The Surrey Park Junior Football Club is the club Charlie Simms built

Moved by the lack of a junior football facility in Surrey Park, the keen sports enthusiast Charlie Simms founded the Surrey Park Junior Football Club in 1994.

Charlie was involved with the cricket club playing at the same venue and it used to make him mad that there was nowhere for the kids to play footy.

Charlie started with just one team but over the years, single-handedly built the football club from nothing.

Today, the Surrey Park Junior Football Club has more than 200 registered players and nine teams ranging from under-9 to under-17.

Charlie’s commitment to the club has been commendable. He has served as President, Registrar, League Delegate, Social Organiser and Football Manager.

Charlie finally handed over the reigns of President to Alan Vickery at the end of the 2006 season but remains actively involved around the club and is a keen spectator on match days.

At the end of 2007 Charlie relinquished running the canteen, such a huge task that it required a sub-committee of four to run it in his absence!

The club has a positive balance sheet, loyal sponsors, an active social calendar and most importantly, a culture of fair play and honour, all thanks to Charlie.

The Surrey Park Junior Football Club reveres Charlie so much that the club named its highest honour, the Colts’ best and fairest award, ‘The Charlie Simms Medal’.

“We like to hold him up in high esteem and we call him ‘the patriarch’,” Vickery said. “He’s just been fantastic.”