This is the seventh in a series of ‘Life in Football’ articles which looks at the people behind the scenes at GAFC and their careers outside of the club.
This article first appeared in the Guiseley AFC Matchday Programme, for more exclusive content be sure to pick one up from our sellers before games at Nethermoor.
An ever present character at Guiseley fixtures, and a key figure in the club’s community Mick Glossop is now known around Nethermoor as ‘The Duckman’.
Mick took on the mantle of chief fundraiser for the club’s charity of the year Give A Duck with the club aiming to purchase 100 Chemo Ducks for children suffering from cancer and needing chemotherapy.
“It’s a great charity,” Mick said, “They give a toy duck to kids facing chemotherapy. They can then take the duck to their appointments and the doctor demonstrates what the treatment will be like on the duck.
“It’s a great way to show the child what is going to happen in a non-frightening way.
“You will have seen me raising money for that on match days. I’ve pinned one of the ducks to my coat so people can recognise me.
“Everybody calls me ‘The Duckman’ now!”
Mick has taken a duck and a collecting tin to every away game this season.
The Duck, and Mick, have travelled the length and breadth of the country from Gateshead and Barrow to Torquay and Dover.
Everywhere Guiseley have played the Duck has travelled.
Chairman of the Guiseley AFC Supporters’ Club Mick has played an important role over the years and has been a driving force when it comes to bringing together the community.
He has been Chairman of the Supporters’ Club for four seasons now, having taken over from former Chairman Adam Hodgson, who had previously invited Mick to join.
But despite holding the casting vote Mick is keen to ensure that it is not only him but the entire committee who have a say on how the organisation is run.
“I am a great believer in democracy,” Mick said, “and I know that at the end of the day it is me who oversees the meetings and holds the casting vote but I much prefer to let the committee make a decision that we can all agree with.
“That way, when I make sure that the decisions are implemented correctly I know that it has been a group choice. It is a supporters’ club after all.”
Mick has been a strong advocate of the Supporters’ Club taking a prominent role in the community, and has stressed the importance of organising fundraisers and charitable appeals.
He is a Trustee of the club’s Community Foundation, which has an extensive programme in the local community.
Mick said: “The Supporters’ Club has made donations to various charities over the years and the supporters have always been ready and willing to help us achieve our goals.”
“We helped raise money for a football club after their clubhouse was ransacked by vandals and then we had our successful electronic scoreboard appeal in 2016.
“The club needed to move forward with an electronic scoreboard and once again our supporters delivered.
“We raised £12,000 in eight months. It was fantastic to see everybody come together,” he said.
The Supporters’ Club has been running fundraisers again this season with the Golden Goal appeal which helps to raise money which helps to subsidise travel to away fixtures and other events.
The Supporters’ Club have taken a coach to every away game and have already covered almost 9,000 miles in the process.
Mick is also a keen supporter of the newly-founded Yorkshire ‘international’ team YIFA and followed them along with Guiseley fan Andy Brown to London last Sunday for their game against Barawa
Former Guiseley Reserve team goalkeeper Edd Hall is a member of the Yorkshire squad and he is happy to see Mick and the Guiseley contingent supporting the Yorkshire team with their Guiseley flags.
Written by Alex Smith – Alex has written a series of articles on the people who work behind the scenes at the club.
He is studying for a Masters Degree at Leeds Trinity University in Horsforth.
