Former groundsman Sam Fidler dies

Former assistant groundsman Cecil “Sammy” Fidler has died at the age of 82 (pictured above left).

Mr Fidler was a well-known character at the club and served alongside former head groundsman Brian Fitch for more than 20 years between the early 1970s and the early 1990s.

Cecil, known almost universally as Sam or Sammy, was hired by former secretary Les Ames after a spell working for Canterbury City Council and Sam arrived for his interview on a tractor.

Mr Fitch paid tribute to his former colleague: “Sam was a very good assistant and a real character. He would come in at all hours to check on the covers and work on the ground.

“He would usually look after the outfield and practice square as well as maintaining the stands, tidying up and putting out chairs before matches.

“Sam was known all over the circuit, he was different and had a great relationship with Kent players and the opposition.

“He would clean the players’ pads and boots like a dressing room attendant as we didn’t have them in the early days.”

“We had one tractor and four mowers and had to move the covers on our own.”

A funeral service will be held at Barham Crematorium on Friday 28 July at 12noon.