John was first taken to the ground by his parents to watch cricket on Saturday afternoons in the Second World War, soon joined by his younger brother Martin. John’s first official duty at the club was to walk around the field before a game with a notice advertising changes to the programme. He and Martin were subsequently ‘tin boys’ in the days of manual scoring.

Photo above is of John in the 2nd XI team of the early 1950s

In the early 1950s he helped to resurrect the junior (Under 18) team which entered the Halifax Red Triangle League. In 1953, as captain, he won the league bowling averages. By this time, he was already a regular member of the 2nd team. He played successfully for the 1sts and 2nds for the next twenty years as an opening bowler and middle-order, occasionally opening, batsman, captaining the 2nds in the early 1970s.

John’s involvement as a distinguished player, though covering a quarter of a century, accounts for only a part of his contribution to Lightcliffe Cricket Club.

In 1966, still in his twenties, he became chairman, a position he held for fifteen years. During that time, he was prominent in dealing with two attempts to evict the club when the lease came up for renewal, meeting the landlord in attempts to negotiate settlements (on both occasions security of tenure was only achieved after court cases).

After standing down from the chairmanship, John was honorary auditor for more than thirty years until 2014. He continued to keep a close interest in the running of the club, never missing an AGM and always asking pertinent questions on these occasions.

John and his wife, Marjorie, have been pétanque players in recent years, also tending to the garden next to the terrain. John proved himself a thoughtful and skilful player, with a distinctive style. Despite the cold, wet start to this season they have been regular Saturday afternoon cricket spectators.

Many people have given their voluntary services to Lightcliffe Cricket Club during the past 150 years, though none for so long or with quite the same humility and dignity.

RIP John Radcliffe: a kind, gentle and decent man.

The flag at the ground flies at half-mast and there will be a minute’s silence at the end of the tea interval at Saturday’s 1st XI game.