The club is saddened to hear of the death of ANDY HILLBURN who has died at the age of 64.

Andy was a Vice President of the club, a stalwart of the second row, former captain of the B XV and in recent years fixture secretary (a role he had held for 37 years) and referees coordinator. Few have done more for our club over the years.

Andy left Trinity School in 1977 and had propped in a 1^st XV with the likes of Raishbrook, Hiscock and Woodman also in the side. His last year was memorable for beating Whitgift.

Off then to Exeter University where Andy read Economics and Social History and where he skippered the second side just at the time when Exeter was combining with St Luke’s. Andy first played for the Mids while at Exeter, then settled here playing a few games for the firsts but more often for the A side, then skippered the B XV – usually in the second row mostly with Bill Challis, who was then LMA groundsman.

After six years or so rolling around in the mud on our second team pitch, which at that time was often a quagmire, Andy’s wonky knees put a stop to his illustrious playing career and he took up the whistle. He soon became a London Society referee for four years until the same knee problem finished that. He recalls one of his exchange games sent him to Yorkshire to ref Huddersfield YMCA and Scarborough which ended 0 – 0, “a fair result” Andy remembers because neither side looked liking scoring.

When he quit refereeing, Andy’s winter game turned to local soccer, specifically Croydon FC where he was match secretary for many years.

Though by his own admission having no gift for playing cricket, Andy had also been fixture secretary for Trinity Mid-Whitgiftian Cricket Club for many years and was also a frequent and popular umpire. He became a vice president of the cricket club; and was also a Surrey CC member at the Oval and a member too of Sussex CC at Hove.

Away from the club Andy regularly attended National Hunt racing where he was a member at Plumpton.

Known for his sharp wit, repartee and observations on life “Training smacks of professionalism!”, and the author of the oft-used club refrain “My old man said be a Mitre Player…”, Andy Hillburn was an Old Mids Legend who will be missed by us all.