AS regular readers of the Abergavenny Chronicle's back page are probably aware, during the 2012/12 football season our coverage of the Gwent Central League was a lot less extensive than it has been in decades.

This was due to the ill health of long-time Chronicle corespondent and Gwent Central secretary Ray Griffiths, who week in and week out would diligently, and without fail, telephone around the local football clubs every Saturday afternoon to compile a comprehensive and handwritten report of not only the result from each and every match, but also the name of who scored what, who fouled who, who made that all important save, how each team played, and what it entailed for their club's standing in the league.

Ray's poor health has brought down the curtain on many years of service to Gwent football and the local press, where he earned a reputation as one of nature's gentlemen and characters.

A retired civil servant, Ray was a former Class One Referee who joined the Gwent Central League in the early 1980s as a committee member before taking over the role of League Secretary in 1992.

Ray also loyally served the Gwent County FA, and represented them on various committees including, League Management, Inter-league Competitions , Referees / Referee's Assessor and Referee's Society.

Ray was also responsible for assisting the Gwent County League together with the North, Newport and East Gwent Leagues, in collating and sending their reports to the local press.

Former referee and close friend, Malcolm Goddard told the Chronicle, "The Gwent Central League has had to face up to the difficult fact that Ray's very poor health has denied them of his future service and reluctantly have recently appointed another person to the role of League Secretary to meet the demands of the 2012/13 season.

"In doing so the Gwent Central League committee have on behalf of everyone associated with this League presented Ray with a memento to honour his many years of dedicated service to the league.

"As well as being a fellow referee and committee member, Ray has been an extremely good colleague and friend to us all for over 40 years.

"On behalf of Ray's close colleagues may I take this opportunity to thank him for being a gentleman and true friend, and wish him all the best."