A North East cricket club will hold a minute’s silence today in honour of a ‘local hero’ who devoted his life to grassroots sport. PETER BARRON reports
FIRST football, then cricket, sport was the love of Norman Sturman’s life: “He loved his family – but we were under no illusions that we came second to sport!” admits his daughter Ann.
Norman’s death, at 91, has inspired a flood of tributes, led by his beloved Haughton Cricket Club, in Darlington, where he spent most of his days and served as evergreen player, supporter, and Life President.
“The club meant everything to him – it was his happy place,” adds his son, John.
Today, a week after his death from a heart attack, Haughton’s first and second teams will hold a minute’s silence ahead of their matches in honour of a man who embodied the spirit of their club, earning the nickname ‘Stormin’ Norman’ because of his all-action reputation.
Born on the Yorkshire coast at Skelton, Norman came from an ironstone mining background and started his working life as a mining surveyor before moving on to road surveying.
“I built the M6,” was a well-worn boast to his kids.
It was on his travels around Britain’s highways that Norman met his future wife, Minnie, on a blind date in Lancashire, in 1961. They married in Minnie’s home village of Newton-le-Willows a year later.
On the sporting front, football was Norman’s first love. He’d grown up as a Middlesbrough fan, but switched allegiance to Sunderland when Brian Clough swapped clubs. A Sunderland season ticket had been a prized possession since 1964.
In 1973, when Sunderland played Leeds in the FA Cup final, Norman was moved to buy a colour telly, but dismissed it as “a waste of money” when he managed to get a ticket for Wembley a few days later.
Norman had played football himself – for Skelton and Whitby Town – before being signed by Sheffield Wednesday. He played twice for the first team and twice for the reserves until he was called up for national service in 1957.
It was when he broke his leg in 12 places, while playing for The Army, that he decided to concentrate on the more genteel sport of cricket, having tested his arm for Hinderwell and Mulgrave Cricket Clubs in the 1950s.
In 1964, a job with Tarmac led to Norman and Minnie relocating to Darlington. “What do you think of this house?” he asked Minnie, taking her to a property he’d spotted in Alwyn Road. “It looks nice,” she replied. “Good – cos I’ve bought it,” Norman announced.
The move to Darlington led to the involvement with Haughton Cricket Club that would last for the rest of his life. Mainly a slow bowler, he officially played for Haughton from 1965-2000 but repeated retirements never lasted.
“He hid his cricket whites in the garage and sneaked out whenever they were short of a player,” smiles Ann. “He loved the club more than anything. If money was needed for a new sofa, he’d give it to the cricket club instead.”
Whether playing, helping, or just watching, Norman continued to go to every home game, and his commitment was recognised by his appointment as Life President when Horace Marshall died a year short of his century.
“Norman was a legend in the local cricket world, and he was so proud when he was made the club’s Life President. He will be a huge miss,” says close friend and former team-mate, Brian Dobinson, now the club’s Vice President.
“Thursday nights at The Highland Laddie will never be the same because Norman was part of a small group of us who played dominoes every week for decades.”
As well as being made president of Haughton Cricket Club, Norman was also honoured in 2002 when he was crowned overall winner of The Northern Echo’s Local Heroes Awards, with judges describing him as “the embodiment of everything that is good about grass roots sport – commitment, passion, and a true gentleman”.
And, on his 80th birthday, his football roots were remembered when Whitby Football Club made him guest of honour and pitch mascot.
“He was just sports draft,” says Ann. “He was a plain-speaking Yorkshireman but so generous and kind – a real gentleman.”
Norman had a brother, Lawrence, and two sisters, Irene and Jean. He also leaves a sister-in-law, Joan, granddaughter, Dani, and three great-grandchildren, Lacie, Bella, and Theo.
Norman’s funeral is to take place at Darlington Crematorium at 11am on Friday, May 8.
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The service will feature the song Norman walked up to when he won his Local Heroes award in 2002 – Glorious, by Andreas Johnson.
“He didn’t know the song before, but he was so proud to have won, and it became a favourite piece of music. He always said he wanted it played at his funeral,” says Ann.
A glorious end to a splendid innings.
