Volunteer Profile: Paul Hinson

My name is Paul Hinson, otherwise known as ‘Statto Paul’ and I have undertaken a variety of volunteering roles over the years. Having enjoyed the first few seasons of FCUM in the comfort of the Main Stand, my volunteering began when the Trafford Branch was formed in 2008. I became Branch Secretary and that led to other roles, such as three years on the DF Committee, helping run Branch fundraising events and a few stints on a turnstile. I also ran a supporters coach for Tom Stott when we ran two coaches to a game, and I also compered an awards night for the Women’s team a few years ago.

In 2009 I was asked to help keep some stats for the FCUM TV crew and this turned into radio stints at half time initially when Ben had nobody to talk to, but in 2011 I was supplied with an iPad and app courtesy of Aiden Montgomery so could keep stats home and away without pen and paper. The radio involvement became co-commentary whilst still doing the stats from Press Boxes around the country, from the northern extremity of Morpeth to the deep south of Brighton. In 2012 the stats extended to Women’s team fixtures.  John England and then Viv Ware were a great help in confirming things like Red/Yellow cards and official goal scorers.

The stats pack I make for staff and media crew takes about five hours per game and a radio preview about an hour. The FCUM Review programme piece takes another hour to research and write.

Obviously for someone like me that was not enough. In 2022 I was asked to participate in the Football Committee and was elected chair, providing some match analysis for the manager and being on the interview panel for a manager for the Women’s Team. I enjoy doing the stats and the commentary; voicing an opinion is quite a privilege and I suppose I get satisfaction that the stats job is being done properly!