Shropshire FA Awards: Sir Geoff Hurst leads tributes to county's football stars

England's World Cup hero Sir Geoff Hurst led the tributes to Shropshire's grass-roots football stars during a weekend of sporting celebration.

Sir Geoff Hurst shares a joke on stage with Shropshire Star assistant editor Carl Jones during a question and answer session. Image: Jo Pearce.

The 1966 striker, still the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, was guest of honour at the Shropshire FA Community Awards, held over two nights at Shrewsbury Town's Greenhous Meadow.

He spoke fondly about his time as manager of Telford United in the 1970s, revealed tales of the England squad's training camp at Lilleshall before their 1966 triumph, and explained how he is now being inspired by the new generation of youngsters in his role as McDonalds' Director of Football.

The community awards, backed by the Shropshire Star, also celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Football Association and triggered the start of a 15-day feast of football across Shropshire.

Sir Geoff was the star attraction on Friday, with Richard Bevan, chief executive of the League Managers Association, guest speaker on Saturday.

Both nights were compered by Shropshire Star assistant editor Carl Jones, and included entertainment from world record-holding 'football freestyle' trickster Dan Magness, and football impressionist Darren Farley, who has appeared on shows such as BBC Football Focus, Match of the Day, and Sky's Soccer AM.

Shrewsbury-based Sportsjam, which supplies officially endorsed FA kits, also organised a fashion show on both nights, with students from Shrewsbury, Wem and Whitchurch modelling the latest ranges.

Friday's awards championed the dedication and commitment shown by clubs, coaches, players and volunteers, while Saturday's presentation focused on referees, long-serving officials, and the winners of the county's leading competitions.

Club of the Year was Newport Girls, which has come a long way in a short time. When it was founded in 2007 it had just two teams, and now has seven, with girls aged between 5 and 15 playing the game they love.

The Development Club of the Year trophy was won by Onny Juniors, the largest junior football club in south Shropshire, coaching young players aged from four up to the age of 16.

Shropshire FA cup winners at the 150th anniversary dinner at The Greenhous Meadow.

Its ethos is that while winning is always the aim, it isn't everything . . . playing football and enjoying the sport is the number one priority. The club hosts an annual under 7's football festival, which attracts more than 500 people, and in addition to the Shropshire trophy, Onny Juniors also picked up the West Midlands regional award.

Rob Guest, who helps out with coaching Under 10 and Under 15 teams in the Shrewsbury area, was crowned Coach of the Year. In the past year he has qualified as a UEFA B coach, and is also an established FA licenced coach.

In the Volunteer of the Year category, two nominees were commended - Isha Alsadek from Allscott Ladies, and Ian Preece of Telford Juniors - but the overall winner was Sam Giles, a man who has been a familiar face at Shawbury Juniors for more than 20 years.

Rarely missing a Saturday match, he has helped out in every aspect of the club from secretary, treasurer and gate-man to fundraiser, kit-washer and website administration - not to mention pulling on his boots and playing as well.

Three awards were handed out on Friday night as part of the FA's Football Futures programme, which supports 14-25 year olds to become young leaders in a series of areas including coaching, refereeing and administration.

The Young Coach of the Year prize was won by Stephen Groome, a member of Bridgnorth Spartans FC who has already completed courses for Junior Football Leaders, FA Level 1 Coaching, and Coaching Disabled Footballers, and put this to good use at his own club.

Holly Davies won the Young Referee prize. She signed up to the Football Futures programme at the age of 14 and followed it up by attending the FA's Basic Refereeing course. She has taken charge of several games at Newport Girls FC, and is described by colleagues as 'clear and confident, and showing real promise'.

And the Young Administrator title went to Sam Penny who, as well as being an active and qualified FA coach and referee, has also helped organise and deliver the County Football Futures camp, and co-ordinated the Shropshire FA Women's Summer League.

The Young Volunteer winner was Lucy Sutton, an active member of the Onny Juniors football club in south Shropshire for the past eight years.

She started as a player in the under eights team and now coaches youngsters as well as refereeing matches every weekend. For the past three seasons she has also helped to run the Onny Cubs section.

