Royal appointment trumps paper's awards!

Ryman League chairman and president Alan Turvey is missing the Non-League Paper's National Game Awards on Wednesday to be at Buckingham Palace with Her Majesty The Queen.

The chairman, pictured, was forced turn down the invitation to attend the NLP's annual awards at Fulham's Craven Cottage to attend a garden party at the palace ahead of his retirement as chairman this summer.

The chairman and his wife Margaret were invited to attend the royal event to mark his "outstanding services to football" after nearly six decades in the game as a referee and administrator and 32 years leading the Ryman League following his appointment as chairman in 1982.

The Ryman's chairman is returning to the palace nearly two years after being honoured as one of the Football Association’s 150 grassroots heroes by HRH The Duke of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace in October 2013.

After kicking off his career in football when he set up Essex side Wickford Boys in the 1950s, he went on to become a referee in 1959 before going on to be a top flight official in the old First Division.

His connection to the Ryman League goes back to 1961 when he first took charge of an Isthmian League match. In 1978 he joined the Isthmian as a fixtures secretary and after rapid promotion to league secretary the following year, was appointed chairman in 1982 as the successor to Barry East.

In 2000 he was made oresident of the Ryman League and was also honoured by the FA with a long service medal to mark his 50 years in the game.

Follow us: @rymanleaguenews on Twitter | Ryman League group on Facebook