Good spirit at Seasiders’ presentation night

ALTHOUGH a disappointing season from a results point of view, there was no lack of spirit at Lyme Regis Football Club’s annual presentation night.

The event was held at Lyme Regis Golf Club and was attended by nearly 60 players, officials and volunteers.

The principal guests were the Mayor and Mayoress of Lyme Regis, Cll David and Erica Sarson, attending their first engagement as the town’s new First Citizens. Also present were councillors Michaela Ellis and Brian Larcombe MBE.

The toast to the guests was proposed by president Philip Evans MBE who thanked Rob Fellingham and Wallace Blackmore who took over as managers of the First Team and Reserves in mid-season and for getting the club through its fixtures despite a lack of playing personnel towards the end of the season.

Mr Evans said the club had recovered from the impact that COVID-19 inflicted on grass roots sporting organisations and they had been able to complete the club’s five-year development plan.

He thanked Lyme Regis Town Council for their generous grant aid which had enabled the club to provide some of the best facilities in the area.

Mr Evans referred to the growth of the club’s youth section which was now running teams from under 8 to under 15 and he paid tribute to youth chairman Martyn Wright for keep the section running during the difficult pandemic.

He said: “Had it not been for Martyn’s work over a number of years, I’m pretty sure we would not have a youth section today.”

Mr Evans expressed the hope that the Seasiders would remain an ambitious cub and said that when they moved to the Davey Fort in the early 1970s, when they had just two garden sheds to change in, no-one could have envisaged  what excellent facilities they had today.

He said the club would be celebrating 50 years at the Davey Fort in 2024 and they were hoping to mark the occasion with a weekend of celebrations involving  all current and past players.

Mr Evans also praised the club’s ladies group, led by Betty Hitchcock, for raising funds with had helped to keep the club financially stable during COVID.

He later announced that Mrs Hitchcock had been chosen as the Club Champion for the 2022-23 season and she was presented with the Jack Loveridge trio by the mayor.

Fiona Blackmore, Maureen Reed, kitchen manager Emma Blackmore, barmaid Patsy Neale, vice-chair Francesca Evans and other committee members and supporters all received bouquets for their fundraising efforts.

Later in the evening, Mrs Hitchcock received a standing ovation when it was announced that she had also been made a life member of Lyme Regis Football Club, following in the footsteps of her late husband, Ken Hitchcock, who was also awarded life membership after serving the club for more than 60 years as a player, committee member and caretaker.

Other awards were as follows: First Team players’ player (Robert Broome trophy) – Callum Garrett; First Team manager’s player – Dan Beer; Reserves players’ player – Toby Fowler; Reserves manager’s player (Philip Evans trophy) – Will Meech; Young Player of the Year – Robbie Fowler; Golden Boot (top scorer) – Brad Rowe.

The MC for the evening was club secretary Robert Thom, with chairman Gerard Hitchcock overseeing the presentation of trophies and vice-chair Francesca Evans having organised the evening, which was topped off with a disco and dancing till late.