Life Members

Every now and then, people that have made an outstanding contribution to the club, and have been involved at either a coaching, managing, playing, or administrative level, may be nominated and voted by the Executive Committee as a Club Life Member.

This is a special honor and in determining the level of significance, the committee will consider all of the above. And while a reasonable length of service to the club is important, the overall riding factor is the quality of that person's service.

Below is a list of our Life Members to date.

Roy Oddy

Roy and Mary Oddy moved to New Zealand from the UK in 1962 and shortly after Roy joined the Athletic Football Club. In 1964 Roy became Richmond Athletic AFC's first club president, where he remained for the next 24 years until 1988.

Roy was a player, coach, volunteer, president, life member, club patron, and all round great guy. Without Roy, we would not have the club we do today.

Roy passed away on the 26th February 2017 and will be greatly missed by not only everyone involved with the Richmond Football Club, but also by the entire footballing region.

Blair Reid

Blair Reid arrived in New Zealand by ship from Scotland with his wife Jessie in 1966. Members of the football club, alerted to his ability as a footballer, were on the wharf waiting on a Friday afternoon, and Blair started playing for the 1st division team on the Saturday.

After his playing career, Blair then coached the 1st team assisted by Tony Blowers, winning the local league in 1978, 1979, and 1980. Blair retired from coaching in 1982 when his eldest son Cameron was selected to play for the senior team..

Blair passed away in 2000 at the age of 60, and during his 34 years with the club, he held various roles on the Executive Committee.

Tony Blowers

Tony Blowers joined Richmond Athletic in 1968 and played for the 1st division team from then until 1979. Tony also joined the Executive Committee in 1969 and remained there until 1986.

Tony wrote the clubs Incorporated Society Constitution, held the position of club Secretary and Treasurer from 1970 to 1974, and was a member of the negotiation committee that helped purchase the club rooms from the council.

Tony also coached the 11th grade from 1969 until 1973, co-coached the 1st division with Blair Reid and was the 2nd division coach.

John White

John White and his wife Jan arrived in New Zealand from the UK in December 1968 and joined the Richmond based club in 1971.

John joined the Executive Committee in 1973, was the vice president for several years, and then also the club president for 2 years. John played for Richmond in the local leagues at both left wing and center half.

John has also held the title of club chairman for many years, and is still on the Executive Committee today (which is over 40 years...).

Paul Granger

Photo and profile to come shortly

Jessie Reid

Jessie Reid arrived from Scotland with husband Blair, by ship from Scotland in 1966.

After Blair joined the club, Jessie joined shortly after, and held a number of positions on the Executive Committee for years until she passed away in 2010.

Jessie's favorite role in the club, and one she held for many years up until her passing, was the Club Treasurer.

Mike du Feu

Mike, or commonly known to all as ‘Duffy’, joined the Richmond club at the age of 15, and over the years played for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and the 4th division teams.

Mike has also coached and managed both junior and senior teams, looked after the club grounds and maintenance, and was on the Executive Committee for many years.

In recent years Mike was an active member of the Richmond Thistle team.

Unfortunately Mike passed away suddenly in March of 2017 and will be sorely missed by everyone at RAFC.

Stu Reid

Stu grew up with the Richmond club from the age of 5, and apart from 14 years from 1986 when he lived away from Nelson, has never belonged to another football club.

Stu returned to Nelson in 2000, joined the Executive Committee shortly after, coached junior teams, and played 2nd and 3rd division football. He then became the club president in 2007, and remained in the role until the end of 2015.

He is still an active member of the club and remains on the Executive Committee, and is involved with the Richmond Stags masters team. And although there have been many highs and lows, Stu's proudest moment of being in the club is becoming a Life Member alongside both his late father and mother.

Marion Mathews

Marion Mathews emigrated from the UK in December 1996 with her husband Alan and joined the Richmond Junior Committee at the 1997 AGM.

Marion has served as Treasurer, Gear Co-ordinator and Acting Secretary, and Junior rep on the Senior Committee. She was Club Member of the year in 2000.

Marion has taken the NZ Football Level 1 in refereeing and coaching. She started coaching Midgets (now called 1st Kicks) in 1998, and Alan joined her two years later.

Marion and Alan are still coaching in 2016 and have worked hard to get First Kicks recognised as a valuable part of the club.

Alan Mathews

Alan Mathews came to NZ with his wife Marion in 1996 and started coaching Richmond 14th grade boys in March 1997. Since then he has coached every boys grade, plus Men’s 1st and 2nd Teams in 2002 – 2004. Alan also coached 3 separate Richmond Women’s Teams in 1999 for (3 years) in 2007 (for 4 years) and again in 2015/16.

Alan has been coaching Midgets/1st Kicks for 16 years with his wife Marion, and has taken the NZ Football Coaching Level 3 and Level 1 Refereeing. He joined the Executive Committee in 1998, becoming President in 2001, Alan was Club Member of the Year in 2002, and served at different periods since. However, Alan stepped down as President and 1st Team Coach following a serious back injury.

He still participates as often as possible with our Club Holiday Programs and running Coaching the Coaches courses.

Russell Blowers

Like so many others, Russell Blowers was pretty much born into the club with having his father Tony heavily involved already.

Russell was an age group player and Nelson representative from 1976 to 1986, and then joined the Executive Committee in 1986. He moved to Australia in 1993 and returned to Nelson in 2010 - when he immediately rejoined the committee and stayed until 2013.

Russell has also coached junior teams, from 1985 to 1993 and again from 2010 to 2012. He has also helped coach and manage the Richmond Thistle team in both the 2nd and 3rd division.

He remains an active member of the Thistle structure today.

Nigel Kilpatrick

Nigel Kilpatrick started playing for Richmond Athletic in 1980 when he was in his mid-twenties. He played in the first division team for about 10 years, and then a few years in the second division team. He then played one game for the Masters and damaged his knee, had to have an operation and decided to hang up his boots.

Before coming to Richmond, Nigel played two seasons for Nelson United in the Central League until he broke his leg badly in a game at the Basin Reserve. When he recovered, he then played three seasons with Nelson Suburbs in the Central League 2nd Division.

Nigel has been coaching at Richmond since 2001 when he first started with his daughter Ella's team, and then the next year he coached his son Andrew's team - and stayed with them right through the grades. After Andrew finished playing, Nigel then started coaching whatever junior or youth team the club asked him to, and is still coaching today. Nigel was also on the Executive Committee for a few years, and helped incredibly with our club patron Roy Oddy when he could no longer drive himself to watch football.