A stalwart of English table tennis has been recognised for his services to the sport with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Alan Ransome OBE, received the award at the 2013 Evening Gazette Sports Awards in Middlesbrough.

During his career, Ransome has played and managed table tennis to a high standard in the North East. He also worked as a coach and a senior administrator for the ETTA and the Commonwealth Federation, including periods as Chairman for both organisations.

For the last 50 years Alan has also penned articles about table tennis for the Evening Gazette and other media outlets

A talented sporting all-rounder as a child, Alan eventually specialised in table tennis and won the Yorkshire Open Junior Championship at the age of 16. It was the start of a long and successful playing career that saw him represent England at the Commonwealth Championships and the World Championships in 1971.

He played a key role in creation and development of Ormesby Table Tennis Club and managed the club to European Cup success in 1972. He was also the Player Manager of the all-conquering Ormesby team that won 10 successive English Championships. Ormseby continues to build on its past successes and Alan and his wife Jose are both looking to grander and greater future achievements for the club.

Alan also started the North East Summer League, which has gone from strength-to-strength over the last 50 years. As a coach he has been instrumental in the development of several international players Alan was a key element in ensuring England’s bids to host the World Championships in 1997 and the European Championships in 1994 were successful, securing the funding for both events. He also succeeded in having table tennis included as one of the sports at the Commonwealth Games in 2002.

He was appointed Team Manager of the Great Britain squad at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and in 1997 he was awarded an OBE in recognition of his services to table tennis.

Written by Russell Moore (October 23, 2013)