He was among Romsey’s best-known sportsmen, both as a footballer and subsequently a manager, and in 1984 played for Hursley Park in the National Village Cricket Cup final at Lord’s.
Rick Kellaway had fought a brave battle against cancer, but died recently (aged 70) after contracting coronavirus in hospital.
He put his heart and soul into local sport, both as a player, coach and manager, and inspiring youngsters either on the field or from the touchline.
In the winter months Rick played soccer for Romsey Town before taking up managerial roles with Nursling and Awbridge. He spent most of his cricket career with Hursley Park before joining Old Tauntonians & Romsey as a successful junior coach.
He was hugely passionate about his sport, none more so than his later involvement with disabled/disadvantaged people and the Hampshire Disability cricket team.
Rick joined Hursley Park as a 17-year old in 1967 and was a regular member of the first team for at least 17 seasons, playing alongside Adrian Aymes (who went on to play 15 years with Hampshire) and with Paul Wright, Pete Bunney, and left-arm spinner Chris Westbrook.
He was a member of the Hursley Park team that played at Lord’s in the National Village Championship final in 1984, Marchwiel, from North Wales, beating them by an agonising seven runs under the gaze of Old Father Time.
Seeds sewn
Rick previously had a short spell as Hursley Park captain in the 1970's, but the season after the Lord’s final he happily dropped down to skipper the club’s Second Xl, in the process becoming youth team coach at The Quarters. The seeds of his future involvement in the game had been sewn.
Retired Hursley Park captain Chris Westbrook recalled: “Rick was a useful top order right-hand batsmen who bowled occasional off-breaks.
“A delightful guy with a good sense of humour, he was very intense on the field at both football and cricket and certainly superstitious, always needing to change in the same spot in the dressing room and follow the same rituals before every match.
“He was possibly too theoretical to be an outstanding cricket captain - where flexibility and hunches are sometimes the order of the day - but he thrived in the second team, where he was instrumental in bringing on younger players.
“He was very keen and enthusiastic player and good clubman.”
Rick Kellaway had fought a brave battle against cancer, but died recently (aged 70) after contracting coronavirus in hospital.
He put his heart and soul into local sport, both as a player, coach and manager, and inspiring youngsters either on the field or from the touchline.
In the winter months Rick played soccer for Romsey Town before taking up managerial roles with Nursling and Awbridge. He spent most of his cricket career with Hursley Park before joining Old Tauntonians & Romsey as a successful junior coach.
He was hugely passionate about his sport, none more so than his later involvement with disabled/disadvantaged people and the Hampshire Disability cricket team.
Rick joined Hursley Park as a 17-year old in 1967 and was a regular member of the first team for at least 17 seasons, playing alongside Adrian Aymes (who went on to play 15 years with Hampshire) and with Paul Wright, Pete Bunney, and left-arm spinner Chris Westbrook.
He was a member of the Hursley Park team that played at Lord’s in the National Village Championship final in 1984, Marchwiel, from North Wales, beating them by an agonising seven runs under the gaze of Old Father Time.
Seeds sewn
Rick previously had a short spell as Hursley Park captain in the 1970's, but the season after the Lord’s final he happily dropped down to skipper the club’s Second Xl, in the process becoming youth team coach at The Quarters. The seeds of his future involvement in the game had been sewn.
Retired Hursley Park captain Chris Westbrook recalled: “Rick was a useful top order right-hand batsmen who bowled occasional off-breaks.
“A delightful guy with a good sense of humour, he was very intense on the field at both football and cricket and certainly superstitious, always needing to change in the same spot in the dressing room and follow the same rituals before every match.
“He was possibly too theoretical to be an outstanding cricket captain - where flexibility and hunches are sometimes the order of the day - but he thrived in the second team, where he was instrumental in bringing on younger players.
“He was very keen and enthusiastic player and good clubman.”
Hursley Park, narrowly beaten in the 1984 National Village Cup final at Lord's.
After leaving Hursley Park, Rick returned to his old haunts, joining Old Tauntonians & Romsey, where he developed the colts section, opening the door for numerous youngsters to become involved in cricket.
After he retired at IBM Hursley, Mr Kellaway played a massive part in the Hampshire Cricket Board’s Disability Programme helping to provide opportunities for people with Disabilities right across the programme.
HCB Cricket Development Officer Mike Pollard explained: “Rick supported our Schools Programme which had in excess of 20 schools involved, coordinating activity within the schools themselves and helping to facilitate competitions.
“He trained people with Disabilities to become young leaders and help with our school festivals.
“Rick also supported some of our County Squads, including the softball and our D40 Academy teams who played matches against other Sunday Adult sides across the County, a role he was still undertaking last August.
Passionate
“He worked tirelessly to give so many young people with a disability the opportunity to take up cricket and was hugely inspiring individual who played such a huge part in so many of these young people’s lives.
“Rick will be sorely missed by everyone, a really nice guy who was so passionate about Disability Cricket and always had time for everybody.”
His passion for helping disabled and disadvantaged people continued away from cricket, with Rick giving many hours voluntary service. For a number of years, he and Anita ran a charity (NEWTS) that took these people abroad on holiday.
After he retired at IBM Hursley, Mr Kellaway played a massive part in the Hampshire Cricket Board’s Disability Programme helping to provide opportunities for people with Disabilities right across the programme.
HCB Cricket Development Officer Mike Pollard explained: “Rick supported our Schools Programme which had in excess of 20 schools involved, coordinating activity within the schools themselves and helping to facilitate competitions.
