Cripps takes over as Football Federation NT president

TOM BIDDINGTON | December 20th, 2010

ANDREW Cripps is the new Football Federation NT president.

The general manager of CMax Cinemas Palmerston was elected at a special general meeting on Saturday morning, replacing Zico Ilic for the top job in Territory soccer.

Mr Cripps, 58, can't wait to get stuck into his new role.

"I'm really looking forward to being part of a new team," Cripps said.

"There'll be a lot more interaction between our board, the members and, of course, mums and dads and players on the field.

"It's just an injection of a bit of enthusiasm into running the game up here."

Cripps will front a new-look board and will work closely with chief executive John Meers, who took over the role in September.

A father of three, Cripps first got involved in the sport as a parent and has done just about everything else since.

Since moving to the Top End 10 years ago, Cripps has been president of Casuarina, chairman of Norzone for the past three years and was elected to the FFNT board at last month's annual general meeting.

A regular fixture down at Darwin Football Stadium, Cripps doesn't want to lose that presence.

"My number-one thing will be to be a face that everyone knows and feels comfortable approaching," he said.

"One of the other priorities is to open meaningful conversations with everyone from government through to sponsors and take this great game forward."

http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/12/20/202071_ntsport.html