An Appreciation

The club has suffered a huge loss with the death of Leslie John Carter after a long illness. A tireless worker for the club and a lifelong associate of Wantage Football Club, his wise counsel and restraining influence will be badly missed. A cerebral figure with a grasp of detail that was a wonder to us mere mortals, he dominated the complicated  administration needed to ensure smooth transition to our new ground. A grammar school boy in the early part of the war and from 1945 he served with Military Intelligence in Rumania and Italy. Post War he worked at the Woolwich Arsenal and eventually for the U.K.E.A where he became head of contracts. 

But it was his organizational skills away from his chosen employment that had such a beneficial affect on so many people locally. His tenure as Secretary of Wantage Town F.C  coincided with a period of unbroken success for the club that has never been matched. Continuing as a committee man and eventually a Trustee his generosity contributed to the financial well being of the club. However it was his connection with the cricket club that has arguably the most profound effect on so many people locally.  Although possessing no formal coaching qualifications he worked alongside capable coaches and helped produce a string of good youth teams and literally dozens of talented young cricketers. He organized teams, made transport arrangements attended games for all the different age groups. Nor was this work confined to the junior cricket, for the seniors he was at different times Treasurer, Fixture Secretary, President, Match Manager, the prime mover in the early days of second team cricket and if this was not enough he attended virtually every senior game whether it was Saturday, Sunday or mid-week for the last thirty years. 

A shy man and at times a touch pedantic, he sincerely believed that his cautious, meticulous approach to issues was the correct way forward. This did cause conflict at times for those of us impatient to move problems along more quickly. Despite this occasional divergence none of us could argue that Les's position was anything less than sincere and principled, always with the best interests of the club at heart. We always respected him for that. During the club's most recent crisis, despite Les being especially unwell he was the one we turned to for advice. It was a particularly serious situation that needed his insight and  grasp of detail. It goes without saying that in our hour of need he did not let us down.

Despite his taste for good wine and high opera he was no snob. When the cricket season was over his ideal weekend afternoon was spent watching an ancient western starring Joel McRae or Gary Cooper. The last twelve years he became hooked on quiz leagues, after several years of  badgering him to play he eventually agreed and Sunday nights became his magnificent obsession, a chance to get his fix of quiz questions and display his wide range of knowledge. Who is going to tell us whether Frederick Chopin was German or Polish?  or indeed  what year he was born in?  We will miss his presence on the boundary edge as well, directing fielding operations like a cross between Douglas Jardine and Napoleon, he lived every ball, every edge, every dropped catch. Win, lose or draw he was a constant that was always there, an integral part of the club. A couple of years ago, on a hot afternoon after a close game when tempers were frayed, one brave person accused Les of making a mistake and not understanding the rules of cricket. Les refused to be drawn into an argument, but his protagonist showed a tenacious nature that verged on the suicidal and we could see Les getting redder by the minute. Finally he responded saying to the unfortunate individual that he was sure he would never have heard of American Jimmy Hoffa but he was going to quote him anyway. " I may have faults, but being wrong ain't one of them"  

We will all miss him.

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