Tributes paid to popular president

EVO-STIK Northern Premier League Matlock Town are preparing to celebrate the life of club president Mick Tomlinson, writes Ian Richardson.

The Gladiators stalwart passed away last week aged 83 and the Premier Division club have announced that his funeral service will take place next Wednesday (Nov 12) at Chesterfield Crematorium from 2.30pm and will be followed by a wake at their Autoworld Lounge.

Paying tribute to their late president on Monday, Gladiators chairman Tom Wright said: "Matlock Town and Non-League football has lost a lovely man. He always had a smile and a warm welcome for the opposition visiting Causeway Lane and was well liked throughout the league. He gave the club outstanding service over a long period of time and will be sadly missed. All of our thoughts are with his wife Susan and Mick's family and friends."

Mr Tomlinson, pictured with Lee Featherstone, left and Scott Brough celebrating Matlock's 2-0 win over Belper Town in the Derbyshire Senior Cup Final at Pride Park in 2010, passed away after a short illness at Chesterfield Royal Hospital on October 27. A minute's silence was held in his memory before Town's recent home win over Frickley Athletic.

Described as a 'true gentleman' and a Gladiators 'legend', Mr Tomlinson gave more than fifty years of loyal service to the Derbyshire club, playing a key administrative role after being brought to the club by chief executive officer Keith Brown and becoming treasurer in 1966.

Nine years later in April 1975, he would be at Wembley for Matlock's greatest ever day when they beat Scarborough by a 4-0 margin in the FA Trophy Final. He was also looking after the club's finances when they reached the Third Round of the FA Cup, won the NPL Greenalls Cup at Maine Road and went to Italy to represent Matlock and England in the Anglo-Italian Non-League tournament in 1979.

Being treasurer of a Non-League club involves dealing with players' wages and given that his day job was in the Salaries and Wages Department at Derbyshire County Council where he would become head of the department, he was obviously well prepared for his role at the Gladiators before retiring at sixty, carrying out his duties with dignity and close attention to detail as if the club's money was his very own.

Mr Tomlinson did his National Service in the RAF and moved to Matlock in 1958 when the county council relocated its headquarters from Derby. On arrival, he immediately looked for a scout group to join and found the 15th situated on Matlock Green. It was there as a Rover Scout Leader that he developed his strong friendship with fellow official Keith Brown, one that flourished until his passing. His interest in scouting remained throughout his life and he went on to become treasurer of Matlock Scout and Guide Group around the same time as he took on the role at the football club.

As a regular at Matlock's games, the club official also took on the role of reporter for the Matlock Mercury, Derbyshire Times, Derby Evening Telegraph and even some of the papers connected with Matlock's opponents.

He was also a regular voice on BBC Radio Derby covering Town's games throughout the north of England and in the days before mobile phones, could regularly be found pleading with fellow officials on Matlock's travels for use or their telephones or directions to a public phone box so he could keep fans back home informed of the latest news and action.

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