What a year filled with successes for our Firwood Bootle Cricket Club Family not least of all for our under 15s who became league champions, whilst Shaneil’s 1st XI succeeded in their planned quest to be promoted back to the premiership. Congratulations and well done to all involved. Let’s not forget our Scouse African Hermann Rolfes who was an even greater delight to watch and host this returning season especially as he was involved in 1-2-1 private tutoring and cricket camp which benefited lots of our players young and old, helping bridge the gap between junior and senior players.
This year we have lost a few of our members to the Oval of Dreams, that without whom our club may not have been standing today, so I wish to take a moment to acknowledge their selfless commitment to Bootle CC by thanking them for their commitment with special thanks and hats off to former President and Chair Peter C Massen, a gentleman with a strong driving force of navigation through the development and rebuild of the clubhouse before 2000 to what we now see today. Thank you it was a privilege to have grown up around you the past 50 years and I pledge to work as hard as you have previously to keep our club moving forward.
Mr President, Dick Carr it is an honour and pleasure to observe your kind, gentle, fair approach to all delicate and difficult situations relating to all club matters and I am honoured to serve alongside you. Thank you, sir. Thank you to Lindsay Brizell for all her relentless, brilliant attention to detail, steadfast and consistent work as club secretary, it never goes unnoticed. Also to Billy Midgely our Club Treasurer who is finally in a lovely position of reporting healthier club accounts, which go hand in hand with special thanks to Sarah and Mike for all their hard work in filling the club diary with numerous functions and delivering good customer service to enable us to pay our bills whilst managing both the staff and the building on a daily basis, thank you.
As for the Living Legend himself Tom Law, thank you for all your extra mile work and time you put into the club and of course the reliable historical stats and figures that you archive and add to constantly. These are all so precious and priceless we are truly blessed to have your input and commitment to the club and all your service on the committee for the last 50 years.
To Shaneil and all our team captains, Gemma Hurst, Jack Cliff, Lee Brown and Al Midgely thank you for all your hard, timeless and often thankless efforts to always field a side and get a game on, there is so much behind the scenes that people don’t really recognise so I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Thanks must go to all our staff and volunteers who help to contribute to our pledge to be in the best Cricket Club family we can be on every level, from working behind the bar, to painting steps, or young juniors selling programs for Scoop at home fixtures. All tasks no matter how small contribute towards our common goal of ultimately being an all inclusive club that is a happy, safe space to thrive in both on and off the pitch.
This year Alex Walker has recently joined our committee and took the bull by the horns and started the mammoth task of Safe Guarding Professional within our club as a professional in the childcare and schooling system of young people, she brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this important role. Thank you to all our team of committee members who volunteer their time and energy to make our club a success for all our members, be it playing or socialising you make our club a lovely place to be.
It was an absolute honour to witness the awards event this year and see all of our rising stars coming through under the guidance of Danny Hart and his team of coaches, it truly enforces that we must be doing something right to survive in these tough times. It was very pleasing to see the number of junior players all coming together to play in unity regardless of gender, age or ability at all levels of the club. This shows that we are on the right path to all being equal play- ers, let’s hope that they work hard to stay together as a formidable team by believing in our philosophy of “Bootle Family First”. We would not be able to fund many things around the club without all of our kind and generous sponsors who support us all throughout the year, Firwood, Donoghue Solicitors, Coyne Brothers, Bluerow, Michael Moon, The Treatment Rooms, Gated Security and All Budg- et Catering to name but a few. Your support goes a long way to providing a safe environment for our members and local community to enjoy the facilities on and off the pitch. This year you helped to purchase the three new covers for the wicket, we sincerely appreci- ate this and long may our community spirit relationship continue to build.
The Goal I would like to see this coming year is to commence and implement our own FBCC disability team that will be inclusive, and I look forward to watching this development. On closing, the hard work be- gins now to solidify our position back where we belong, so let’s all continue to work and stick together as a strong Family and make 2025 our biggest season yet.
Jackie Rose, Chair
