Buildbase National Game Awards 2019: Buildbase Unsung Hero – Leigh Page

Non-League football would cease to exist without volunteers, in the eyes of St Albans City club secretary Leigh Page.
And having dedicated 30 years to the cause for a side he has supported since childhood, Page’s hard work has now been recognised with the Unsung Hero prize at The National Game Awards.
His love for the club, which he credits as being part of his extended family, is his motivation for dedicating his life to helping in the running of it and sees him carry out a myriad of various jobs.
And although receiving the award at Stamford Bridge filled him with immense pride, Page insisted the award was not just for himself but for the plethora of other volunteers throughout the Non-League family who follow in his footsteps.
“There are thousands of people out there like me and it could have been any one of us up here today,” he said.
“The recognition is great but I don’t do it for any recognition, I do it for the love of the club. It is very much my extended family more than anything else and it has that community feel.
“A lot of these awards are obvious because they rely on playing outcomes but actually this one is for all the volunteers out there because without them, at this level, football doesn’t work.”
One of Page’s key contributions to the club has been as a photographer, capturing some stunning images as City finished the season in ninth in Vanarama National League South.
“I am involved in everything from signing players’ contracts to filling out reports of games to meeting with the safety advisory group and local council and making sure the ground is fit for purpose,” he added.
“The only thing I have done differently this season is taken up the club secretary role full-time along with all the other bits and pieces so now I give up almost all of my spare time doing something or other football-related.”