50-Year servants are recognised

THREE 50-Year servants were honoured among others at the Suffolk FA Awards Ceremony.

THREE 50-Year servants were honoured among others at the Suffolk FA Awards Ceremony sponsored by McDonald’s and Jacobsen.

Bob Bullamore, Bob Morrison and Barry Spall, who have each dedicated more than 50 years’ service to grassroots football, were presented with their awards at the ceremony at Venue 16 in Ipswich on Tuesday.

Bullamore, a Level 5 Referee from Ipswich, received the 50-Year Referee Long Service Award.

Morrison, who is now aged 77 and has been a stalwart of Capel Plough FC for many years, was the recipient of the Bobby Moore Award for the volunteer that represents the best of grassroots football in Suffolk.

Awards Ceremony Bob Bullamore Dec 2024

Bob Bullamore (right) receives his 50-Year Referee Long Service Award from Suffolk FA Vice Chair Bruce Badcock (left) at Tuesday's Awards Ceremony at Venue 16. Main photograph: Bob Morrison (right) is presented with the Bobby Moore Award by McDonald’s franchisee Carol Rogerson. Photographs: Stefan Peck

There was a special presentation to Spall to recognise his 50-plus years’ service as a Suffolk FA Council member.

They were among a clutch of award winners and recipients that included the Grounds Team of the Year awards sponsored by Jacobsen Ltd, Referee Long Service Awards and the England Football Grassroots Awards.

The Grounds Team of the Year awards were presented by Christian Clifford, Director of Engineering at Jacobsen Ltd, the Referee Long Service Awards by Suffolk FA Vice Chair Bruce Badcock and the England Football Grassroots Awards by McDonald’s franchisee Carol Rogerson.

More than 60 guests gathered at Venue 16 for the ceremony which started with a welcome from Suffolk FA Chief Executive Richard Neal, who said that there were four words not used often enough in grassroots football – ‘thank you’ and ‘well done’.

He said the evening was an opportunity to recognise the work put in by all those across the grassroots game in the county.

Suffolk FA President David Sheepshanks CBE DL said it was never too late to realise your dreams in football and thanked Richard Neal, who leaves Suffolk FA in January, for the ‘incredible job’ he has done over the last seven years.

Awards Ceremony Barry Spall Dec 2024

Barry Spall (centre) receives a special presentation from Suffolk FA Chief Executive Richard Neal (right) and McDonald’s franchisee Carol Rogerson (left) to mark his 50-plus years’ service as a Suffolk FA Council member.

Suffolk FA Awards Ceremony 2024 Roll of Honour

*Unable to attend in person to receive their award

Grassroots Football Awards

Bobby Moore Award

Winner - Bob Morrison (Capel Plough FC)

Highly Commended - John Beer (Kirton Kestrels FC)*

Club of the Year

Winner - Lakenheath Youth FC

Highly Commended – Chantry Grasshoppers FC

Coach of the Year Disability

Winner - Sharon Wilson (Lavenham All Stars Pan Disability)

Highly Commended - Alex Wilson (Lavenham All Stars Pan Disability)