MEMBERS of a York darts team have stepped up in memory of their former captain and friend.

Severus Social Club in Acomb ran two knockout darts competitions in 2022 to honour Alan Shipley, who passed away in December 2021.

The 74-year-old former skipper of the team lived a few doors away from the Milner Street venue.

One of the organisers was 37-year-old local Martin Whitfield, who, along with his dad Garry, said that more than 60 York businesses - including a darts company which donated a signed shirt - made contributions to the events.

York Press: The darts team at Severus said they will run an annual knock-out tournament in Alan's nameThe darts team at Severus said they will run an annual knock-out tournament in Alan's name (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Martin said: “I’d played darts with Alan since I was eighteen.

“He was somebody that I looked up to, that’s why I wanted to do this.”

The knockout competition of 32 entries could have been filled two or three times over each time, by dart players from across the city.

Martin added: “Announcements were made at darts events in Huntington.

"He played here, he played at Acomb Working Men’s Club and he used to play for Dringhouses Sports Club.”

Alan featured in a darts match report in the press back in 2000.

The competition was played for the Alan Shipley Memorial Shield and the first two winners, Mark Miller and Scot Cook, are likely to be returning to play over what Martin has said will become an annual event.

Alan’s family said they were touched by the warmth of the gesture from Martin and the locals.

His grandson Thomas Desmond-Shipley said the organisers had taken it upon themselves to put on the event and raise some money.

He said: “It was an absolutely fantastic tribute.

“I started getting messages from people who used to drink with him, from all over different pubs."

Thomas said that the aim is to get a family member on the shield as a winner, although he admitted he may need to improve a little before he himself can challenge.

Anita Shipley, Alan’s wife of 58 years, and other members of his family were present in the club last Wednesday (August 16) to hand over a cheque for over £1,200 to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), from monies raised by entry fees, auction items and donations.

Receiving the cheque was Christine Tipping, an assistant at the BHF shop in York Road in Acomb.

She’s partial to a game of bingo at Severus on a Sunday and her husband and daughter are members.

She said: “It’s absolutely fantastic that they’ve raised this amount of money for the Heart Foundation.

“And it will go a long, long way to finding the cure for heart disease.”