Kay Iredale to bid farewell to GHFA

GLADESVILLE Hornsby Football Association general manager Kay Iredale is heading off to a well-earned retirement after 32 years at the association.

It’s not a decision Iredale has taken lightly.

But the time has come to pull up stumps and when she does, her administrative assistant Nicole Tindale will follow.

It makes sense, after all, Tindale is Iredale’s daughter, and has worked at the GHFA for 13 and a half years.

Iredale’s husband Ross has been on the board for 35 years, which is where it all began.

My husband was on the committee and I was involved with the local clubs, managing teams, when Gladesville Hornsby decided they needed to put on a part-time person,” Mrs Iredale said.

“I had no idea it would become this big. 

“The association started looking for a home field, so they developed Christie Park with Ryde Council and then they decided it was time to put someone on full time.”

Iredale became a full timer in 1989 and has seen the association grow from around 1000 players to one with more than 14,000.

It is the growth of the association that has struck Iredale so much, and she said it is her proudest achievement as general manager.

Iredale also has a final message for those who follow in her significant footsteps at the GHFA.

“We started as a small association, but we’ve grown so much,” she said.

“We’ve developed a complex at Christie Park, and we’ve expanded – it’s gone from being a little thing to quite a big thing.

“The biggest thing is to remember they are looking after grassroots football and they have to really look after all their clubs, and all the volunteers who do a lot of work everywhere.” 

Iredale is looking forward to having more time to watch her 10 grandchildren – seven boys and three girls – at grounds all over Sydney.

Iredale and Tindale will leave the GHFA on July 3. 

Football NSW would like to congratulate Kay on her flawless services for the game and would like to wish her all the best for her future endeavours. 
– by Matthew Lopez