News from our Voluntary & Part-Time Chaplains 

Rev Richard Hayton

Chaplain Gillingham Football Club
 

I first became involved in chaplaincy to Gillingham FC at Christmas time 1994 when the church I was a student pastor at were invited to put on a nativity play for players and staff. The service was well attended and was well received. I was chaplain there until April 2016 when I received a call to move ministry to Small Heath Baptist Church Birmingham. A bit far to continue being chaplain. So many funny anecdotes and testimonies of God’s grace and mercy from that time.

I took early retirement from “full time” pastoral ministry at the end of October 2022 and returned to Kent to live in our “old house” in Rainham. In January 2023 I approached the club with a view of taking up chaplaincy once more. It wasn’t as straight forward as I thought it might be, and I ended up having six interviews at the club before once again being officially recognised as chaplain. This was partly due to the fact that the new American owners, Brad and Shannon Gallinson, thought I was after a paid position, no! There were still several backroom staff at the club that remembered me from before and I was warmly welcomed back.

Chaplaincy was going really well and then in February 2024 I had my left kidney and a large tumour removed. I have since been on Immunotherapy which is due to conclude at the end of March 2025. The club have supported me really well and even suggested they could help sponsor me to go private, as initially things were a bit slow NHS wise after the diagnosis. Thank God the prognosis is good and currently I am fit and well.

I have breakfast with the players once a week and the players are relaxed and talk freely about football and life in general. I then watch the players train at the training ground nearby.

One particular player regularly asks me to hold his hands and pray for him while all his teammates look on. What a privilege! They all seem to take it very naturally. Early December 2024 an influential member of the backroom staff reached out to me and asked to meet in private. He shared he was addicted to prescription painkillers as he was in so much pain every day after a lifetime of playing football. He was so desperate he had even contemplated suicide. It was my privilege not only to pray for him but to lead him to faith in Jesus! Hallelujah, what a Saviour! It is a pleasure to continue to disciple him and he is also making progress with his medical problems with professional NHS help.

In the two years that I have been back at the club we have had four managers, such is the precarious nature of the job in professional sport, and I’m not sure the current one will remain beyond the end of the season.

Please pray for the club that some degree of stability is achieved and eventually progress is made as it makes players and staff not to mention the fans very nervous. Results at the moment leave a lot to be desired.

Please pray that I will continue to know God’s favour at the club and be able to see more people coming to faith in Jesus and have the privilege to disciple them. There are currently five players the club who profess a faith in Jesus!

Please thank God for my healing and continued good health.
What a privilege to be a chaplain, thank you Lord.