watched the highlights of the match at Wembley and the penalties repeatedly with him. I still can’t quite believing what I am watching. I don’t think the reality has sunk in for me that Town are back in the top flight for the first time in 45 years.”
Paul’s family connections with Town go back almost a century. His grandfather, Brighouse butcher Frank Eggleton, began watching Town in 1920. Paul was born just a few weeks into the season when Town last secured promotion to the old First Division. Later, he watched Town at the old Leeds Road ground with the grandfather and father Mike.
He recalls the dark days of Fourth Division football and the successes of the Mick Buxton era. Said Paul: “When the coach left PPG Canalside for Wembley last Saturday there were more people there to cheer them off than there were in the ground for some of the matches I watched in the late 1970s!”
Paul became the club’s matchday announcer eight years ago when Dean Hoyle took over as chairman and embarked on his plan to take the Terriers forward.
Said Paul: “Part of the ‘new era’ was to have a new face and a new voice on the pitch. I was asked to stand in for the fist two games of that season – a league game against Stockport County and a cup game against Bradford City. I must have made a decent fist of it because I was asked if I’d continue to do it.”
Paul’s matchday routine means arriving at the stadium at 12.30pm ready to host the pre-game meeting of the White Rose Club and interview the day’s celebrity guest. He’s quizzed everyone from Olympic cyclist Ed Clancy, Falklands War hero Simon Weston and comedian Jim Davidson to Town favourites such as Steve Kindon and former manager Mick Buxton.
Paul makes his appearance on the pitch 10 minutes before kick-off. “We like to let the atmosphere build in the ground and then at 2.50 I’ll announce the teams, welcome the visitors and away we go. After the match it’s back to the White Rose Club and introducing the Man of the Match.”
Paul, whose day job is sales manager at outdoor clothing firm Tog 24 in Heckmondwike, had no previous experience of public speaking before taking up the mic at Town.
“The first time I was nervous,” he said. “I didn’t sleep much the night before. I had to stand in front of 16,000 people with a microphone in my hand. For the match against Bradford, I was really ‘up for it’. I enjoy a bit of banter with the fans.”
Paul said he couldn’t do it without the support of wife Carolyn, and children Elicia, nine and Monty, adding: “During the season I’ve flown back from family holidays three times for matches – once on my son’s birthday.”
Paul said Premier League football will bring its challenges to the club and competing at the top level won’t be easy. “The role the fans play in creating an atmosphere has impressed all the clubs we have played this season,” he said. “They weren’t used to coming to Huddersfield and hearing so much noise.
“There will be 20,000 Town fans at every home game next season – and we will need them more than ever.”
