I feel very honoured at being made a life member by the club's board but I should like to thank the many people without whose assistance and hard work the achievements attributed to me would not have been possible.

Chris Hermiston and Andy Reeves provided vital practical assistance in the process of planning and installing the floodlights (2005) and pitch perimeter barriers (2012).

Chris's love for his pitch and his great knowledge of it and the evolution of the stadium were and and still are important for any works on the site; and Andy Reeves' expertise as a builder and his careful monitoring of the installation processes have been enormously valuable.

The credit for building the club's junior section has to go to many more people than myself. Andy Wain established the creche for the youngest children a year before I became involved; he asked Andy Taylor who played for us and was employed by the Shropshire FA to advise us on the process of becoming an FA Charter Standard club.

It was on this foundation that Andy Wain asked me to develop and administer the junior section across the age range Under 7 to Under 18 and make Leek Town a Charter Standard Community Club. In the process of achieving this in 2013 after three years of intensive activity, the enthusiastic and good natured chairmanship of John Potts set the right tone.

The transfer of seven Ashcombe Park boys' teams to Leek Town in 2011 and their secretary Alan Derbyshire's knowledge and experience greatly strengthened the section.

The conscientious and dedicated work of Tracy Reynolds and Barbara Hermiston in the creche over five years has generated new teams and managers year on year. Tracy's service to the club in many roles over many years has been remarkable and special thanks are due to her for also taking over as secretary of the section when I retired.

In the crucial development during years 2011-12 of girls' and disability football , Steve Kell's coaching skills and school contacts were invaluable - especially in the successful link with The Meadows School. His willingness to take over from me the role of Charter Standard Co-ordinator in 2013 was also greatly appreciated.

We have also been fortunate that two good girls teams joined us from the old CSOB and brought with them some fine coaches and committed parents and administrators. We have since generated three more junior girls' teams with able and committed coaches and supportive parents and the future of girls and women's football at Leek Town looks promising.

Thanks are also due to Neil Baker for his early coaching sessions and continuing interest in and support for the section and to our head coach and former player Paul Clowes, recognised by Staffordshire FA as one of the county's leading coaches.

Steve Reynolds' hard work in integrating the junior section into our excellent website has been a terrific asset to us all; and finally, Andy Wain's, Lee Casswell's and the club board's support for the section has made us a genuinely 'community' football club.

My warmest thanks to you all and best wishes to Gavin Bateman who has made an excellent start in his key role as Chairman of what is now Leek Town Juniors FC recognised as having charitable status by the Charity Commissioners thanks to director Paul Bateman's work.