Ebac Northern League president and former Fifa referee George Courtney received a surprise presentation tonight to mark both his recent 80th birthday and the 25th year of his presidency.
“For the first time in my life I’m speechless,” said George, by way of self-contradiction. “I was thrilled to bits to be asked, and I’m still thrilled to bits to be doing it.”
Though presently hors de combat (as they say in Middlestone Moor) with a bad back and a gammy knee, he hopes to be back on the golf course – and in the middle – ere long.
The presentation took place at the end of an annual golf day at Bishop Auckland, which George helps organise, in memory of former Darlington player Ian Larnach who died in April 2019 after a seven-year battle with cancer. He was 67 – “an absolute gentleman,” said George – and had himself raised more than £30,000 for cancer-related charities.
League chairman Glenn Youngman presented George with an inscribed watch, a framed letter of appreciation from the FA and a bouquet for Margaret, his wife. “George has always carried out his role with dedication, passion and enthusiasm. It’s a wonderful achievement,” said Glenn.
Time was, of course, when you couldn’t get into a golf club without wearing a tie. Tonight Glenn was the only person in the room so bedecked (and good on you, young un.)
Many of the 23 four-member teams on the course were augmented by former footballers like Mickey Horswill, Bobby Park and John McPhail of Sunderland, Steve Howey from Newcastle United, Middlesbrough’s Graeme Hedley and Pat Cuff, Darlington favourites Kevan Smith and Phil Owers and former Hartlepool United (and Willington) manager Alan Murray.
Referee Michael Oliver had hoped to be there, too, but was needed to take charge of Spain v Switzerland instead.
The event raised more than £4,000 for the Great Aycliffe Cancer Support Group and for a cystic fibrosis charity. The league made a donation – and George bought me a pint.
*The post-golf meal of pie, peas and chips was excellent, the cheesecake just as good but former Bishop Auckland captain and resident joker Baz Mundy insisted that we ought to have had the green ice cream. “It’s mint,” he added.
*Still among the refereeing fraternity – and, indeed, among those appointed MBE for services to that disciplined calling – Facebook advises that Terry Farley is 88 today. “I’m still just a bairn then,” said George Courtney.
The very best of men, Terry still officiates, still plays a big role in referee administration, is still a member of Durham FA, still goes to the gym most mornings and still walks 10,000 or more steps around Newton Aycliffe every day with his lovely wife, Marina.
It’s a bit hard to believe that 20-odd years ago he had a triple heart bypass or that, come January 4, he’ll be marking 70 years as an active ref.
“It gets me out of the house,” he likes to say, though the hard bit may be keeping him in it.
A former Football League man, his favourite memories include running the line at the 1979 international between Scotland and Uruguay – Pat Partridge in the middle, fellow Co Durham official Tom Smith diagonally opposite – at which Diego Maradona revealed his talent to the world.
“There’d been a lot of publicity beforehand, so we knew it was going to be a bit special, but what we saw was quite amazing,” said Terry.
He’ll have done his 10,000 steps by now – a very happy birthday, old friend.
*Recent blogs have revealed that there’s more than one Stanley United and indeed quite a lot of Stanleys around the world. There’ll be a little more of that in coming days.
While I’m out in Bishop, however, Ray Ion rings to report the winner of the 3 40 at Newton Abbot – by extraordinary coincidence, a horse called Stanley Stanley.
To think that I didn’t back it (but George did buy me a pint,)
Grass Routes 