The legendary Alan 'Ace' Phillips was honoured as part of Northwood Town's 50th anniversary Celebration Day on 10th September 2023. Here's the tribute speech from former Chairman Ben Rawson-Jones...

"So Alan ‘Ace’ Phillips. Where to begin? Perhaps with a pint of Adnams and a Hamlet, his iconic order at the Northwood Town bar. The word ‘legend’ is thrown around a lot these days, but Ace truly is one. His life is a remarkable tale of courage and triumph against adversity, having contracted polio as a child and becoming physically handicapped and struggling to walk. Whereas some would accept their fate, such was Ace’s determined nature that he defied his fate – turning out in many matches for Northwood Town 3s and 4s in the 70s and 80s.

He cared deeply about this club and did everything he could to help and support it in so many ways. From regularly repairing broken equipment to writing about the club history for the website to crooning ‘Blueberry Hill’ at karaoke nights, Ace was an ever present figure at the club from its inception in 1973 to a few years before he passed away in November 2018.

But it's the Northwood Town Colts Section where his enduring legacy lies, being responsible for bringing through so many generations of cricketers at the club. The work he put in to keeping the Colts running was immense, always being so enthusiastic to get the kids down to nets to coach them at every opportunity, along with managing sides and ferrying the youngsters back and forth from game to game. It’s the kind of thing you take for granted as a kid but look back on in awe. Such was his positive influence over the Colts Section it led to the creation of an award – the Ace Award – to reward promising young players every year.

I’ll always remember my first encounter with him, turning up as an awkward 10-year-old at Under 13 nets after my father somehow prised me away from watching Doctor Who videos. Everyone was so much bigger than me (height wise if not width wise back then) and I thought I’d be sent home, but Ace took one look at me and said I had broad shoulders so must make a good bowler.

Apart from that woeful misjudgement, Ace had a very sharp cricket brain and a huge understanding of what makes a cricket club work. Even when his body increasingly failed him he was so often on the money with his views. Those present at one AGM in the 2000s may remember his impassioned ‘Doers and Wafflers’ speech, where he hit the nail on the head about what it means to be a good and committed member of this club.

In his later years, Ace was a dedicated watcher at every home game he could attend. Such was his passion for the club long after he was sadly unable to walk at all, he literally crawled from the car park to watch matches down by the clubhouse entrance – refusing any help. That was Ace – full of single-minded determination and defiance despite the enormous challenges he faced.

I believe the best way Northwood Town can honour Ace – and indeed the other selfless servants of the club we’re paying tribute to – is to make sure their hard work wasn’t for nothing. Celebrate and remember what they did and why – because they deeply cared about this crazy place.

Somewhere in this clubhouse is an engraved tankard presented to Ace at the club many years ago to thank him for his decades of service – and a framed photo of him too. I dearly hope the club can put them on permanent display. For while he’s no longer with us, his character and story can continue to inspire current and future generations at the club.

Thank you for everything Ace, your legend lives on."