Ground Breaking News Hits Football NSW as first female elected to board
Football NSW’s Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday December 15th upon which members of Football NSW delegated by zones/inter conference zones and standing committees voted two new faces as part of a new look for the organisation in 2008.
In a first for Football NSW since unification in 2002, a female was elected to the board in the form of Linda Ward while former Bankstown City President George Jackson occupied the final spot.
Based in the Northern Beaches, Ward commenced her football commitments in 1982 where she was involved with the Collaroy Plateau Youth Club as manager of her son’s team. In the same year, she was then elected as Vice President of the club and then became President in 1984.
People took notice of Ward soon after that and thus was given an active role as delegate of her club to the MWFA Council meetings in 1989.
Between 1988 and 1994 Linda held various positions on the MWFA Committee including Results officer, Vice President, Judiciary Chairperson and Senior Vice President.
Then in 1995 after a tied vote for President, Linda won the recount by the narrowest of margins, just one (1) vote, and went on to be the longest serving President in the Manly Warringah Association for a period of 11 years.
During her tenure as President Linda and the MWFA committee achieved much success.
The two greatest achievements being the reunification of Manly Warringah Football Association with Manly Warringah Dolphins (now Manly United) and the two million dollar redevelopment of Cromer Park, which included the building of the Lucas Neil Grandstand.
At the end of 1995, Linda resigned her position as President of MWFA to spend more time developing Manly United FC through her role as Secretary with a view to making the club more professional.
Linda has been formally recognised on numerous occasions for her achievements and contributions to the world game. She was awarded the MWFA Meritorious Service Award in 1992, Life Membership of MWFA in 1995, a State Award in 2001 and the prestigious Football NSW George Churchward medal in 2006.
Following Ward in the other empty director’s seat was George Jackson, who has been around the football circles in NSW for quite some time.
Jackson was set to retire as a previous director of Football NSW but decided to go for re-election once more.
Heavily involved with former NSW Premier League champions Bankstown City as it’s club President from the period of 1985-1997 and again from 2000-2002, Jackson’s expertise in the game have been seen as invaluable for Football NSW.
There were four candidates running for the two vacant positions in what is now an eight member board which was reduced from the previous ten.
David Goodman retired as director of Football NSW on October 17th 2007 while long serving Football NSW stalwarts Jim Ronis and 2007 George Churchward Medal winner Ray Tweedie also retired from their posts.
