Former Bishops Waltham cricketer and past City of Southampton Football League President Fred Wiltshire, who tirelessly dedicated his sporting life to local soccer and cricket, died recently after a long illness. He was 72.
A plumber by trade, he was heavily involved in Meon Valley and Southampton sport for many years and, typical of many of his piers, played football in the winter months before switching to cricket when summer came around.
After retiring he took up refereeing and regularly umpired league cricket matches.
A hugely popular, well liked and respected official, Fred was presented with the FA’s prestigious 50 years Service to Football award in June 2014.
A real character and extremely well known in local sporting circles, Fred grew up in the Meon Valley and played cricket for many years for Bishops Waltham.
He was playing well before the formation of the Hampshire League in 1973 – a fiery fast bowler, a fearsome sight coming down the Hoe Road slope.
Typical of many lower-order batsmen, he was a renowned big hitter and his sizeable hands made him a good catcher of the ball.
Like in football, once he retired from playing Fred took up officiating and umpired regularly for Hursley Park.
A great Hampshire county cricket supporter, Fred unselfishly put endless hours into local sport for the benefit of countless local cricketers and footballers who have much to thank him for.
In soccer circles, he was a robust centre-half in Saturday football for Wickham before retiring to join Swanmore, where he was club secretary for many years.
He founded and played for the South Star Sunday team which played in the Meon Valley League.
He was a great enthusiast, serving on the Meon Valley League committee for many years and, after hanging up his boots, took up the whistle to officiate matches at a time (in the early 1970s) when appointed referees were a rare commodity.
His playing days over, Fred was never happier than in a meeting, often preferring a Meon Valley or Southampton League committee sit to watching a live professional game on TV.
Fred went on to referee in the Hampshire League, before becoming a touchline and post-match mentor to countless aspiring ‘men in black’.
He was a founder member of the Eastleigh Referees Association and one of its Vice-Presidents for over 15 years.
Mr Wiltshire was Southampton Divisional FA Vice President for 28 years, its chairman between 2002 and 2005, and deputy chairman from 2005 to 2008
He was Southampton Football league President for 27 years.
Fred’s life will be celebrated at Portchester Crematorium on Monday November 7 (1pm) and afterwards in the nearby Seagull public house.
It promises to be a fitting farewell occasion to pay tribute to a person who put back into sport behind the scenes what he took out of it as a player hundreds of times over ….
A plumber by trade, he was heavily involved in Meon Valley and Southampton sport for many years and, typical of many of his piers, played football in the winter months before switching to cricket when summer came around.
After retiring he took up refereeing and regularly umpired league cricket matches.
A hugely popular, well liked and respected official, Fred was presented with the FA’s prestigious 50 years Service to Football award in June 2014.
A real character and extremely well known in local sporting circles, Fred grew up in the Meon Valley and played cricket for many years for Bishops Waltham.
He was playing well before the formation of the Hampshire League in 1973 – a fiery fast bowler, a fearsome sight coming down the Hoe Road slope.
Typical of many lower-order batsmen, he was a renowned big hitter and his sizeable hands made him a good catcher of the ball.
Like in football, once he retired from playing Fred took up officiating and umpired regularly for Hursley Park.
A great Hampshire county cricket supporter, Fred unselfishly put endless hours into local sport for the benefit of countless local cricketers and footballers who have much to thank him for.
In soccer circles, he was a robust centre-half in Saturday football for Wickham before retiring to join Swanmore, where he was club secretary for many years.
He founded and played for the South Star Sunday team which played in the Meon Valley League.
He was a great enthusiast, serving on the Meon Valley League committee for many years and, after hanging up his boots, took up the whistle to officiate matches at a time (in the early 1970s) when appointed referees were a rare commodity.
His playing days over, Fred was never happier than in a meeting, often preferring a Meon Valley or Southampton League committee sit to watching a live professional game on TV.
Fred went on to referee in the Hampshire League, before becoming a touchline and post-match mentor to countless aspiring ‘men in black’.
He was a founder member of the Eastleigh Referees Association and one of its Vice-Presidents for over 15 years.
Mr Wiltshire was Southampton Divisional FA Vice President for 28 years, its chairman between 2002 and 2005, and deputy chairman from 2005 to 2008
He was Southampton Football league President for 27 years.
Fred’s life will be celebrated at Portchester Crematorium on Monday November 7 (1pm) and afterwards in the nearby Seagull public house.
It promises to be a fitting farewell occasion to pay tribute to a person who put back into sport behind the scenes what he took out of it as a player hundreds of times over ….
