Sue Walton at the FA Women's Awards in 2010
One of the awards Leeds didn’t win at last week’s FA Women’s Awards was the ‘Be Inspired’ Special Achievement Award – but our own Sue Walton did receive a Special Commendation for her work with the club – and one of the biggest rounds of applause of the event.
If only she’d been there to hear it!
We thought you’d like to know what she means to us – this the entry the club put forward. Sue, we salute you.
“Leeds United Ladies wishes to nominate Sue Walton for the ‘Be Inspired’ Special Achievement Award.
Sue joined the club over ten years ago when her daughter, Sophie, started playing. In time she rose to become Secretary, a position she held for five seasons. She has been a popular and familiar figure at grounds up and down the country, with players and club officials alike, and has devoted many a long weekend to sorting out players, kit, match officials, programmes and the inevitable paperwork.
But her long service isn’t why we wish to nominate her.
During the first half of 2010, when the club lost its funding, it was Sue who held everyone and everything together for six months, ran the off-field activities virtually single-handed, then convinced and cajoled other volunteers to stay on and relaunch the club. She then helped register virtually a whole new team, work with new kit suppliers and sponsors, Chairman and manager, when we all know she would much rather have spent her time watching Sophie play for Lincoln, or Simon at Plymouth, or just being a devoted grandmother to Poppy Belle.
In the summer of 2011 she finally escaped from full-time duties with the Committee, but not before training-up her replacement; and she still provides advice and guidance on occasion when unusual situations arise.
We nominate Sue because, were it not for her dedication to Leeds United Ladies in particular and the women’s game in general, we doubt whether there would still be a club worthy of the name. This is the ‘Be Inspired’ Award – for many at Leeds United Ladies, her commitment is inspirational to us, and we feel it deserves the highest recognition.”
