GEOFF THWAITES 1934-2021:
First recipient of the Sue Corfield Memorial Plate:
Still playing at the age of 87, Geoff was an inspiration to us all and anyone he met on or off the football pitch. A true gent, he always played with a smile on his face with total respect for all his teammates and opponents.
Like all talented players, he had his party pieces of little flicks, back heels, lay-offs and a strong shot, but most of all Geoff just loved playing football – anytime, anywhere.
Geoff was a key player in Portsmouth winning the first WFA National 70s Tournament in 2018 – he was only 84 at the time! At the Fratton Park photo presentation, the Pompey players came out to warm up on the pitch. Geoff just joined the end of the line and played among them – they didn’t bat an eyelid. As he was hauled off with a stiff reprimand, Geoff just said, “I always wanted to play on the pitch with the first team at Fratton Park and at 84 I’ve finally done it.”