End of an era for stalwart Mike
“Looking at my desk as we speak, it’s completely clear, I’ve got nothing there, and that is hard.”
The words of Mike Apps as he reflects on his decision to stand down after 22 years as chairman of the Maidstone Boys Primary League.
It can’t be easy to let go after all that time but Apps is convinced he’s made the right call, just a couple of months shy of his 82nd birthday and having moved away from the area to Wittersham four years ago.
He played an active role in the league for 37 years - becoming chairman in 2000 - but his association goes back to its formation more than half a century ago.
He’s not stepping away altogether, though, having been made league president at the annual meeting.
Apps went out on a high, overseeing a change in name to the Maidstone Youth Football League, an important move to reflect the growing participation of girls.
His replacement as chairman is Peter Fryer, who is also the league treasurer.
“I’m nearly 82, so that’s part of my decision to stand down,” said Apps.
“I’ve moved to Wittersham, and that’s quite a long way to go and keep in touch, and, also, perhaps we need some younger ideas.
“With the last few days coming home and technically having nothing, it’s been quite difficult.
“Looking at my desk as we speak, it’s completely clear, I’ve got nothing there, and that is hard.
“I’ve taken up chairmanship of the Wittersham village hall committee, and I’m on the committee of the Isle of Oxney British Legion branch and I’ve signed up to play bowls, so I’m going to keep pretty active.
“You can’t hang around, you’ve got to do things, but I think it’s time the league moved on with younger people, with their views on how football should go now we’re in the 2020s.”
Apps, who was also chairman of the cups committee for 36 years, can look back on a job well done.
The league is in rude health with 153 teams and about 2,400 players registered over the under-12 to under-15 age groups.
“I think my proudest achievement is that when I took over I think we could safely say we were the best-organised and most well-run league in Kent
and I think we’ve maintained that,” said Apps.
“That’s down to the quality of the people that were running the league; people like Jock Campbell, Gary Carcary, Peter Rees.
“They kept the league at the highest level of organisation and running and we maintained that and I’m very proud of the waywedoit.
“Our main interest is literally in the youngsters getting football.
“The memories will never fade. They’re always there. I’ve always tried to do everything to the very highest standard and I
think I will always do that.”
It was inevitable Apps would go on to play a big role in the league, having been present at the time of its formation.
Work and playing commitments - both rugby and football - delayed his involvement but it was always just a matter of time.
Apps said: “It’s quite interesting because when the league was originally formed, my father-in-law, Jack Small, owned the Chiltern Hundreds pub and Ken Williams, who used to play for Wolverhampton Wanderers, he worked behind the bar in the evenings and I
used to help out a couple of times a week.
“Ken had twins and there was nowhere for them to play football other than school, so he wanted to form a league and I sort of got involved in various bits of planning and talking about it but because I was also very active in my work and still playing myself. I didn’t get physically involved at first.
“My father-in-law put the money forward for the cups and that sort of thing, and it all came about from there.
“When I gave up playing, I got involved in the league actively.”
The proposal to change the
league name was approved unanimously by clubs at the annual meeting.
It was a lovely way for Apps to bow out - and the decision certainly spared his blushes.
“They all voted 100% in favour and I’m glad they did because I’d already had the new logo printed!” he said.
“I’ve enjoyed my time and of course it hasn’t gone away.
“The league is still there for me, I will join in the monthly meetings two or three times a year but I won’t for a little while because they need to get themselves organised without me.”