Happy Birthday to you!

All at the Isthmian League would like to wish Derek Alldridge a happy ninetieth birthday.

Derek was secretary of our former stalwarts Metropolitan Police FC for three decades, from the 1960s until the 1990s. He is a life member of the club and has in his time been a Surrey FA Council member, as well as an official of the Suburban League. He is a Vice President of the Isthmian League, and was a member of our Management Committee from 1983-1985.

Derek was a good player in his time, representing Tilbury in what we would nowadays call semi-pro football. He was Secretary of the Met until 1995, when he retired from his job at the Metropolitan Police Athletic Association. He has remained a committee member and a willing helper/supporter ever since. His wisdom is still called upon by people in football to this day, who approach him seeking the benefit of his considerable experience. He is regarded as a stalwart of non-league football.

Derek, along with two or three others, was responsible for conceiving and implementing the Police Football Club lottery in 1964, which has helped to fund police sport and in particular the football club, for more than 55 years. He is the last surviving member of that forward looking committee. He was awarded the MBE by the Queen in 1978 for services to sport.

He has no regrets about his years in football and says he would do it all over again if he had the chance. His only disappointment was that the highly successful Met team of last season fell just short of promotion to the National League South, by a unique ‘Super Play-Off’ situation which denied the club the chance to celebrate their centenary year in that level of football, albeit defeated by a very worthy Tonbridge Angels side.

Derek still regularly makes it down to Imber Court to watch games. He is in good spirits, but frustrated by the lockdown as he can’t get out to play golf and bowls (which he still does on a regular basis).

Happy Birthday Derek. Have a marvellous day!