Table Tennis England has made a special presentation to Alan Ransome OBE to mark 50 years of service on National Council.
At the Annual General Meeting on Saturday, he was presented with a cut-glass goblet in appreciation of his achievement.
Alan was elected in 1966 as a 19-year-old, though he had turned 20 by the time he attended his first meeting – and he has never missed a meeting since, representing Durham or Cleveland.
“I stood against Edgar Reay and it caused a bit of a political earthquake that this 19-year-old kid stood against him and won,” recalls Alan.
“I walked straight into a political battle at the same time as there was a group who wanted to take a more business-like approach who were battling for control and power.”
On never missing a meeting, he added: “I always get it in the diary and always prepare for the meeting and work through the various points.
“I’ve always been very vocal on council one way or another – I can’t be accused of not saying a word! I always have a contribution to make because I’m looking to achieve a result over some issue or other.
“Whatever I do, there’s a reason or objective to do it. As long as I’m doing something that gets a result, I get a buzz out of that, including coaching.
“But I’m always interested in developing a good team – I’m not a one-man band.”
National Council is of course only one part of Alan’s life in table tennis as he was also an international player – part of the England team which won gold at the 1971 Commonwealth Championships and finished 10th at the World Championships in the same year and a Level 4 coach.
Among his committee roles have been ETTA Chairman from 1991 to 2003, Commonwealth TTF Chairman from 1993 to the present day and ETTU Vice-Chairman.
He became an ETTA Vice-President in 1984 and an Honorary Life Member in 1988. He was awarded the OBE in 1997.