“He trained people with Disabilities to become young leaders and help with our school festivals.
“Rick also supported some of our County Squads, including the softball and our D40 Academy teams who played matches against other Sunday Adult sides across the County, a role he was still undertaking last August.
Passionate
“He worked tirelessly to give so many young people with a disability the opportunity to take up cricket and was hugely inspiring individual who played such a huge part in so many of these young people’s lives.
“Rick will be sorely missed by everyone, a really nice guy who was so passionate about Disability Cricket and always had time for everybody.”
His passion for helping disabled and disadvantaged people continued away from cricket, with Rick giving many hours voluntary service. For a number of years, he and Anita ran a charity (NEWTS) that took these people abroad on holiday.
Rick (centre) working with Hampshire's Disabled and Disadvantaged children [Dave Vokes]
IBM Hursley cricket chairman Mike Meech reflected: “Rick was a great friend of ours, not just in terms of the support he gave us as in the role he had with the IBM Corporation (looking after the facilities at IBM Hursley), but the interest he took in the development of our club over the decades and the friendships he developed with many of our players and officials.
“His love for cricket was always evident and over the years I've enjoyed discussing "the game" with him and taking in his strident views!
“Whilst Rick was not in the best of health last summer, it was wonderful to see him at our ground with this Hampshire Disability Squad and many of us got to spend a good amount of time with him catching up.
“Unfortunately, as it turns out this would be the last time we got to see him but for all us it will be forever a fond memory. Our sincerest condolences are with his family at this time."
Soccer: Player, manager and coach
Rick played for several local soccer teams as a centre-half, most notably with Romsey Town and then Hursley Sports in the Morning Division of the City of Southampton Sunday League.
In 1986 he was appointed manager of Southampton League side Nutfield United (now Nursling) and transformed their fortunes.
In his first season at the helm they won the Senior Division 1 title, followed immediately by successive Premier Division titles – the first club to achieve this feat.
This led to promotion into the Hampshire League Division 2 for the 1989/90 season, but despite the loss of some key players to Wessex League clubs, Nutfield did well to consolidate.
Rick stood down at the end of that season, but after a break he returned to management at Awbridge for the 1994/95 campaign, having spent a spell running Wellow’s Sunday football team.
At the time, the club was in a transitional period and were relegated that year, but they recovered well twice narrowly missed out on promotion the following two seasons.
Hampshire and Southampton Premier League soccer in the late Eighties and 90s was of a high standard compared with the current era.
Hot seat
In 1998 Rick became Chairman but three years later returned to the managerial hot-seat, overseeing the 2002 merger with friendly local rivals Michelmersh & Timsbury.
In 2006 he handed the reigns over to his trusted deputy Brian Needs to again take up the chairmanship role before retiring from football a year later.
Awbridge team-mate Lee Whitelock reflected: “Rick was very passionate and competitive about football, but in the correct way.
“Rick’s team talks were legendary with 'passion, determination, commitment' featuring very prominently each week.
“He knew how to motivate players and get the best out them. ‘Tenacious’ was a word that featured very strongly in Rick’s vocabulary.
“He won many admirers for his sportsmanship and fair play. There have been many heartfelt tributes from the local football community from those who played with or against him. Rick was an excellent club man who will be very much missed by many people.”
Awbridge 2001/2 pictured below
“His love for cricket was always evident and over the years I've enjoyed discussing "the game" with him and taking in his strident views!
“Whilst Rick was not in the best of health last summer, it was wonderful to see him at our ground with this Hampshire Disability Squad and many of us got to spend a good amount of time with him catching up.
“Unfortunately, as it turns out this would be the last time we got to see him but for all us it will be forever a fond memory. Our sincerest condolences are with his family at this time."
Soccer: Player, manager and coach
Rick played for several local soccer teams as a centre-half, most notably with Romsey Town and then Hursley Sports in the Morning Division of the City of Southampton Sunday League.
In 1986 he was appointed manager of Southampton League side Nutfield United (now Nursling) and transformed their fortunes.
In his first season at the helm they won the Senior Division 1 title, followed immediately by successive Premier Division titles – the first club to achieve this feat.
This led to promotion into the Hampshire League Division 2 for the 1989/90 season, but despite the loss of some key players to Wessex League clubs, Nutfield did well to consolidate.
Rick stood down at the end of that season, but after a break he returned to management at Awbridge for the 1994/95 campaign, having spent a spell running Wellow’s Sunday football team.
At the time, the club was in a transitional period and were relegated that year, but they recovered well twice narrowly missed out on promotion the following two seasons.
Hampshire and Southampton Premier League soccer in the late Eighties and 90s was of a high standard compared with the current era.
Hot seat
In 1998 Rick became Chairman but three years later returned to the managerial hot-seat, overseeing the 2002 merger with friendly local rivals Michelmersh & Timsbury.
In 2006 he handed the reigns over to his trusted deputy Brian Needs to again take up the chairmanship role before retiring from football a year later.
Awbridge team-mate Lee Whitelock reflected: “Rick was very passionate and competitive about football, but in the correct way.
“Rick’s team talks were legendary with 'passion, determination, commitment' featuring very prominently each week.
“He knew how to motivate players and get the best out them. ‘Tenacious’ was a word that featured very strongly in Rick’s vocabulary.
“He won many admirers for his sportsmanship and fair play. There have been many heartfelt tributes from the local football community from those who played with or against him. Rick was an excellent club man who will be very much missed by many people.”
Awbridge 2001/2 pictured below
