Tudor Thomas – A Tiger’s Legend

Tudor Thomas
By Ian C
June 22 2005

Some of our welcome visitors may not even remember Tudor Thomas, but anyone who's been watching to Tigers for more than two years definitely will! I thought it might be nice fro people to see an updated tribute which first appeared in the menu for Tudors Farewell Party back in 2003.

Tudor Thomas - A Tiger's Legend

I first met Tudor Thomas at the inaugural meeting of the Leicester Football Club Association after the club had gone PLC in order to cope with the demands of professionalism, but like most ordinary fans felt that I'd known him for years. Tudor's presence on the match day microphone had already extended his legend to all the Welford Rd faithful. As always, he was keen to talk, keen to discuss his vision for the future of the Association and the Club. His view of the supporter's body, acting as the conscience of the club was clear and in many ways ahead of its time.

Tudor was born in Wrexham, but he's much better now. I can confirm his birthplace because he actually produced his birth certificate to me when I suggested that he might be a New Zealand ringer at the time of "Grannygate" six years or so ago when loads of All Blacks were discovering bogus Welsh relatives to allow them to turn out for Wales.

Tudor came to Leicester to a Head Teachers post, and thence to the Tigers over forty years ago and soon realised that, as a Welshman, his skills lay in administration, not on the field of play! It's unusual to have someone who hadn't played in the first team for the club rising through the committee structure, and shows how hard he's worked for the club and the esteem in which he's held.

A dry recitation of the positions held would show the Tudor has done virtually every job it's possible to do at Welford Rd, starting as the Team Secretary of the Swifts through the First Team Secretary in 1979 and President of the Club 1994 to 1996. He continued on the General Committee as a past President, and then took on the duties of Honorary Secretary in the early days of professionalism. Part of his duties as Honorary Secretary was to be responsible for tannoy duties on match days, and he's never looked back. Part of the conversion to a PLC entailed the disbandment of the old general committee. As the club did not want the formation of the PLC to affect its unique relationship with its 10,000+ members, so the LFC Association was formed. Tudor became the first honorary secretary of the Association, and has retained that position to the present day.

The fact that everyone thinks that Tudor did the announcers job forever shows how much people associate him with the club. In a welter of failed local Radio DJ's and "witty" music played when the opposition come out at other grounds, Tudor maintained the dignity of the club and traditions of respect for the players. The unwary noise maker when the kicker was preparing to kick was soon silenced by the imperious Welsh "Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"! Quite rightly he always thanked both teams after the game, even on the rare occasion when we came second!.

The list of positions held by Tudor goes no way to outline the extent the work he's actually done! One of the highlights of Tudor's week along with Barbara, his wife, was to launder the kit for the first team having to wash the kits, not only was Tudor a great confidante of the late Derek Limmage, but he also acted as counsellor for anyone who approached him! When he first joined the Tigers the clubhouse was a Nissen Hut (sited in the area where the Leicestershire Room and Barbarians Room block was eventually built). I understand that the capacity of the hut was approximately 50 people, but after every first team game, the club used to manage to get both teams, both committees, all the supporters, later on the tea ladies and still managed to squeeze enough room for a game of darts!

I've been fortunate enough to walk around the ground with Tudor and everyone, administration staff, stewards, groundsmen, players, coaches, fans all know him and individually make a point of talking to him. Dean Richards' and John Wells' children all call him Uncle and all the players genuinely treat him as a personal friend.

Tudor is the most respected and popular person among the club members and the players I have ever known. Tony Hopkins - past President says - "Tudor helped me more during the two years of my presidency, and the four years since, than any other person." From a personal perspective I know few people as honest, genuine, warm and witty as Tudor, and this a Welshman! Best story I saw was Tudor talking to a player, who jokingly suggested that the club had strangled his creativity - quick as a flash Tudor replied "See, that was their mistake. They should have left your creativity alone and strangled you!" (No prizes for guessing the name of the player).

Tudor is still the Association Secretary, and never misses a game. He will tell you that he is not unique to Rugby Football; its history is littered with many, many people who have given similar service to many, many clubs. Tudor is, however, unique even in our family club, and, good as Sam is, I still miss him on the microphone!

Ian Cockerill