Llanymynech Juniors, from the Shropshire-Wales border, were commended in the Community Club of the Year category, but the title went to Shrewsbury Juniors, which now has more than 20 boys, girls and junior teams.

It has expanded this year to include under-18 football, with the ambition of one day being able to field an adult team too, and has also built close partnerships with local schools, earning funding from the Football Foundation for its efforts.

In the League of the Year category, Shropshire Junior Football League took the county title, and also went on to be crowned overall West Midlands champions.

The league has 25 clubs, supports 179 teams, and is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. But that's just part of the story - it was one of the first FA Charter Standard leagues back in 2009, and has continued to fly the flag ever since, supporting Respect campaigns, promoting fair play schemes, running winter football programmes, and raising over £2,700 last season for charity.

Telford Junior Football League, which is Shropshire's biggest league with around 200 teams playing in 8-16 age groups, was also commended in this category.

Friday's final award was for an Outstanding Contribution to the grass-roots football scene in Shropshire.

Commended candidates were Mike Hames of Shropshire Junior Football League, who came into junior football more than 20 years ago, and Brian Chambers who has been a driving force behind Wrekin Juniors FC, filling a variety of roles including manager and secretary.

But the overall winner was Michael Ost, who has been involved in Market Drayton Tigers FC for what the judges said was "as long as anyone can remember". As well as being club secretary, he can be seen every Sunday – home and away, rain or shine – supporting his teams, sporting his trademark green and white scarf.

The judges said: "He has a passion for the game, for the young people in the Market Drayton area, and is an ambassador for all that is good about grass-roots football."

On Saturday night, three refereeing awards were presented. Graham Arrowsmith, now well into his 70s but still performing a vital and significant role in local football, won the first outstanding contribution award.

The outstanding contribution award for a refereeing volunteer went to Bob Feeney, who worked his way through the ranks to become a class one referee, but became best known as a top instructor.

And the third refereeing award went to trailblazing Shirley Elliot, the first female referee in Shropshire, who made her breakthrough at a time when female officials were almost unseen in the game.

More recently, through her involvement with the County FA Instructors team, she has been actively encouraging others to follow in her footsteps.

Long-service awards were handed out to referee assessor Tony Norgrove and Haughmond FC's Stuart Williams for their 21-year service, and there was a presentation to veteran John Williams, who has clocked up more than 50 years of service with the FA, including 43 years as treasurer of the League Management Committee.

The weekend's prizegiving events marked the start of a 15-day 'feast of football' in Shropshire, with activities taking place across all corners of the county.

They include a girls' football coaching day in Bridgnorth tomorrow (TUE), skills coaching in Shrewsbury and Telford on Wednesday, and more coaching workshops in Whitchurch and Market Drayton on Friday.

Dave Ralphs, chairman of Shropshire FA, said: "Organised football has come a very long way over the last 150 years and it is fair to say that as the third oldest county association in England, football in Shropshire has been at the forefront of the evolution of the world's favourite team sport.

"Shropshire FA owes a huge debt to our army of volunteers that have created over a 1,000 football teams that provide opportunities for male, female and disabled footballers.

"Over the last 15 years, county associations have received significant investment from the FA

and play a fundamental role in developing the national game. We have helped establish over a 1,000 teams with almost 70,000 players, over half of which are children.

"We are assisted by 4,000 volunteers and each year have invested £500,000 into grassroots football in Shropshire. We have also supported over 100 football facility projects that has attracted investment in the sporting infrastructure of the county up to a value of £7.5 million."

AWARD WINNERS

Outstanding Contribution: Michael Ost, Market Drayton Tigers

Club of the Year: Newport Girls

Development Club of the Year: Onny Juniors

Coach of the Year: Rob Guest

Volunteer of the Year: Sam Giles

Young Coach of the Year: Stephen Groome

Young Referee of the Year: Holly Davies

Young Administrator of the Year: Sam Penny

Young Volunteer of the Year: Lucy Sutton

Community Club of the Year: Shrewsbury Juniors

League of the Year: Shropshire Junior Football League