Hassocks legendary physio, rub-man and organiser of the Beacon Run passes away
Everyone at Hassocks Football Club was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Norman Dodds, the Robins’ legendary physio, rub-man and tormentor of hundreds of players through the years with his famous pre-season up Clayton Hill to the top of the South Downs.
Norman performed many roles during his long association with the Robins, becoming one of the most recognisable and popular members of the Hassocks FC family and a friend to everyone who came across him.
Beyond Hassocks, he was well known in the Burgess Hill Community for his window cleaning business, being a regular in The Weald Pub and his support of all local sports teams.
It was telling that in amongst the many warm messages of condolences received about Norman were tributes from Burgess Hill Town Football Club and Burgess Hill Rugby Club.
Doddsy was probably best known for his work as physio for the Robins both at the Beacon and when the club played home matches at Adastra Park.
He will be less fondly remembered as the bloke who led the players on their pre-season runs all the way up the South Downs to the top of Ditchling Beacon and back down again!
Whilst fit, young, County League players struggled to get up and down the Beacon once, Norman would go up once to set up the route with cones.
He would then take the players up and down. Once that was done, it was back up and down again to collect the cones.
When training sessions featured too many players to go up as one, Doddsy would break them into smaller groups.
On some occasions, he would find himself completing the Beacon run four or five times. What made this even more impressive was that he was still doing it into his 70s.
It became an annual tradition that at the start of each pre-season, Hassocks manager Dave John would rule out the Beacon run. Norman though had plenty of persuasive charm.
Even the normally steadfast Johnsy ended up changing his mind every year without fail after being begged by Norman, leaving Doddsy overjoyed.
Norman’s fitness fanaticism was not just restricted to running. Every summer, he organised Doddsy’s Annual Quadrathon. Participants would seek sponsorship, with all the money raised going back into the club.
Many players took part, knowing it would give a head start on pre-season fitness work and help them better survive the Beacon Run once Johnsy inevitably sanctioned it.
Almost as legendary became Doddsy’s attempts to embrace the latest technology, which often ended in comical failure.
He was initially known for taking a battery powered radio onto the bench with him to listen to the scores come in or the BBC Radio Five Live commentary of the Saturday afternoon game.
In the 1990s, this was updated to a state-of-the-art pager (ask your parents if you were born after the 1980s) which was supposed to inform Norman as soon as a goal had been scored.
Unfortunately, Doddsy struggled to work the pager and so instead had to ask those around to find out the scores for him.
Doddsy was always most desperate to find out how his beloved Newcastle were getting on. He was born a Geordie and loved nothing more than a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale (again, ask your parents if you were born after the 1980s).
Norman was never seen without a smile on his face and his energy, enthusiasm and love of life were infectious to everyone he came into contact with.
Another Robins stalwart who was fulfilled multiple roles like Doddsy is Phil Wickwar. He wrote of Norman: “God bless your, Norman. The impact you had on me at Hassocks will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
“From the fitness sessions pre-season to the best rub man in the business. Also that pager which used to give us the scores on the bench. My thoughts go out to all of your family.”
Hassocks Veterans manager Steve Spies said: “What a man. He put through me hell on the massage table as well as those runs up the Beacon.”
“He always had me in absolute stitches with his funny jokes and wicked sense of humour. RIP Doddsy, you absolute legend.”
Former Robins striker Neil Smith wrote: “Norman Dodds was a fantastic man. Absolutely gutted to hear this. Gave the best rubs in the world.”
Hassocks’ third-highest goal scorer of all time James Laing said: “So sorry to hear this. Norm, you were legendary.”
“I couldn’t understand you sometimes when you were in full Geordie patter and your fingernails sometimes hurt on the rub table, but a true legend nonetheless. My thoughts and best to all the family.”
Former Robins programme editor Paul Elphick added: “A true Hassocks legend, a favourite everywhere he went in Sussex, shared so many fun times with Norman in my time at Hassocks.”
“Great banter, great wit, fabulous stories and had magic hands… or so I’ve been told. Wonderful family man too, condolences to Warren and family”
And finally, those tributes from the other sporting clubs Norman supported and was known to. Burgess Hill Town wrote: “A legend of Mid Sussex. All at BHTFC send our deepest condolences to his friends and family at the sad time.”
Burgess Hill Rugby Club meanwhile added: “A lovely man. A legend of our town too. Friend to many of our members. Thoughts with Scott, Warren and all the Dodds family”
Norman’s funeral will take place on Thursday 15th February at St Wilfrid’s Church, Burgess Hill with the service commencing at 11:45am. There will be drinks afterwards at the Burgess Hill Constitutional Club in Cyprus Road.
RIP, Doddsy.
