B & F trio celebrated with highest 'grassroots' club and county accolades

Bourton & Frankton Football & Cricket Club's Annual Presentation Evening enjoyed extra significance, with a special presentation honouring three of its longest serving club members.

The evening staged at The Woodhouse at Princethorpe saw Roger 'Shoddy' Boneham, Frank Lewin and Paul Whitehead each awarded 50 year service awards by the Birmingham County Football Association.

With a combined total of over 150 years active 'service' between them, Messers Boneham, Lewin and Whitehead have all enjoyed not only distinguished playing roles in their time, but continue to undertake a variety of off-field roles.

In their heyday, the trio played for B & F FC from the 1950s to 1970s (with some additional occasional appearances in the 1980s and 90s; some of which are renowned in club folklore); Whitehead in particular renowned in his time as one of the area's foremost recognised goalscorers. Lewin and Whitehead also turned their hand (literally) with regular appeareances for the club's cricket club, but it is all three of their efforts off the field today and over the years which was particularly highlighted and recognised. The trio's dedication to a variety of roles with team management, assistant management, coaching, ground maintenance and fundraising amongst other duties is testament to their dedication to all elements of life at Bourton & Frankton FC & CC through the decades and still today.

On delivering and handing over the awards, the representatives of the BCFA stated such awards are not given likely, with The FA at national and regional level employing such a strict criteria.

In particular it was also emphasised that it is extremely rare for clubs at any level of any size to still have any servants with such extraordinary levels of dedication and support, let alone B & F having three!

Hence, Boneham, Lewin and Whitehead being honoured in such a way at club level and also by the FA and BCFA deserves all the accolade and significance it brings.

In addition to these landmark awards, B & F made their presentations for the football and cricket sections.

Senior Football Awards

• 1st Team Players Player - Rob Crinigan

• 1st Team Managers Player - Chris a'Barrow

• 2nd Team Player's Player - John Day

• 2nd Team Manager's Player - Malcolm Smith

• Top Scorer - Rob Crinigan

• Young Player - Dale Cooper

• Most Man of the Match Awards - Danny McManus

Junior Section/Under 15's

Cricket Club (2009 season awards)

• Top Batsman - Danny McManus

• Top Bowler - Mick Waller