On Saturday 6 April we learned of the sad news that our former County Chairman, Colin Davison, had passed away aged 94 after a period of ill health.

Colin’s contribution to table tennis after almost eight decades has been exceptional having been a member of the Stockton and District League from 1952 to present, as President of the League and with a similar commitment to both Cleveland County and the North-East region.

Colin was very well regarded by the whole table tennis community throughout the North-East for the way he managed the organisations that he was a big part of with enthusiasm, fairness and integrity that he always showed. He had the full respect of the community at large.

From a county point of view, Colin was part of a group in 1967 when Stockton was part of Durham County and Middlesbrough part of Yorkshire, that formed the Teesside Table Tennis Association which began to organise table tennis within the Tees Valley area and promoting significant competitions both local county and national. Colin was Chair of that organisation and the committee that worked with Table Tennis England to host the European Youth Championship at Thornaby Pavilion, Stockton in 1970.

In 1974, when Cleveland became a County under the Local Government Restructure, the Cleveland County Table Tennis Association was formed and Colin was its first Chairman, continuing through for 45 years until he retired in 2019.

Over that period Cleveland ran a fully operational County Association and staged a number of major events including European Top 12 in 1983, which was broadcast on Channel 4 television, the Euro Asia competition in 1988 with the best players from China and Europe, and the English Open in 1997 plus the World Student Games, as well as an annual series of Cleveland Senior 5* and Cleveland 4* junior events which started in 1968. The junior event celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2018.

Colin was part of the organising team for several international matches staged in Thornaby including China, Japan, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, USSR and Romania. Colin had a major role in the organisation of all of these events as he, together with colleagues from the Stockton League, took on the responsibility of handling the hospitality for the visiting teams and the VIP functions which included looking after national and local dignitaries and other guests.

Colin also played a major role in the Northern Region, being Chairman of the Northern Regional Committee from 1991 to 2019. Colin became National Councillor for Cleveland in 1987 and continued in this role until 2003. He was also Deputy National Councillor from 2003 to 2017.

In Stockton, where he lived and where his roots were, Colin first played in the Stockton League for the Holy Trinity Club in 1947 and he became their Secretary two years later. In 1952 Colin was elected to the Stockton and District League Executive Committee and from 1955 for three years served as their Registration Secretary.

In 1958 he was elected as Treasurer for five years and in 1963 Colin became Secretary of the League in a position he held for 22 years, becoming Chairman in 1985, acting in this capacity for a remarkable 32 years. In 2017, Colin was elected President of the League.

In addition to playing and administration, Colin was an active coach and qualification at ETTA 3* level where he coached at many venues in the area including Stockton Sports Centre, Ian Ramsey School, St Michael’s School, at the Kiora and Northfield club and school.

Colin was honoured by Table Tennis England, elected as Vice President in 2000 and was presented with a Sports Council Service to Sport Award in 1997.

As well as his table tennis, Colin was a great follower of English cricket where he travelled to watch the England test matches in the Caribbean and Sri Lanka. He was also a big supporter of Middlesbrough Football Club and attended home matches on a regular basis.

Colin was very much a family man and has left a son, Philip, a daughter, Jackie, together with grandchildren, Jason, Hannah, Rachel and Dominic and great-grandchildren, Eva, Leo, George and Noah.

Everybody acknowledges the enormous contribution Colin has made to table tennis in the North-East and we are very sorry to learn of his passing.