Sue's Day At The Palace

ARGYLE supporter Sue Pollard was one 150 volunteers honoured by HRH The Duke of Cambridge before watching the first game of football to be played in Buckingham Palace gardens earlier this week.

Prince William, in his official capacity as President of the Football Association, paid tribute to football’s grassroots heroes of the game in a ceremony at the Palace.

Sue was nominated by the Football League as a previous recipient of their Fan of the Year award in 2012 when she was recognised for her fundraising during the club’s administration. Sue became the driving force behind an army of volunteers to raise a phenomenal amount of money to help save the club and pay staff.

The event, which is a key part of The FA’s 150th anniversary celebrations, saw Sue and each of the grassroots champions presented with a medal by Prince William and FA Chairman Greg Dyke.

Following the ceremony, guests witnessed an historic moment as the Buckingham Palace gardens played host to its first ever football match. The game saw two of the oldest amateur clubs in England, Civil Service FC and Polytechnic FC, play an official Southern Amateur League fixture.

The fixture, which was refereed by England’s leading official Howard Webb, is also one of the oldest regular games in the country, with Civil Service FC being the sole surviving club from the 11 that attended the meetings when the FA was formed in 1863, and Polytechnic FC being formed 12 years later in 1875.