Tributes pour in as Congleton Lawn Tennis Club loses a legend
The term legend is bandied about so much nowadays that it often loses its meaning but on Monday 6th March, Congleton Lawn Tennis club members were saddened to hear of the passing of Alex Burton who for many years was known as "Mr Congleton Tennis Club and was definitely a legend in terms of his impact on the club
Alex started playing tennis as a school boy in Scotland with the Lasswade Tennis Club, playing in the local league and in the army during National Service
He joined Congleton Tennis Club when he moved from Scotland in 1967.
Alex joined the club as an ordinary member but soon became a committee member and in 1975 he became the Hon Chairman of the Club, a position he held for 40 years.
In that time, he transformed the Club from having rundown facilities with a small exclusive and excluding membership to be a Club with marvellous facilities with a large inclusive membership, with the strap line "tennis for all ages and all abilities".
Alex got the club back on to a firm financial footing by combining prudent management with enthusiastic fund raising.
He led from the front with painting, digging, concreting and erecting a new clubhouse, a second hand temporary building, in the late 1970s.
Without Alex the Club would have folded.
He carried on this enthusiasm driving the building of new courts, putting in floodlights and the crowning glory was the opening of a new brick built club house in 2008.
However Alex's contribution to the fabric of the Club was only a part of what achieved.
He single-handedly started a junior section to the club. He was the organiser, the coach, the mentor. He ran coaching sessions for hours at a time several evenings a week. He then inspired other people from the growing membership of the Club to join him and help.
It is fascinating to try to estimate how many juniors he encouraged to play tennis over the years. The answer must be in the thousands given the size of the junior membership for over 30 years.
Alex also ran many competitions for juniors including the South and Mid Cheshire Junior Tennis League and the Junior Cheshire Shield competition involving Clubs all over Cheshire.
Alex also had a proud record as a competitor on the court. He played in the South and Mid-Cheshire League for many years. And was mens club singles champion in 1972
His most enjoyable season seemed to be in his late 70s when he captained a team of himself and three juniors. He took great pride in seeing their performance improve week by week under his guidance.
Mens club captan Matt Parker recounts a story about the Cheshire Shield which is the most prestigious team competition in Cheshire.
Despite it's many triumphs the club had never won this trophy , losing in the final numerous times because other clubs always paid "ringers" to play.
The clubs A team had changed into a younger team and it was all juniors that Alex had coached.
In the first year Congleton made the final again and despite the same old "ringers" playing they managed to beat Brabyns.
Matt insisted that Alex collect the trophy and told him as much before the presentation
"What - you go get the bloody trophy, you're the captain," he replied.
"No Alex its the trophy you wanted the most and without you none of this is possible" Matt answered
Matt had never known Alex to be silent for so long but he finally responded "Thank You - You've made me very happy"
It became a little tradition from then on then that every Cheshire Shield the team won he collected it and Matt knows he appreciated it.
In 2010 Alex received the Cheshire Sports Club of the year trophy on behalf of the club at the annual Sport Cheshire awards and a couple of years later he received the unsung hero award at the same awards
He was presented with an LTA Meritorious Award at the National Tennis Centre in 2014 by the LTA President, Kathy Sabin. This prestigious award was given to only six recipients throughout the UK that year. The citation for Alex's award mentioned his 40 years as chairman of CLTC as well as his service to tennis more widely in Cheshire.
In the same year he received his Cheshire County Merit Award.
In 2018 Alex celebrated his 90th Birthday at the club and the skirl of bagpipes playing Scotland the Brave was heard over all the courts. Piper Gus Mackenzie played a stirring selection of Scottish tunes in Alex's honour. Alex sported his kilt and sporran for the occasion.
In 2019 he was interviewed by Radio Stoke and delivered numerous stories about his life in tennis to the listeners
Whilst he became unable to compete on court in his later years he still attended the club , doing odd jobs here and there and attending the Hardy Perennials lunches
He was last present at the club in September 2022 for our annual presentation day - he presented Ruth Barton and Simon Damon, the winners of the Burton Shield - the club mixed doubles championship named in his honour with their trophy and prizes
Despite his failing health he also insisted on being the one to make the presentations to Jack White and Holly Moore who were awarded the Burton Boys and Girls Shields as our most improved juniors in 2022 - he had funded the provision of these new awards himself continuing his involvement in junior tennis at the club and providing a fitting legacy to the juniors that meant so much to him.
Without Alex's efforts Jack and Holly may not have had a club to play at!!
There have been many tributes to Alex and comments left on the clubs social media channels - many individuals recounting the impact he had on not just their tennis but their lives
Alex was an inspiration to those that worked with him over the years. He never stopped working to bring sport into the lives of people whatever their background or circumstances.
He made an immense contribution to our club and to Congleton.
May he rest in peace.
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