The family of a former footballer and club stalwart – described as ‘Mr Royston Town’ – have led the tributes after his death on Friday at the age of 71.
Trevor Glasscock is still Royston Town Football Club’s record goalscorer with 289 goals between 1968 and 1982, and was club secretary for more than 30 years.
His daughter Alison – who, along with Trevor’s wife Susan, was by his side when he passed – told the Crow: “He was all about RTFC – he was always thinking about getting to the next league and what was best for the club.
“Growing up we were always at the club, and we loved it. Dad would be involved in everything from trying out the new sound system and cutting the grass to writing match reports to send to the Crow.”
Trevor was born in Sandon, and moved to Buntingford when he married Susan – three years his junior – in 1968, with the date chosen to avoid clashing with football fixtures.
Having moved to Royston, they spent time living in Bassingbourn before returning to the town because Trevor “couldn’t bear to be too far away from Garden Walk”.
The couple had three children – Ian, who is 49 and also played for RTFC, Alison, 44 and 41-year-old Joanne, and eight grandchildren, aged between 19 and four.
Trevor was a lead warehouse operator at the Sainsbury’s depot in Buntingford, where was employed all his working life.
He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002 after he developed pain, the family thought it was due to arthritis due to years spent playing football.
As well as the Crows, Trevor was “Spurs through and through” and, following his MS diagnosis, the family kept on doing things he enjoyed like going to White Hart Lane in his wheelchair.
Trevor later developed dementia and further complications from MS. Daughter Alison of Melbourn, where the couple moved after Trevor’s diagnosis, said her parents were “soulmates and absolutely devoted to each other.”
She said: “When he retired, they thought there would be more time for him and mum to enjoy themselves after a lifetime of work and football, but his illness meant that wasn’t to be.
Alison said: “He was in so much pain. But he never complained.
“We were lucky because we had him longer than we should have had. He held on for us to tell him that we would be alright. It was comforting because he was all about family and being there for us.
“Dad’s funeral on Wednesday will be about rejoicing his life, and will feature his favourites like Roy Orbison and Billy Fury”.
Trevor was also featured in a book, The History of Royston Town Football Club 1875-2012, written by club president Alan Barlow.
Daughter Joanne said: “I thanked Alan for writing about everything my dad did, it gave me the opportunity to show my son the real grandad he had and not just the one terribly ill in a wheelchair.
“My son is now very proud after hearing the stories about his grandad especially the one about him being ‘the leading scorer and anybody who saw him play will know he was a ‘natural striker whose skills were topped off with a certain amount of arrogance which infuriated opponents and delighted our supporters’ and another part where it states he scored five goals in one match.”
RTFC’s president Alan Barlow said: “Trevor, affectionately known as Bamber, lived and breathed the club every single day – he was ‘Mr Royston Town’.
“In his role as secretary he was respected throughout the world of local football administration.and as a player he was the Crows all-time record goal scorer with 289 goals between 1968 and 1982.
“When he resigned in July 2000 he had served on the committee for over 30 years and he said to me ‘Royston is the only club I’ve ever wanted to play for and be involved with – I love this Club but I just thought now was the time to leave. I’ll be definitely watching them home and away and I would dearly love to see the club back on the Ryman League’.
“He got his wish back in in 2012 when the club was promoted back to that tier.
“Trevor was one of those people I worked closely with when I was general secretary and later president and I learnt so much from him, in spite of his slightly irritating but well intentional habit of taking decisions without consulting the rest of the committee!
“But you just could never get upset by him, as he would give you a mischievous little smile and say ‘I thought it was the best thing for the club’ – who could argue with that?”
The funeral service for Trevor takes place from 3pm on Wednesday at All Saints’ Church in Melbourn, and will be followed by a wake at The Dolphin pub in Melbourn High Street.
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