By Aussiesrus - 1 Dec 2010 3:33 AM
Larry Grant Tribute
Larry Grant (1949-2010)
I’m writing to you to express my very great corporate and personal sadness at the passing today of our Competitions Secretary (Community Football), Larry Grant.
Larry was a larger than life sort of person respected by all for his what-you-see-is-what-you-get approach to all football and indeed non-football matters. This occasionally may have irritated some, but every one of us knew that an argument with Larry one day was forgotten the next. Larry was the consummate professional in this respect.
I first met Larry when I was President of North Epping Rangers at a Champion of Champions game down in Liverpool, where this Liverpool Albion Club President was vigorously urging on his team in ways only Larry could. They won! More recently, as Secretary of Sydney Branch, I came to respect Larry’s stewardship of his beloved Southern Districts Association, and not least the wonderful (and highly idiosyncratic) Association dinners in more recent years while I was President of the Amateurs and later Football NSW.
More recently, I supported Larry’s appointment as Competitions Secretary (Community Football) simply because I knew of his deep knowledge of the game at Association level, and his objectivity which I knew he would apply when it came to dealing with State League clubs. True, in times past (some) State League Clubs had not always been high on Larry’s Christmas card list. But all that changed when he was appointed to his recent position with Football NSW. Again, I have to say, he was the consummate professional.
Larry will be sorely missed at Football NSW by both staff and Associations/Clubs. To many of us, we have lost a friend as well as a former Association President and latterly State Competitions organiser.
To Larry’s wife of many years, Helen, and his four sons and their wives and to Larry’s grandchildren – all of them the apples of his eyes – I extend the condolences of our whole football family in the sure and certain knowledge that Larry will live on, affectionately, for a long time to come in our memories.
Yours very sincerely, and sadly,
Jim Forrest
President Football NSW
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By pimpsta - 8 Dec 2010 6:01 PM
he was a good man and also a funny man, will be sadly missed
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