Monday 06 May 2006

ANNUAL DINNER
held at the clubhouse on Fri May 3

Photos by Phil Broster
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The Annual Dinner for the 131st season at New Brighton FC(RU) took place at the clubhouse on Friday May 3rd 2006 with an attendance of around a 100 people. Many thanks are due to the President and his many helpers for a most enjoyable evening. Representatives of thirteen local clubs were present including our own John Lander and John Tomkins representing the Old Birkonians and Liverpool Referees Society respectively.

Peter Johnson

After an excellent meal, the President presented several well-earned awards to the players of the year, Dean Weir (3rd XV), Dan Stafford (2nd XV) and Jon Sewell (1st XV). Stephen Dean accepted the last for the skipper as he was playing for the Cheshire County XV against Durham.

A special award was presented to Kevin Pollard for his 244 first XV appearances.

The Junior Player of the Year was Niall Moroney of the rapidly improving U15 side who the previous week had just lost the U15 Wirral Floodlit Cup to Oldershaw in the last minute of the game.

The burgeoning Junior Section were also proud that the Jim Rennie Trophy for the Clubman of the Year was awarded to their Chairman Colin Bruce for overseeing their remarkable development.

The MC for the evening was the inimitable Joe Pinnington, who controlled the proceedings with masterful ease, reminding us that he was born with a silver mike in his mouth!

Jez Lamb, who stood in for our itinerant captain at the 11th hour, spoke passionately for the team who, despite a very difficult season, retained an excellent team spirit.

With Steve Dorrington now in place as coach for next season there was considerable optimism in the camp that we can turn things around pretty quickly.

The President, looking sprightly, despite a late night the previous evening counting his votes in the local elections, welcomed our guests. In reply our guest speaker Peter Johnson (no not that one, Alan Kettel’s brother-in-law!) held us all in the palm of his hand for half an hour, reeling off tale after tale with consummate skill and timing. Although he claimed not to be a professional comedian, no one believed him.

With the formal events complete and with the reputation for order at the New Brighton dinner more than enhanced, the prize winners for the stand-up Bingo and Length of Speeches Estimate ecstatic, we all settled down into the wee hours discussing such serious issues as England’s prospects in the WC and John Prescott’s next roll in Government.