The FA recently honoured Roger Burden, Sid Jones and Bill Beach with long-service awards in recognition of 50 years of service to local football.

Roger Burden, 78, first took up the position of secretary for Spartans FC back in 1972. He joined the Cheltenham Sunday League a few years later, where he would serve as Chair until 2007. He has also served on the GFA Council since 1983 and has been Chair of Gloucestershire FA and a director of The FA.

Sid Jones, 89, spent 20 years as Mitcheldean secretary. Leaving that role in 1981, he became registration secretary for the North Gloucestershire Football League. Sid has also been a member of the GFA County Cups committee for 34 years, beginning in 1990.

Bill Beach, 70, spent 24 years as a player between 1972 and 1996 before moving immediately into a committee role as secretary of Fairford Town. Bill held this role until 2018 when he joined the Hellenic League, of which he is currently chair.

Elsewhere, there were also Long Service Awards given out to Ben Hill, John Hunt, Terry Onions and Phil Tustain; this quartet were all recognised for 21 years of service to the game as committee members of the Cheltenham Association Football League since the early noughties.

It takes extraordinary devotion to dedicate so much of one’s life to our game, and the GFA is extremely grateful to all of our honourees. Congratulations to all!