Crows Awarded Sir Stanley Rous Memorial Trophy
STANLEY ROUS was born and bred in Hertfordshire, and in his early days was the General Secretary of the West Herts Football League, based in the Hemel Hempstead area. He was also a qualified referee and rose to the heights of Football League status, refereeing the 1934 FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Portsmouth. He was also a well-respected FIFA referee, taking charge of 36 international matches.
His football administrative skills took him on to the Football Association where he served as Secretary from 1934 until 1962, and also saw him serve on the Committees within FIFA. He was knighted in 1949 following his input into the 1948 London Olympic Games. In 1961 he was elected President of FIFA, a post he held until 1974. In 1938 he rewrote the Laws of the Game, making them more simplified and easier to understand.
Hertfordshire is very proud to have had a man like Sir Stanley come through its own ranks.
After his death in 1986 at the age of 91, the Hertfordshire FA donated a Trophy in his memory, and a triangular Inter County Competition was set up involving Essex, Hertfordshire and Middlesex. The changing face of
football at senior level forced the demise of the Competition in 1994 and it just so happened that Hertfordshire were the last winners, and thus looked after the trophy.
In 2002, a Hertfordshire FA Competitions’ Committee member suggested that the Trophy be re-aired in the form of a special merit award, and this was agreed by the County FA. It would be awarded annually and would be won by a Club, an organisation, a Match Official, or an individual, who – to quote – “brought most prestige to Hertfordshire for achievements in the recently concluded season”.
Each of the 13 members of the Competitions’ Committee casts a vote for his own choice of winner, no short list of nominations or anything like that, and the winner is then found. It can’t really be a fairer vote and allows several different names to receive a vote or votes.
2017 Winners – Royston Town FC
At the end of the 2016/17 season, after the votes of the Hertfordshire FA Competitions’ Committee were counted it was decided unanimously that Royston Town receive this prestigious trophy for their achievement in the 2015/16 season in reaching the play offs and then in season 2016/17 gaining promotion from the Southern League Division One Central to the Premier League.
The President of the County FA, Eddie King, accompanied by the Chairman of the Competitions’ Committee, John Burlison, will make the presentation on the pitch just prior to kick off time at today’s game.
“Congratulations to all concerned at Royston Town Football Club.”
HISTORY OF PREVIOUS WINNERS
The first winner of the Sir Stanley Memorial Trophy (in 2002) was Stevenage Borough FC, who reached the FA Trophy Final. Watford FC followed after reaching the FA Cup semi finals, and in 2004 Referee Phil Sharp was the winner after being appointed as Match Official for the World Cup Finals and he was appointed as Assistant Referee to the Final of the World Cup (Brazil v Germany) and also the Final of the Olympic Games tournament. In 2005 the Trophy came to Berkhamsted – to the Sunday League side Gossoms End FC (as winners of the FA Sunday National Cup) in 2005 – the only team from the County to win the National Competition. Watford FC, (for promotion to the Premiership) followed in 2006, and Ware FC, (for enjoying a long run in the FA Cup and for reaching two County Cup Finals) were winners in 2008. Stevenage Borough FC won the trophy for the next two seasons, in 2009 following an FA Trophy Final win, and then again the next season for their promotion to the Football League. In 2011 Berkhamsted FC won it for winning Division 1 of the Spartan South Midlands League title with a total of 107 points. No other team in England – at any level from very top to very bottom – accumulated 107 points. Last year’s winners were Kings Langley FC for being Champions of the Evo-Stik Southern League Central Division One and the promotion to the Premier Division, this being their third consecutive promotion.
