Hemel Hempstead League stalwart and Maurice Goldstein Award winner Les Smith has passed away at the age of 94.

He played for the McAlpine club for decades and held the positions of league secretary and treasurer for well over 30 years until standing down around the turn of the century.

He received the Maurice Goldstein Award, which honours administrators who give notable service at county, local league or PremierClub level, from the then ETTA in 1994.

“He was always a very geniune person and still showed an interest even though he had not been directly involved for some years,” said current league treasurer Dave Gomm. “Les and I never crossed swords on the table but he started playing around the mid-50s and stopped when he was aged about 73 in the mid-90s.”

Mr Smith’s funeral will be at noon on Monday January 9 at Garston Crematorium.