News from Thistles Soccer Club

Sign-on this saturday and/or the following dates;

Saturday 11th Feb

Saturday 87th Feb

Saturday 25th Feb

Women and men wishing to try out for one of these teams needs to attend training on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm at thistles.

LISMORE THISTLES SOCCER CLUB

 2012   JUNIOR SIGN ON

 Lismore Thistles Soccer Club’s Junior Sign On Days will be held at Thistles Park, Military Road, East Lismore, from 9.30am to 1.30pm on Saturdays: 4^th, 11^th,18^th and 25^th February 2012.

 All current and new players are welcome and we have junior teams from Grade 6 to Grade 16/17 (5 to 17 years).

• Non-competitive teams (small sided games) from Grade 6 to Grade 11.
• Competitive competition from Grade 12 through to Grade 16/17.
• We have girls-only teams from Grade 12 to Grade 16.

 Fees are required to be paid at Sign On or by agreement on the day – a minimum of 50% of the fees are to be paid at Sign On and the remainder no later than Thursday 26 April 2012.

 For further information, contact Heather Fletcher, Junior Co-ordinator, on 0437 975610 (after hours).

If you think you may be able to help with stories, photos, editorials, layout, production, reserch etc please contact us via this site or the committee. Life member Jack Armstrong is the driving force behind this and is very passionate about our history. We need to capture it now before it is lost…Please lend a hand.

Spike has stepped down from his role for the 2012 season. The club would like to thank Spike for his many years of hard work and look forward to seeing him enjoying the game as a spectator. Obviously this leaves a big hole in the running of the juniors and the club asks any interested party that would like to assist in filling Spike’s role or for any other committee work please contact the club via this email or Paul Albertini on 0419 639 151

Congratulations to Paul Albertini elected as President, Luke McIntyre as Secretary and Sianne Cleaver as Treasurer. We are sure they will do a great job with the assistance of all the helpers for next season.

Brian Frederick Harding

  9^th April 1932 – 12^th December 2011

Brian was born in Inverell in 1932 to parents Val and Molly and had a sister Jan. An avid sportsman in his younger years Brian participated in rugby League, cycling and water skiing whilst working in the fuel industry. Through a work transfer and with his wife Evelyn, Brian relocated to Lismore and into the family home at Nielson Street. It was here at Nielson Street that the Harding family expanded with the children Gail, Carol, Glynn (Tex), Mark (Frosty), Wayne (Spike) and Neale (Tiny).

Part of Brian’s great nature was to always get in and offer his help with whichever sporting activity his children became involved with. In the summer months with the children involved at the Ballina Surf Club Brian would be there to be the “taxi”, teach them how to surf and eventually as part of the administration of the club. In the winter months Brian became involved with our club – Lismore Thistles. He was always involved with coaching a junior team, transporting his and other kids to and from games and assisting the running of our club. For his 30 plus years of service to Thistles Brian was awarded a Life Membership in 1992. Being the unselfish man he was Brian’s involvement in local soccer spread beyond Thistles into the participation as one of and an administrator of the local referee association. His involvement also spread to the then Soccer North Coast (now FFNC) and in later years Brian was duly awarded a Life Membership of this body.

Just months prior to retirement from work Brian suffered a stroke. This was a great shock for such an active man who never drank or smoked. Again showing his great nature Brian recovered to the point he was able to take up and play lawn bowls with his non favoured left arm. By this time Brian’s children had grown and had children of their own and so began another phase of transporting, sharing knowledge and supporting the next generation. Over the past several years Brian has had to give up his lawn bowls and being a “taxi” but you could not stop him from being at Thistles or away games as a spectator cheering for his family and all Thistles’ teams.

Brian Harding was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a great grandfather, a mentor and a mate. He will be missed by many but always remembered. Rest in peace Brian Frederick Harding.