Ian Turley, who many will remember as the leading
Leicestershire Squash player and winner of the record 14
County Senior titles between 1957 and 1974, has died aged
79, in Leicester after a short illness.
Ian served on the Leicestershire Committee for 50 years and
was Chairman for well over half of that.
He was a National Selector during the seventies and also
narrowly lost (1976) in the Final of the Amateur Veterans
Championship (now called the Mens 45) to Jack Platts of
Wales, 10/9 9/4 2/9 2/9 6/9. In his hey day, his formidable
strength and power hitting made him a very difficult
opponent for anyone and he was consistently in the top ten
in the Country although never capped.
He owned Squash Leicester for a thirty year period from
1977, after his career at the legendary Leicester Squash
Club, from the mid fifties up until 1976, where he was
Captain for many years. Leicester Squash Club were the
record breaking seven times Midland Champions and the
leading Club in that 20 year period, consistently beating
their main rivals Nottingham and Edgbaston Priory.
The Leicester team that he was in charge of included
travelling luminaries such as Chris Wilson, Don Innes, Ian
Robinson, Phil Ayton, as well as the regulars Barry Mason,
Mike Oddy, Bill Harvison, Derek Hockridge, Martin Pearse and
Bob Montgomerie.
Anyone who played against Ian will have
lost their inhibitions and have had to refocus their
priorities regarding squash after sampling Hall Farm
Hospitality, the Turley farmhouse in Countesthorpe, the
scene of many pool parties. Not that he did much farming as
his astute brain worked out very early that selling portions
of his land occasionally to major building developers would
keep him and his family very nicely thank you.
When the opportunity to take over Squash Leicester came up
in 1977, he grasped it with open arms, in league with his
business partner Richard Wilson. Ian gave up Squash and
concentrated on Snooker, becoming a formidable player.
Squash Leicester flourished and all of the better players at
Leicester moved up to the Race Course for League Squash.
He also had a lifelong interest in Ferraris and high
performance cars and rather regretted selling his Ferrari
Superfast, one of only 5 ever produced (and now worth
millions). He took Ian Robinson and Martin Pearse up the M1
at 170 mph and scared them both witless (before the match at
Abbeydale!)
He leaves his wife Val and four children, Nick, Debbie,
Adele and Kathryn, all living very close to the family home,
which was of great comfort to him as he could see all of
them and his grand children regularly.
Martin Pearse
The Funeral is at The Shearsby Bath Hotel, Bruntingthorpe
Rd, Shearsby, Nr Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 6PP.
Tel:01162478202 tt 12 noon on Thursday September 9th and
afterwards at The Shires Inn, Main Street, Peatling Parva,
Lutterworth. LE17 5PU. Tel: 01162478271
I first met Ian properly when I
played in the Midlands Open in 1969. He and the Leicester
members welcomed me into their club and I am privileged to
say that I could count Ian as a friend. He was a generous
man, had a great sense of humour and always made you feel
comfortable in his company. I always looked forward to going
to Leicester and meeting up with him and if I was lucky
enough to get a ride in his Ferrari, which I did once, it
was a real bonus.
Ian was always a man to have on your side. I can remember
being asked to partner him in a doubles competition,
primarily so Chris and Richard Barker would be given a run
for their money. I have to say that I was really glad to be
on Ian’s side that weekend. Latterly, when I was working for
the SRA and he owned Squash Leicester, I had to address the
Leicester clubs about SRA membership which was always going
to be tricky. Ian, whilst probably not sharing my views
about the best way forward, nevertheless helped me through
the evening and I will always be grateful to him for that.
There aren’t many people in this world like Ian and he will
be greatly missed. Whilst not seeing him as regularly as I
would have liked, I will always have very fond memories of
the times we spent together and my sympathies go out to his
wife Val and family.
Stuart Courtney
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add your tributes
turley@squashsite.co.uk
Ian Turley was a central part of Leicester squash. He was a
big personality and one to whom many warmed instantly. His
love of squash was unquestioned not only as a player but
also later as an owner of Squash Leicester. His big regret,
perhaps, was never managing to play at least one match for
England - for Ian that would have been the icing on the
cake.
Ian's infectious sense of humour and mischievous laugh
showed his complete love and enjoyment of his sport. Showing
deep commitment, Ian took on the major role as an England
selector on behalf of the Squash Rackets Association as it
was then, England Squash and Racketball as it is now.
Ian, in league with another big Leicester personality in the
guise of Martin Pearse, went out of his way to bring me to
their club from Nottingham Squash Club while I was a student
at Loughborough University. Ian and his family always made
me feel so welcome with their very considerable hospitality
- the pre-requisite for any 'poor' squash playing student.
Squash was the common bond and as such we talked for hour
after hour and played endlessly as well.
I recall meeting Ian again not so very long ago at a
National Squash Championship in Manchester, when he was
telling me in detail of his near death experience and sundry
recent health problems. It sounded for all the world like
Ian had come from 2 games to love down, the worst was over
and he was looking to win in the fifth, sadly...
It is a very sad day that with Ian's passing an era has come
to an end. There are very few like Ian and he will be sorely
missed. He helped me in the early days of my squash career
and for that I am truly grateful, I shall always think
fondly of him and in these dark days I send my deepest
sympathies to his wife, Val and family.
Ian Robinson |
