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T h e O l d S t a t i o n e r - N o 8 0 OLD FOOTBallers never die, They just... Last November, Tony Hemmings was presented with the Amateur Football Alliance's Long Service Award for 30 years service as a referee, thus emulating Brian Humphreys, another Old Stationer to have received this award. Having kept goal for OSFC since leaving school, Tony retired in 1981 but soon suffered withdrawal symptoms and joined the squad of 'Club Referees' (Dick Hersey, Keith AlIen, Harry Wright, Bill Goodacre, Gordon Rose et al) officiating the lower XIs' home matches. In those days, the Club ran nine teams in the Southern Amateur League and because the League were rarely able to appoint referees below the 5th XI, the Club relied on this squad to cover their remaining home games. After a while, he decided that managing 22 players as a referee was no more taxing than facing 11 opponents as a goalkeeper so he took the referee's course and examination and, once qualified, was placed on the AFA's referees' register for regular appointments in their competitions and representative matches. Gradually, promotions ensued and, in 1990, he became a Class 1 referee. From that point onwards, opportunities came along to officiate in higher levels of football and to join the panels of Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and QPR to referee their Youth Academy matches, as well as the occasional 'plum' invitation, such as refereeing at both the old and new Wembley Stadiums, tournaments in 10 other European countries and one in Brazil, lining to Premiership referees in pre-season friendlies and even in one testimonial game. Tony continues to remain active, expecting to do more than 60 games this season, and is looking forward to a tournament in Spain in May. A number of OS footballers have gone on to take up the whistle and Tony is joined in the current crop by former 1st XI players, Grant Mathias, Pasquale Acierno and Geoff Blackmore, who officiate in the Ryman and Spartan South Midlands Leagues in addition to AFA competitions. Old Stationers' Golf Society 2014 SEASON’S REPORT Our season started in April with the Pairs Competition. Not having played previously at Hendon we were pleasantly surprised by the course despite being it being muddy. The scoring was very respectable with a remarkable six pairs having identical scores. After a hiccup, caused by creative completion of scorecards, two of our associate members, Terry Jackson and Charles Wallis, were declared winners, shading our Geoff Blackmore and Steve Presland. In May we had our now annual match against Old Tollingtonians at Aldwickbury G.C. We managed to beat them for the first time in four attempts. The scores for OS counted towards the Champion Golfer’s Shield, first donated in 1923 by the OSFC. Colin Walker scored an exceptional 40 points to take an early lead. The June event was our match against The Stationers Company at Theydon Bois G.C.. We lost in 2013 and planned to recapture the handsome cup (the former Hickledon Cup) this year. However, two excellent rounds by the Company, one by a former master, sealed our fate and the company ran out convincing winners. The course was excellent, and it is suggested that we re-visit it in 2015. In July we played Bruce Kitchener’s course – The Bedfordshire. The reception and the course were excellent and we played the second round of the Champion Golfer’s Shield. Geoff Blackmore scored well and took over the lead in this season-long competition. The away trip in August was at the Weald of Kent, just south of Maidstone. Whilst offering exceptional value, the accommodation and catering were very average. The course was very tricky and not a little frustrating due to ditches on many of the holes running across the fairways at between 150 and 180 yards – just sufficient to gobble up the shots of our average golfers! In September we played the final shield event at Aspley Guise – one of our favourite courses. Despite having no showers in operation and playing on recently dressed greens, it was a fine day in both senses of the word. Sadly Colin Walker, the leading contender to Geoff Blackmore, could not wrest the lead from him and Geoff ran out the winner of the Champion Golfer’s Shield. The individual winner of the day was your Secretary, just Tony Hemmings receives his 30 years Referees Long Service Award Team Blackmore starring Steve Presland and Ian Meyrick 10
T h e O l d S t a t i o n e r - N o 8 0 DATE TIME (1 st tee) LOCATION EVENT COST 7 th April a.m. Redbourn GC Pairs £38 12 th May p.m. Crews Hill GC Match v Old Tollingtonians + 1 st Shield Event 22 nd June p.m. Brickenden Grange GC 2 nd Shield Event £49.15 13 th July a.m. Essendon ( Old Course) shading out Tim Westbrook on countback (32 points). In late October we again competed in the three man team event at Brookmans £51.75 Park. The trophy – donated by Old Owens – was won by Geoff Blackmore’s team, which included Ian Meyrick and Steve Presland. They just pipped Tim Westbrook’s £51 team of Colin Walker and Paul Batter (guest), despite both teams scoring 79 points – a clear 10 points ahead of the third team (Alan Nowell). Tim, however, won the individual prize with a magnificent 38 points – playing off a handicap of 10. In view of the consistently high scoring of Geoff, Steve and Ian, they will have substantial cuts to their handicaps in 2015. Match v Stationers Co. 16/17 th August p.m./a.m. Thorpeness GC Away trip £74 (shared room) 3 rd September a.m. Broke Hill GC Final Shield Event £49 28 th September a.m. Theydon Bois GC Guest pairs £47 27 th October a.m. Mill Green GC Team (3) event £37 Geoff receiving the toilet seat golf trophy In summary, this was a successful season with several new members joining the Society, some of whom are associates and some Old Boys. We number around 25 with typically 15-20 players competing in each event. The weather was less kind to us than in previous years, but was broadly good. We are now planning the programme for 2015 and have already fixed two events. First is the match against The Stationers Company will take place at Essendon (their choice!) in July 2015 and the away week-end will be 16/17 th August (Sunday/Monday) at Thorpeness GC. Peter Bonner Secretary OSGS Lunchtime Comment Club 2014 The Lunchtime Comment Club (founded in 1919) had as their Guest Speaker in October 2014 the Right Reverend Dr Stephen Platten (pictured right) who joined Stationers' in 1957. Stephen was ordained in 1976, spent several years at Lambeth Palace, became the Dean of Norwich and then enshrined as Lord Bishop of Wakefield. A member of the House of Lords, Chairman of the Anglican Society of Rome, two sons both ordained and his wife Rosslie cares for children with special needs. The post as Bishop of Wakefield was dissolved in Spring of this year, due they say to boundary changes, and Stephen, now sort of retired, is Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of London and Rector to St Michaels in Cornhill. He now lives in London but keeps his main house in Berwick upon Tweed. We, at the Lunchtime Comment Club, much enjoyed his presence and he spoke mainly about his years at Lambeth Palace. He also said "I lost my school, lost my job and lost the wonders of being full time in Northumberland": Let's hope he has time to come to some OSA functions. For those who may be interested, the Lunchtime Comment Club has been in existence since 1919, meets three or four times a year and our home for the past fifteen years has been the RAF Club in Piccadilly. Recent Speakers include Frederick Forsythe, Michael Howard, Gerald Ratner, George Davies, Kate Adie, Norman Lamont, etc. Please look at our website www. lunchtimecomment.com. So far fifteen Old Stationers' attend on a regular basis so please join the throng. Alan Green 11
Page 1 and 2: No 80 /February 2015 The Old Statio
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Page 35 and 36: WHY WE SPEND NEARLY HALF THE YEAR I
Page 39 and 40: My first excursion to Norway was pr
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