Matt Markwick, Trent, Burnice and Jamie Browne awarded Life Membership of EDFC

On Friday, November 3, during the EDFC end of 2023 season presentation evening, four impressive club contributors were announced as life members.

Matt Markwick, and three members of the Browne family, Trent, Burnice and Jamie were all honoured with a life membership, with more than 60 years of combined service between them.

To properly commemorate the occasion, the four recipients were gifted silver rings, engraved with their names and the title of life member.

All four recipients have been important members of the club for 15 years, and in that time, they have been players, committee members, and have taken on coaching and managerial roles.

Most importantly, they have all played a significant part in ensuring that EDFC is not just a club, but a family.

For the Browne's, the family ties hit hard, as the three members were able to celebrate not only as proud club members, but as husband and wife, and as parents and child.

For Jamie Browne, being able to receive the membership alongside his parents was a huge surprise and a great honour.

"It meant a lot. I've grown up with the club, they're like my second family, so to be up there with my first family was pretty cool," he said.

And according to Mr Browne, it was extremely well deserved.

"We've all put so much time into the club over the years and it's pretty cool to be recognised the way we were," he said.

During Mr Browne's 15 years of involvement with the club, he has been a proud team member, a member of the committee, and he has also been the coach of a junior team.

A team that he started coaching when he was only 14 years old.

But, as of next year, Mr Browne's club involvement will be from a distance, as he is moving to Newcastle to study primary school teaching.

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Regardless, EDFC and its colours will always hold a special place in Mr Browne's heart.

"I'll be forever bleeding blue and yellow," he said.

As well as gracing the stage with his parents, Mr Browne was able to celebrate alongside Matt Markwick, who was his coach for approximately eight years.

The recognition meant just as much for Mr Markwick, who spent a significant amount of time as club president, and was one of the people responsible for the club's exponential growth in recent years.

"When we started we had three or four junior teams and then I think we expanded to one senior team in 2015, and now we've got loads," Mr Markwick said.

These teams include ladies' third, second and first grade teams, as well as men's fifth, fourth, third, second and first grade teams, as well as junior competitive and non-competitive teams and dozens of mini-football teams.

And to be recognised by the people of these teams is something that means more to Mr Markwick than he could ever imagine.

"It means a lot to me because it means that you're recognised by people who you care about, it's like being recognised by your family really," he said.

"It was just nice to be recognised for all those years of service and stuff, so it was nice to be recognised by my peers, friends and family, and at Eglinton we are one big family.

"We look after each other through the ups and downs and we support each other through thick and thin."

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