Chairman pays tribute to retiring official

By David Watters

Burgess Hill Town

Burgess Hill Town’s general manager Richard Strange has stepped down from the post at the Ryman South club.

The Hillians announced on Friday that their former player, pictured, had decided to step down with immediate effect after two years in the role to concentrate on his family and business interests. The post's workload will now be shared between a number of officials under the direction of John Rattle.

Hillians chairman Kevin Newell paid tribute to the work their long-serving official and former striker had put into the Sussex club and revealed that he isn’t leaving altogether.

In the statement released by the club announcing the news, he said: "Richard has played an important role in developing the club and I am very grateful for all the hard work and time he has invested in it but I fully respect his decision to concentrate now on his own business and family.

"I am pleased to say that despite standing down as general manager, Richard has confirmed that he will still be available to help promote the club’s activities and I expect to be seeing plenty of him around the Green Elephant Stadium."

Strange said: "Burgess Hill Town FC is my club, in as much as I have grown up within the town and within the club during the time when the club moved to Leylands Park [now the Green Elephant Stadium] with my father [club president Peter Strange] playing an important role.

"I played for the club and it’s the only club I would want to work for. I got more involved recently when the club was experiencing a few difficulties to try to change things for the better and to improve links with the community.

"With the great team of people we have I think we have done that over the past two years. I want to say a massive ‘thank you’ to all the staff, volunteers & supporters who have returned the club to somewhere close to what it used to be. They are a great bunch and it has been a real team effort."

Strange confirmed that he’s looking forward to continuing to contribute to the Hillians.

He added: "The work we have done has been to create a place that gives everyone a better experience when they visit and to give the local community a club they can be proud of. I’m sure that will continue and I will be close by to help when or if asked."

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