BALL AND BEATTIE OPEN THE NEW GREGGS AT MORRISONS PETROL STATION

EVER EAGER TO GET their hands on some tasty savoury treats, Jimmy Ball and James Beattie led a small AFC Totton entourage to attend the opening of the new Greggs store based within the Morrisons Daily Petrol Station on Spruce Drive in West Totton this week.

The petrol station is run by the Motor Fuel Group (MFG), the largest independent forecourt operators in the UK, and Thursday morning’s short ceremony marked the 100th Greggs store opened by MFG in this country. And to mark the event, Area Retail Manager Steve Dyche extended an invitation to the football club to come along, enjoy a delicious breakfast, and to cut the ceremonial ribbon in the presence of company dignitaries and members of the local press.

Director of Football James Beattie and AFC Totton first team boss Jimmy Ball did the honours with the big scissors, while MFG Food Services Director Paul Deary, a Norwich City fan who travelled from Norfolk to attend, AFC Totton in the Community’s Tara Doel, and the club’s Director of AP Education Tony Gumbrell all watched on and gave moral support between bites of Sausage Rolls and Yum-Yums.

We pride ourselves here at the AFC Totton website at being able to ask the hard-hitting questions that others don’t have the stomach to ask. And, it turns out, James Beattie’s favourite snack of choice at Greggs is the Vegan Sausage Roll — despite not actually being vegan — while Jimmy Ball prefers the Sausage Omelette Bap.

Charity & Community Manager Tara Doel is more partial to Yum-Yums, but she was among the few able to keep her mind focused on the job in hand: “It’s fantastic for the club to be invited to do things like this, to help us make our presence felt in the local community in such a positive way. We were delighted to receive this invitation and we wish those working at the new store every success.”

You may have received a leaflet through the post offering free and discounted deals for Greggs goodies; if you didn’t, then don’t fret — we have quite a big bundle of them to give away at Snows Stadium.

By Ben Rochey-Adams

Images courtesy of Harvey Gerring