Peter Wilmott has struck gold once again - this time for 50 years service to schools' football.

The 78-year-old has just received the English Schools' FA Gold Award, following up his 50 years as press secretary of York schools sport which he completed last year.

It is a remarkable achievement for the former teacher who has been involved in just about every aspect of the York junior football scene.

And for Wilmott, who was forced to miss his planned presentation at Wembley before a recent Under 15 international because of ill health, finally collecting the award was a proud moment.

"It came out the blue. I didn't know anything about it," he said after receiving the honour from Tony Cryer, Yorkshire's representative on the English Schools' FA Council, at the Trust House Forte Hotel, Tadcaster Road.

It is deserved recognition for a man who has made school sport his life.

Born in the city in 1920, Wilmott has served as the assistant secretary, secretary and chairman of the York Schools' FA, of which he is also a life member; has been on the Yorkshire and English SFA referees' list; vice chairman and chairman of the executive council of the Yorkshire SFA; a life member, chairman and treasurer of North Yorkshire SFA; the SFA representative on the York Minor League and the York SFA delegate to all meetings of the English SFA.

Not surprisingly Wilmott can recall numerous memorable occasions. But one of the biggest highlights was organising four England Under 15 schoolboy internationals at Bootham Crescent 30 years ago, against Wales, Switzerland and two against Northern Ireland.

Another occasion to remember was taking a group of 200 youngsters from York to a schoolboy international at Wembley while he was secretary of the York SFA.

And travelling has certainly been a major part of his duties.

He recalled: "When I was treasurer of the Yorkshire Schools' FA, one year with the chairman he and I did 3,000 miles going to meetings and matches."

Still the press secretary for the York SFA, Wilmott also writes the weekly school sport column in the Evening Press. And he is indebted to others who help keep his job running smoothly.

"There's been an awful lot of cooperation from other teachers," he said. "If they didn't send me articles there wouldn't be my school sports column."

Though his most recent award is for football, his involvement also extends to other sports.

Wilmott serves on the executive council of the York Schools Athletic Association, of which he has also been general secretary and president; is the press secretary for the York SAA; was a member of the York District Sports Council executive committee for which he has been the press secretary for 20 years and was the first winner of the Sports Council service to Sport award in 1981.

Wilmott is a former pupil of Bar Convent Preparatory School and Archbishop Holgate's Grammar School which he attended before moving to St John's College for teacher training.

During the Second World War Wilmott was called up in the RAF before taking up a teaching post at Poppleton Road Junior School in 1946. He remained there until 1952 when he moved to Carr Primary School where he remained until his retirement in 1980.

But though he may have retired professionally, his involvement and enthusiasm in sport goes on - and shows no sign of diminishing.

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