WALTERWAKEMAN RIP.

Walter Wakeman, a stalwart of West Midlandsfootball, has died aged 95.

As well as local league football he gave greatservice to the J W Hunt Cup competition and the WolverhamptonReferees’ Association.

Mr Wakeman was secretary (1987 to 1994) and thentreasurer (1994-2014)of the Hunt Cup, whose annual proceeds go to theBeacon Centre for the Blind. He also gave great service to theWolverhampton Referees’ Association. Many of the cup’s committeeare also members of theWolverhampton Referees’ Associationcontinuing a specialrelationship that began when the competition wasfounded in 1926.

In 2015, Mr Wakeman was honoured with a dinner atthe Goodyear Pavilion to mark 30 years of service to local football.A presentation to him was made by the then Wolves secretary RichardSkirrow. The Wolverhampton Referees’Association, WolverhamptonSunday League, Wolverhampton Combinationand the Bilston YouthPartnership League organised the evening and the presentation to  MrWakeman of an inscribed cut-glass decanter.

Mr Skirrow said: “I have the utmost respect foreverybody who is involved in amateur football. It is something to beregarded highly and something I applaud without reservation. That’swhy it’s important to mark 30 years of service.”  MrWakeman’s response summed him up: “I don’t know what all thefuss is about.I have done no more than many others.”

Born in Wolverhampton, Mr Wakeman was educated atthe Royal School. He worked at John Harper’s iron founders inWillenhall, starting as a lab apprentice and eventually becomingpersonnel manager. He was manager of their football team in the 1970sand Harpers were Hunt Cup runners-up in1974, losing 1-0 to NorthicoteOld Boys at Butlers ground.

Mr Wakeman’s wife Dorothy died nine years ago.They had been married 62 years, living much of their life at LodgeRoad, Oxley.

As referees instructor with the Wolverhampton RA,MrWakeman started as many as 500 on the road to becoming matchofficials. He had briefly been a referee himself, taking officiatingup when he was well over fifty but an arthritic knee put an early endto his activity. When he could not be a referee himself, he decidedto help others and became a qualified FA instructor.

“Dad was very modest about his achievements,”said his daughter AngelaParkes. “He loved his football and therehave been some lovely thing said about him.” She said her dad’ssporting interest had not been exclusively football in his youngeryears. “He was a good boxer. He boxed for his school and at countylevel, I believe.”

Typical of many tributes paid to Mr Wakeman wasone from Tony Lloyd: “Walter started me on my referee journey andwas always on hand to offer advice. A good man who will be sorelymissed.” Alan Cain said: “Couldn’t meet a nicer man thanWalter, a brilliant instructor.”

Mr Wakeman had not been  in good health forsome time but lived long enough to greet his first great grandson.“He was just so amazed to meet my daughter Daniella’s son, Luca,”said Mrs Parkes. 

Written by  Journalist and JW Hunt Cup VicePresident Steve Gordos.