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Gary Girling 1951-2023
Gary Girling 1951-2023
Gary Girling, President of Hadleigh Cricket Club, sadly passed away on June 21st at the age of 72. To call Gary a legend of the club would be true, but it would still somehow understate his impact and contribution to the club over nearly 60 years. As player, captain, groundsman, chairman and president (and those were just his official roles), few people have served it so well, for so long. I called him the father of our club because he was the ever-present figure in all our lives at HCC; the person everyone looked up to.
He grew up in Upper Layham and was one of the first children to attend the new secondary school in Highlands Road. Mel and Roy Plumbly remember him as one of their first students. His father Peter played for the club and Gary was already a regular member of the 2nds or ‘A’ team at 14 years old in 1965. The scorebook for that year shows that he batted 12 times with a highest score of 29 not out, so was already showing great promise. He could bowl too, and once took 7-22 in a game. By the age of 17 he was in the 1st team, scored his maiden century at 21 and by the mid-1970s he was part of arguably Hadleigh’s greatest ever side, which won the Suffolk League.
Amongst the likes of David Clifford, Richard English and the aforementioned Roy Plumbly. Gary went on to captain the 1st team in the late 80s and early 1990s, leading the team to promotion. He was a natural skipper, well-liked by his players. He played to win but first and foremost wanted to enjoy the game and when it was done have a drink with his team-mates and the opposition. He made friends wherever he played. In the early 2000s he took over the 2nds, assembling a ‘Dad’s Army’ of wily veterans and enjoying more success. Amongst this band of late 50-somethings was John Beale, who as was his wont christened Gary ‘Horse’ (GG – Gee Gees, now it makes sense!).
Gary finally hung up his boots in 2007, after scoring nearly 12,000 runs and taking 215 catches for Hadleigh with those incredibly reliable bucket hands.
From a very early age he was involved in the running of the club and its social side. He became groundsman in 1972 and remained so for over 40 years. Several generations of players knew nothing else but Gary on the roller, tending his beloved square and outfield. It was his pride and joy. The knowledge he had of ground matters and machinery was legendary. He was always to be found at the heart of the action at social and fundraising events, of which there were many in his younger days – dinner dances, summer parties and fetes, and he was always part of the team setting them up and clearing them away. He directed these operations like his ground working parties – you always looked to Gary to give you a job. But he always found time for those in need, as our long-standing former Treasurer Tim Ryder remembers. “We were putting final touches to the decorations before a Dinner Dance at the New Town Hall. As a young 18 or 19 year old I said that I didn’t know how to waltz (the band would always play a few old time dances for the oldies!). Gary (still in his boiler suit) then proceeded to give me a dance lesson. Not sure if I was the male or female, but I was taken around the dance floor several times!”
With his playing days over Gary took over as club Chairman. One of the highlights of this time was our Bicentenary season in 2010. From leading the celebrations at a gala dinner (just like the old days), to going to Lord’s for a match at the Nursery Ground, to even being interviewed on Sky Sports, Gary took great pride in all that happened that special summer. He was always looking to see the club improve, as his successor and ViceChair at the time Dave Mann recalls. “He was a massive help to me because I was pretty adamant that the club needed to change the pavilion and extend it and bring it up to 21st-century standards. Of course, these things don’t come cheaply and a lot of Gary’s generation may have thought ‘what is this vicechairman going to do? He’s going to bankrupt the club’, all of that, but Gary was brilliant, he smoothed the way and made sure all of those good people on the committee supported the project.”
Gary won an ECB OSCA for his services as a cricket volunteer, and in 2015 became our President. This was a challenging time for Gary, as difficulties with his health meant he was unable to look after his beloved Meadow in his retirement as he had hoped. But he still did everything he could for the club, watching as many games as possible, attending committee meetings and social events, making sure his annual Presidents Day was a success. Our Chairman Simon Gladwell summed it up perfectly when he said that Gary was a friend of everyone who played at Friars Road. “He welcomed and introduced me to the club and showed genuine kindness which made a lasting impression. He was a gentleman of the game.”
We will miss him deeply, as will his many friends in Suffolk cricket, and he will always be remembered. Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time.
