The New Year saw extra celebrations at Wymondham Rugby Club with an honour for one of the club’s legends.

William Good - known to all as Shay - was awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours list after more than 50 years volunteering at the club.

“Quite simply, Shay is the hub of the wheel around which the club revolves,” said Duncan Anderson Brown, the chair of trustees at Wymondham RFC.

Shay, originally from County Cork in Ireland, first came across Wymondham RFC when he played against the newly-founded club in the early 1970s while serving with the RAF at Watton.

He retired from the services, bought a bungalow in Attleborough, signed up for the club in 1974, and hasn’t looked back since.

“In those days, we didn’t have a clubhouse or anything,” he said. “We used to meet in the pub. But it started growing, we got a second and then a third team out and then a bit later the minis and youth started.”

Shay, 80, is the club’s membership secretary, dealing with all the player registrations and rugby regulations and liaising with England Rugby, including helping to introduce the new online Game Management System.

“Everything has changed so much,” he explained. “When we first got going it was like the wild west but steadily all the rules and regulations were introduced.

“It can still be chaos at the start of the season - but that I can handle. We’re an organised club - and a friendly one too.”

According to Duncan, Shay is much more than an administrator. “For generations of members, Shay has ensured that all who wanted to play or watch rugby, regardless of social background, ethnicity, gender or disability, could do so as club members. “He is our gatekeeper, and always keeps the gate open.”