He ran for Birchfield Harriers and has been coaching athletics, in an unpaid capacity, since 1960 at Woodford Green & Essex ladies club. He has done some team Management in that time too. Alastair Aitken puts some questions to him regarding coaching and trends in athletics at Ashton Playing Fields. Woodford on the 13th of June, 2009 for Running in London.
    'Although you have really enjoyed coaching on a completely voluntary basis three days a week, naturally you have a critical eye on athletics these days?
    " I think currently and probably for the last ten or so years, the loyalty to the club team is going away now. I think probably there are far too many external Championships, meetings so, where as  our competition was through the club system now, I think the club system is not necessary for lots of people who compete. Gladys Taylor (Bird) is running the British League team for Woodford Green & Essex Ladies now. Last weekend four or five Woodford runners were in Geneva. They were probably getting reasonable appearance money but they would rather be in Geneva than turn out for their club perhaps four or five times a year in the British League.'
    ' I think there is far too much competition for the Under 17's. Today is the Essex Schools, National Junior League tomorrow. There is the Championships for their age group next week. They can't be training properly because they are turning up for the Championships and all these extraneous things. OK one of them is for the club but lot's aren't for the club.'
    'I think in terms of senior athletics lots of coaches now seem to hold sway as to what their athletes do. In the old days, although the coaches were important, they gave the athlete at least some independence that they could say 'Well, I want to do the County!' where as the County championships are almost a joke now. The major components of the cross-country and track are Vets. If you go right down the Southern League competition some of those meetings are really poor (Even though he admitted that in things like Division One there is some good competition.)'
    ' What has changed is club athletics is that a lot of the people who run for the clubs like Woodford and Newham Essex Beagles don't live locally.'
    ' We have got a good group of Under 20's coming through but you do get a splurge in an age group from time to time. To get home grown athletes is quite difficult and you need voluntary coaches--I don't think they are encouraged by the Governing body. If you want more coaches you don't want them to pay 300 or 400 quid to get a Grade. They should be saying to these people 'We want you to help us! We will give you the training, wherewithal, the knowledge--not 'You have got to have £100 to get the certificate and then you have got to attend three refresher courses. Sometimes I think they have got it 'Arse about Face'
    ' Although there are hundreds of Officials I think they are treated quite badly. Sometimes you could say 'If you lot stopped, athletics would not go anywhere.' They are  voluntary and getting a cup of tea and a free tea shirt.If they said:-
 'Sorry we want better conditions' there would be no athletics. It will never happen!! They are all trying to work their ticket now to be picked for the 2012 Games. Certainly I don't think officials are well done by. I don't think they are cared for. They were short of officials at the British League (In the pouring  rain) several officials were doing more than their fare share of work'
    ' If we want to encourage people to keep athletics going, not just for the athletes, I t hink we have got to look after the voluntary coaches who work all day and come down in the evenings. Not look after those who are getting 30 or 40 Grand a year and probably work 9 to 5.'
   When I was at the Middlesex Track & Field Championships this year I noticed a dearth of competitors many events, except the sprints and discussed that with 1956 Olympic Steeplechase finalist and AAA's Champion Eric Shirley. He pointed out 'First you do the County (then the area). You were picked for the Inter-Counties which in those days was sometimes even harder to win than the AAA's that you competed in.?'
   'It was the County in my case  and then the Midlands and then Inter-Counties, then the AAA's were major meetings and there was the AAA's Junior Championships Under 19's, before you became a senior. Now you have people almost Under 14/15's who are running  about in some sort of gear with Union Jack on it. There is so much pressure!
    ' I think that is why we lose so many good people about 16 or 17. Once they leave home and go to Uni, its like  freedom so, they don't continue, unless they are on a scholarship to places like Birmingham, St Mary's or Brunel. I think it was in AW this week 'Where has School athletics gone?' Well  where has school athletics gone simply because there is either too much going on or just too much full time'
    He points out 'If you are lottery funded and you are going abroad its like a job now not a hobby. In our day you worked all day and trained in the evening.'
'When I went to the Commonwealth Games I had to apply to get leave to get off school at my teaching job and, that was from the local authorities so, I could go away for a week.'
He thought some of the fun had gone if it is a job rather than a hobby. If you don't keep hammering on you and fall away you come off lottery funding and that could be, after eight years and you might be one of those without any qualifications!.
    " I think people will still be attracted to athletics but sometimes I get a call. 'My son is a footballer can you make him a sprinter.
' A lot of parents now see the Rainbow at the end of it for their sons being footballers, with the silly numbers and wages coming up.' I think I'll put him in there. Keep him in pension for ever more thye think!'
   In my experience Veteran/Masters athletics has many very interesting characters doing the sport and it a good avenue for competition and, you have a great friend John  Hayward in your club who was a founder member of the World and Veterans athletics Associations' yet you have reservations about veterans athletics?
    " In most clubs and certainly this one, we lack the senior people! Who will go into being Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary? One of the reasons for that is--Where as we used to finish in athletics and either go into a bit of coaching or go on helping the club. Because of Vets they are concentrating solely on their own performances and, I wonder whether it is to the detriment of athletics and official jobs are suffering.'
    'They simply have not got the bodies as people are running in British Masters, European and World Masters events! My feeling is to have Vets over 40. To be over 35 and a vet is ridiculous and really a bit silly.'
    'I was team Manager when Gladys's was with me and Gladys's took over. She is coaching, organising the British league and Southern League teams, There is the Junior League match she is involved with. Her daughter Tara Bird is running. She could do with someone to take over some of her jobs She also helps with 'On Camp with Kelly'  etc. I expect it is the same with lots of club. The team Mangers where do you fined them-Phoning up on a Friday night and people saying 'Sorry can't make it.'