The Pete Currell / Neil Turner Memorial Cup 2021
To celebrate the lives of two prominent club members. Teams selected by friends and families.
Date: July 25th 2021 Time: 2:00 PM
Team Currell v Team Turner
Pete Currell and Neil Turner were two incredibly talented and fiercely competitive cricketers who loved playing for Brightlingsea Cricket Club. They were very different in style and approach but shared a common determination to do their best for the team and never let the side down.
All those of us who had the pleasure to share many hours with these two men, who were taken from us tragically early in their lives, will have stories to tell and memories to recall. There was humour and conflict on the pitch and much socialising and story telling in the bar afterwards. We miss them both.
Brightlingsea Cricket Club would like to welcome the families of these two cricketing greats and hope you enjoy the game of cricket and are able to catch up with their friends and share stories and reminiscences of your loved ones.
Team Currell
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Mark Currell
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Tom Savage
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George Savage
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Ed Savage
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Colin French (C)
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Graham French
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Richard Block (wkt)
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Jamie Barry
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Simon Hindley
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Craig Finbow
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Toby Cracknell
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Rob Hicks
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Richard Dove
Pete Currell began his career as a P.E. teacher at Brightlingsea Secondary Modern in September 1969.
Pete and his wife Sue moved to Brightlingsea in January 1973 and Pete began to play cricket for Brightlingsea in the same year.
Pete went on to play for Brightlingsea Cricket Club for many years in the Two Counties League. He was a left arm fast bowler and a prolific wicket taker, regularly taking six or seven wickets in a match. He was a very competitive player who was respected (and sometimes feared) on the pitch and well-liked off the pitch. Pete routinely won the Club bowling award.
Pete was committed to Brightlingsea Cricket Club, spending hours preparing the wicket and always playing two matches each weekend. The only way his family were able to see him, was to get involved, with Sue regularly on the rota for the teas, and his children, Mark and Sian spending hours playing at the Rec and getting to know every local cricket ground. Later, Mark also played for the club and the legacy is continued by his grandsons.
Pete taught many generations of the local community in a teaching career that spanned forty years and he was a well-liked head of PE and respected member of staff. Over time, the Secondary school changed to Brightlingsea Comprehensive school and then to Colne Community School and College.
Pete began playing for Colchester Grammar School ‘Camel’ indoor team during the winter, but he remained loyal to Brightlingsea Cricket Club throughout.
In his early years in Brightlingsea, Pete played Sunday league football and he was an inaugural member of Brightlingsea Rugby club. He played in the local pool and darts leagues and thoroughly enjoyed socialising with past players and ex-pupils over a pint. He was also a keen bridge player.
By his late forties, Pete was suffering from several sport related injuries which made cricket impossible and forced him to retire from teaching PE, although he continued to teach theory. No longer able to perform at the top of his game, he found it very difficult to adjust, and he slowly withdrew from the Club.
Pete’s enthusiasm for all sports never diminished. In later years, he cycled every day, he became a devoted Northampton Saints Rugby supporter, and continued to support Watford Football Club. He was a passionate First World War historian and would travel across Europe to pay his respects at war cemeteries and sites. He was fluent in French and travelled extensively.
He never lost his competitive edge, even later in life. He loved a game, and he played to win.
Neil was another talented local sportsman; he excelled at pretty much every sport he participated in but especially football, cricket and latterly golf.
As a young boy, Neil began his football career at Alresford Eagles. It was not long before he changed clubs to Brightlingsea United where his father Norman managed the team alongside Mick Wilby. This was the start of what was to be a very long association with the club.
Neil was a very tenacious youth footballer which did not go unnoticed by Brightlingsea United and there was soon a promotion to the senior team. Neil went on to represent Brightlingsea United for many seasons and enjoyed an illustrious career. After a spell playing at Great Bentley, he returned to play at Brightlingsea United as player manager and then ultimately as Manager thus continuing his “Cult” status.
Not content with just Saturday football, Neil also played Sunday League Football for the Brightlingsea Community Centre and the Merrydowners.
It was therefore a foregone conclusion that when his son Brady played youth football for Brightlingsea Regent Neil would be the obvious choice as the team manager.
This took care of the winter months; things were a little different in the summer.
As a teenager, most of the summer holidays would be spent at the Recreation Ground playing cricket with his friends. You would often see them playing against the garages where the “No ball Games” sign was defiantly erected. In those days nobody had the proper gear so Neil and his friends would use a large orange bread crate as a wicket.
Neil was an aggressive fast bowler and destructive middle-order batsman, and he made his mark very quickly playing adult cricket for Brightlingsea. One of his former captains, Mick Barry described him as “a person who gave it all for the team and left everything on the pitch.” Neil was someone you would always want in your own team rather than on the opposition.
He also went on supporting the club in an off-field capacity long after he finished his playing career. It was during this period that he started playing golf with his fellow sporting friends and created the notorious “Golf Days”, which have now become legendary. They still exist today and there is a Memorial event held every year for Neil.
There is little doubt that in sporting terms Neil could have played for bigger and better clubs, but he always preferred playing with his mates. He was a truly effervescent person whom you could not help noticing when he walked into a room.
Neil was one of life’s real characters who is still very much missed by his family and friends.
Team Turner
1. Brady Turner
2. Roger Goodwin (C)
3. Gary Campbell
4. Brad Hardy
5. Andy Moules
6. Gordon Collen
7. Steve Barber
8. Stuart Baker
9. Wes Barton
10. Alan Long
11. Neil French
12. Dave Skingley