Surrey County Cricket Club paid tribute to 22 members for their evergreen and long-lasting support for the Club at The Kia Oval yesterday.
As a token of appreciation, the Club organised a ceremony to commemorate their ‘Milestone Members’, where the honourees and their guests were invited to the Prince of Wales room and served a complimentary three-course meal.
The honourees, celebrating 50, 60 or even 70 years of relationship with the Club, were presented their certificates in front of The Micky Stewart Members’ Pavilion by the Club’s Interim Chair Martin Eadon, CEO Steve Elworthy and Proposed President Patricia Garrard during the tea break of Surrey’s LV= County Championship match against Hampshire.
The names of the honourees and their lengths of memberships were also displayed on the electronic scoreboard at The Kia Oval during the presentation.
Raman Subba Row CBE, one of the most influential figures in the national game and now England’s oldest living Test player, was among the Members celebrating their 70-year-long bond with the Club. You can read more about his time in, and out, of cricket here.
Elizabeth Brett, a lifelong cricket fan and Surrey Member since 1973, said: “For the first two or three years, I couldn’t go in the Pavilion because only gentlemen Members were allowed there but Surrey were among the first clubs to change their rules, and since then I’ve been honoured to be a Member of such an exciting club.
“I’ve followed Surrey through the ups and the downs, and it’s been a privilege to be a Member for so long.”
John Day, a Surrey Member for more than 60 years, commented: “I came when I was nine years old with my father and I watched Micky Stewart and John Edrich put on 200 for the first wicket, and I was absolutely captivated. I’ve been a Member ever since.
“I’ve now introduced my daughter to the game, and she’s a Member as well… I just think this place is home.
“I’m so impressed with what Surrey has done for us. The Club keep talking about it being a family, and it really shows that that’s very much the case.”
Steve Elworthy said: “We are very grateful for the unwavering support that our Members and supporters give us. It is important for us to appreciate the long-term commitment of our Members.
“We hope that it would have been a special moment for the honourees to have their loyalty recognised in front of the Micky Stewart Members’ Pavilion.”
The list of honourees is as follows:
Celebrating 70 years: Edward Bentall, Colin Ellis and Raman Subba Row CBE.
Celebrating 60 years: John Day, Stephen Hart, JA Lauder, Andrew Merton, Robert Proud, John Stride and PCM Sunley.
Celebrating 50 years: Elizabeth Brett, Niall Drummond-Murray, Richard Drummond-Murray, Robert Ellis, Brian Gee, Roger Hudson, Paul Mitchell, Simon Mitchell, Andrew Shuttleworth, Keith R Slaughter, Keith Turner and Graham Winter.
