Top mower man looks back on 32-year career

Nov 10 2011 by Kieran Westbrook, West Lothian Courier

AWARD-WINNING groundsman George Strachan has handed over his lawnmower keys after 32 years of faithfully maintaining West Lothian Cricket Club’s hallowed turf.

The 79-year-old Linlithgow man has kept the club’s playing surface in pristine condition since first taking over the groundsman’s role in 1979.

And after deciding during the summer to stand down, he admits the time is right.

He said: “I’ve had a great time being the groundsman for the club over the years.

“However, there comes a time when you have to accept you’re getting too old for the job.

“I decided in the summer that I should pass it over to someone else and to be honest it feels like the right time.

“It’s a great place which holds a lot of memories for me .

“I’ll be helping out on match days, so it won’t be the last they see of me!”

George has been no stranger to the limelight having twice been named Groundsman of the Year.

He was also handed the Torch Trophy, a national community volunteer award, by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1999.

George took over the job from the previous groundsman Fred Benham following a highly successful playing career at the club.

He earned two Scotland caps and claimed more than 1000 wickets for the West Lothian side.

But his dabble in international cricket was marred by bad weather and troublesome footwear.

Reminiscing on those special days during his playing career, he said: “My lasting memory about the Scotland call-up was having to phone the groundsman at the time to collect my boots from the cobblers as they were being fixed.

“We played MCC [Marylebone Cricket Club] in a three-day game.

“I opened the match but it was rained off for the full three days after that!

“We had a better luck against Ireland in the second match I played in.

“That international was in Dublin and we won convincingly.”

George started playing cricket for West Lothian in 1945.

First team regular David Fleming will be taking on the groundsman responsibilities.