Stalwart Richard's service recognised
RICHARD Powell said it was pleasing to be recognised for his contribution to football in Suffolk.
The 75-year-old, who lives in Cornard, is the latest recipient of The FA 50-Year Service award.
Richard, who has been secretary of Long Melford FC since the 2004-05 season, was presented with his award by Suffolk FA Chairman Phil Lawler before Monday’s Thurlow Nunn League game at home to Haverhill Rovers.
He said: “It makes you feel that what you have done has not been overlooked, so it is pleasing to be recognised for your contribution to football in the county.”
Richard has been a fine servant to football in the county for the past 54 years, apart from a brief spell away from the game in 2001 following the sudden death of his wife.
Richard Powell (right) is presented with his award by Suffolk FA Chairman Phil Lawler at Long Melford on Monday
He was a founder member of Cornard United when the club first played in the Sudbury Sunday League back in the 1964-65 season.
Richard was appointed as the first club secretary in 1964 when they had first met in the back room of the local pub and served continuously in that role until 1998.
The club moved to Saturday football in the Bury & District Football League in 1966, where they stayed for five seasons, winning the league.
Cornard moved to the Halstead League and then Colchester & Essex League, before Richard hung up boots at age of 28 in the 1973-74 season following a serious ankle injury.
Richard then moved to Cornard Dynamos, where his son was involved, taking on the role of secretary for three seasons from 1998-89 to 2000-01.
He returned to football administration at Sudbury Athletic in the 2001-02 campaign and was their secretary for two-and-a-half seasons.
It was in the 2004-05 season that he was asked by Colin Woodhouse, chairman of Long Melford FC, to become their secretary, a post he continues to hold today, missing very few of their matches.
It is a well-run club much to the credit of Richard’s work, and the club have plans to redevelop the clubhouse and changing rooms at their Stoneylands ground. The club run two senior teams, an U18 and an U16 team plus nine boys’ and girls’ teams.
Long Melford club officials join Richard Powell (third right) and Suffolk FA Chairman Phil Lawler (third left) at the presentation at Stoneylands on Monday
Richard, who was born in Wormingford, near Colchester, said: “I suppose the highlight was when Keith Martin took over at Cornard United when we were in the Border League and we won the league, league cup and Suffolk Senior Cup in the 1988-89 season.
“We applied to go into the Thurlow Nunn League, which had been running for one season, but we failed the pitch inspection initially, because we didn’t have floodlights.
“We were reluctantly accepted into the league and we walked away with Division One in our first season, and the following season with a team of local lads we were top Suffolk club in 1990-91.
“Keith Martin left the club and it was then that we had (former Tottenham Hotspur players) Mark Falco and Gary Brooke playing for us.
“I remember one game they played in at Fakenham when they had (ex-England international) Luther Blissett in their team.”
Richard, who has been a member of the Eastern Counties League Management Committee for the past ten seasons, worked for 33 years at Bruntons Propellers, rising to the position of chief inspector.
He has also been involved in local club cricket for the past 60 years, and is currently president of Great Cornard, one of his former clubs.