Victor Farrow added to Farnborough Old Boys Guilds FC celebrations as he was announced as the 2009 County FA Charter Standard Administrator of the year.
This comes after the Kent County FA announced that the club have been awarded the adult club of the year award as announced yesterday.
Vic has been associated with the Guild sine 1960. Firstly as a player from 1960 to 1980 and during this time he served on the management committee.
In 1976 he was appointed honorary assistant secretary and in 1980 he became honorary secretary, a position he stills holds
In his capacity as secretary Vic attends monthly committee meetings of the club and those of the Kent League, South London Alliance, Bromley and Districts and Bromley and Orpington leagues. In addition to his involvement with the club, Vic was a divisional secretary for 13 years. He is now vice president of the league and is in his ninth year as Results Secretary for the South London Alliance.
Vic is a qualified referee and he officiated for number of years. He has also taken part in the local marathons and twice run the London marathon which raised funds for both the club and local children’s charities.
During the football season his work for the club is almost full time. On Monday evening he advises the managers of player availability and confirms selections with them. With six teams and six games every week and over 100 players this is mammoth task. One team selection is confirmed and match reports of the previous week have been completed Vic produces a weekly newsletter. The newsletter is four to five pages long and provides members with details of fixtures, vital club news, reports, tables and results. It takes him to the very early hours of the Wednesday to collate this with over 150 copies issued.
Vic’s tasks don’t end there as from Wednesday to Friday Vic receives various telephone calls and message from players, secretaries and referees concerning arrangements and alternations for the forthcoming games.
On the Saturday, Vic arrives at the club house at 9am and deals with further correspondence regarding the games and also making sure the club house is in good order from the previous nights club event, pitches are ready, kits are prepared, water bottles full, changing rooms clean, match balls pumped, showers working and the bar open. In between all this Vic carries out last minute phone calls in covering any absent players and making sure everyone gets to their games on time.
At the end of the matches Vic makes tea for a least four teams, cleans the changing rooms and showers while ensuring the club house is presentable, referees are paid, subs are collected and our canteen is operation. Vic does not usually leave the clubhouse until 7pm and repeats everything on the Sunday!
All the above is unpaid and completely voluntary.
First Team Manager, Shaun Keddle praised Vic by saying “He is held in great respect by all club and league officials for his dedication, not just to the club but to football as a whole. A lot is talked about the grassroots of football, and Vic truly represents those roots”.
For further details of the FA Charter Standard Programme please contact lee.suter@kentfa.com.