Jimmy Culleton has been awarded the FA 50 Year Long Service Award for his dedication to grassroots football in a number of roles.

Jimmy is a familiar face to many having spent a lifetime in local football in Essex as a player, manager, referee, Club Secretary, Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Mid Essex Football League, a competition which has been in existence for 125 years.

Like many who have had a long association with the game, he started out as player, at the age 15, in 1959. During his playing career in Essex, he played for Great Baddow, Royal Engineers Social, Writtle and Marconi. All within the Mid Essex Football League.

Jimmy’s greatest playing achievements came with Great Baddow F.C. side of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s which was when he turned his attention to the administration side of the game.

He was part of the Mid Essex League Management Committee for over 25 years, performing many roles during that time, including Vice Chairman from 1990 to 1995

Jimmy also managed the Mid Essex Representative side for 17 years.

He completed his multi-talented contribution to the Mid Essex Football League with 12 years as a Referee.

For his contribution to grass roots football in Essex over so many years including that to the Mid Essex League, he became a life member of the Competition a position he still holds today, supporting the Competition throughout with key decisions and advice. He was also instrumental in setting up the Mid Essex Veterans Football League in 1993, which is still in operation today, growing from 12 teams to over 100 today.

He has also been involved in both Chelmsford City F.C. and more lately Bishops Stortford F.C. working at both Clubs on matchdays in terms of the hospitality side of the game.

Jimmy was recently appointed as President of the Mid Essex Football League in 2022 a position he is greatly proud of to have achieved but recognises his continued contribution to the game in Essex.  

Congratulations once again to Jimmy on being awarded The Football Association 50 Year Long Service Award for his dedication to grassroots football in various roles across the years.