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Falmouth man honoured
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| David Spear (centre left), founder treasurer of Falmouth Albion, receives his football boot trophy and certificate from Dale Band, partner at Nalders Solicitors, sponsors of the West Cornwall Sunday Football League. They are flanked by Norman Burnett, Albion secretary and league treasurer (right) and Melville Benney, Albion team manager. |
A behind-the-scenes stalwart described as epitomizing the spirit of Cornish junior football has earned special recognition in a new award scheme.
David Spear is founder treasurer of the Falmouth Albion club, for which last season was the most successful since its formation in 1996.
David has been at the heart of the club's impressive development, and his sterling efforts, loyalty and dedication have earned him "Behind-The-Scenes Star" status in the new award scheme.
The scheme has been introduced by the West Cornwall Sunday Football League through its sponsors, Nalders Solicitors.
This is one of the competitions in which Falmouth Albion's four teams play at Dracaena Avenue and Trescobeas - where David is regularly to be seen erecting and dismantling the goal nets and installing and collecting the match-day flags.
"I've even seen him rolling the pitch with a hand-roller, which is a pretty hefty job," says Norman Burnett, Sunday League treasurer and Falmouth Albion secretary.
"David is an excellent treasurer - watching every penny - and he is a really nice guy, a true gentleman and sporting a lovely sense of humour. Albion is a self-funding club - with no clubhouse or anything - and its survival and growth have been due in no small measure to David's dedication.
"David, as much as anyone, is what Falmouth Albion is all about and he is the epitomy of Cornish junior football."
His new "star" status was confirmed with the presentation of a trophy and certificate by Dale Band, a Nalders partner and one of Cornwall's best-known footballers. David will also enjoy a special end-of-season meal.
A Falmouth-based carpenter and builder, David was a rugby player in his earlier days but had to retire from that game after breaking a leg.
He developed his interest in football when his son Simon began playing it. Simon eventually joined Falmouth Albion and is still a regular first-teamer at full-back.
The club now has around 40 players on its books. Last season its first team finished in its best-ever position of fourth in the Falmouth Helston League Division One, while its second team was promoted from Division Three to Two. Albion also won the Cornwall County Sunday Cup, which is contested by all Sunday teams across the county.
At David's award presentation, Mr Bushell said: "Falmouth Albion is clearly one of the great success stories in Cornish amateur sport and we are delighted to be able to recognise the contribution he has made to that success. Grass roots football could not survive without the David Spears of this world."
6:19pm Wednesday 26th March 2008
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