Known by his nickname  ‘Kevy’ around the Hawks office, Armstrong has seen almost every home game and plenty on the road for close to  30 years.

His love affair with Wollongong’s basketball team began when he watched his first game courtside as a guest of the club during the 1986 season.

Hawks coach Gordie McLeod was the ’86 team’s star point guard and went out of his way to make the seven-year-old Armstrong feel comfortable after he was diagnosed with Perthes disease, a childhood disorder which affects the hip.

The Mercury ran a photo of Armstrong and McLeod at the time and the pair re-enacted the shot on the eve of Wollongong’s Heritage Week home clash with Adelaide.

‘‘Perthes disease put me in a wheelchair for a couple of years, but the bonus from that was I got to sit courtside at the Snakepit, usually at the end of the Hawks bench,’’ Armstrong said.

‘‘I have a vivid memory of Gordie pushing me in the chair to meet the team and sit in the locker room post-game after a Hawks victory. The Hawks have been a big part of my life ever since.

‘‘In the late ’80s [siblings and former Hawks] Rod and Terry Johnson moved into the same unit complex as us, which was pretty awesome for a kid who was a massive Hawks fan. I used to walk to the games with Rod.

‘‘Later on I’ve become good friends with Sav [Glen Saville], [Mat] Campbell, Truck [Troy Pilon], Oscar [Forman] and [Dave] Gruber – and I’m still sitting courtside.’’

A full-time web designer at Wollongong University, Armstrong’s part-time position at the Hawks centres around graphical design of posters, uniforms and merchandise. He helped create the 1986 retro uniforms the Hawks will wear in Friday’s meeting with the 36ers.

On game nights Armstrong works as the club’s official photographer, a job he takes seriously and does well.

‘‘My oldest Hawks memories are of the ’86 team, Gordo and the Killer Bs [Ray Borner, Don Bickett and Jim Bateman],’’ he said.

‘‘One of my fondest memories is 2009 when the Hawks were saved. During Mad Monday week Mat Campbell said he was going to save the Hawks, so I quickly put together a website and Mat announced it at the end of season dinner. 

‘‘You know the story. It got down to the wire then one day it all just fell into place. Gordie returned, the team clicked and we made it all the way to game three of the grand final. Despite the loss the scenes at the hotel that day in Perth won’t be forgotten.’’