Lancashire FA hosted the Long Service Awards 2022 yesterday, alongside ‘An Afternoon with Legends’ which was a huge success.

The Long Service Awards gives us the opportunity to honour and thank those who have given up their time over the past 30 and 50 years to ensure grassroots football across Lancashire is as great as it is, and this year was no different.

We were pleased to welcome volunteers from across the county to be recognised for their dedication and be presented with their awards.

They also got the chance to listen to an insightful Q&A with former Blackpool, Bury and Preston North End player and current Coach Education Manager at the Lancashire FA Colin Greenall, former goalkeeper for the likes of Bolton, Bury and Wigan turned physio Simon Farnworth and the former mainstay in the national partially sighted futsal team and most capped England male player Steve Daley MBE.

Daley spoke about the importance of celebrating the remarkable efforts of our grassroots volunteers.

“I think it’s probably long overdue, I think recognising the people in the room today that have got 30 and 50 years service to grassroots football is phenomenal.

“Not only the money they save the game, but just the dedication in all weathers for them to be out there is just fantastic.

“Without people like this, football just wouldn’t happen, so I think it’s important that the Lancashire FA recognise it but also they share it with each other and recognise what they do right across the county.”

We were also thankful to be able to host this event celebrating grassroots football in Lancashire on Lancashire Day, so it was only fitting to serve our guests the culinary delight of traditional hotpot which went down a treat.

Thank you to all of our volunteers – we salute you.

For a full list of the recipients, please see the gallery below. 

Know ye that this day, November 27th in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty Two, the 1st year of the reign of His Majesty King Charles 1II, Duke of Lancaster, is

Lancashire Day

Know ye also, and rejoice, that by virtue of His Majesty's County Palatine of Lancaster, the citizens of the Hundreds of Lonsdale, North and South of the Sands, Amounderness, Leyland, Blackburn, Salford and West Derby are forever entitled to style themselves Lancastrians.

Throughout the County Palatine, from the Furness Fells to the River Mersey, from the Irish Sea to the Pennines, this day shall ever mark the people's pleasure in that excellent distinction - true Lancastrians, proud of the Red Rose and loyal to our Sovereign Duke.

GOD BLESS LANCASHIRE

AND GOD SAVE THE KING,

DUKE OF LANCASTER.