Incredibly, the 2016/17 season marks the 40th anniversary of the Graeme Ashley Award for the Best Club Person!
Since the Best Clubman was first awarded in 1976 to Laurie Farmer, it has become a staple of Leeming Spartan awards and presentations.
Peter Read (left) has won the award more than any other Spartan. Graeme Ashley (right), for whom the award is named. (Taken 2005)
Today, alongside the Read/Waterer Medal for the Club Champion, the Graeme Ashley Award is the greatest individual honour one can receive at the Leeming Spartan Cricket Club, behind only that of Life Membership.
To honour the history and the award itself, you can now view the full list of recipients as well as some interesting facts on our website, under the new Statistics menu. Click here to view the recipients.
The Best Club Person Award is presented every year at our end of season windup, and the recipient is decided upon by the Executive Committee.
With 39 awards presented to 32 separate individuals (including dual winners in 2005), the Graeme Ashley Award for the Best Club Person is the oldest award at Leeming Spartan still in existence today.
The award itself is of course named after Leeming Spartan Club Legend Graeme Ashley, one of the most devoted individuals the Club has ever seen.
Graeme’s efforts have extended for four decades, and his work including that of record keeping, statistician, historian, cleaning and maintenance, registrar, secretary, and bar manager to name but only a few, are all examples of the countless volunteer hours and efforts it takes to receive the award.
We look forward to presenting the 40th winner of the Best Club Person Award at the end of this season!