IT is the end of an era at York Tennis Club - after John Linfoot stepped down as chairman after 40 years.

Linfoot, who has overseen the vast improvements in the tennis set-up at the Clifton Park-based York Sports Club over the last four decades, will remain on the club committee and keep his place as the York & District "councillor" on the Yorkshire Lawn Tennis Association board.

But he believes it is now time for a change of chairmanship, with his long-time likely successor, Margaret Whitehead, officially taking over the reins at this week's annual general meeting.

"I've been chairman that long I'm not entirely sure exactly how long, but the general consensus is it is knocking on 40 years," laughed Linfoot.

"I think it's time for a change, to freshen things up and get some new blood and new ideas. You can probably be in a job too long.

"Margaret is a long-standing member and has been shadowing me for the last year, and I'm sure she will do a great job."

Linfoot, 72, a retired former employee at the Nestle factory who lives in Skelton, is something of a tennis authority in York, having marked 25 years as an official - an umpire or line judge - at Wimbledon back in 2000.

He took over as YTC chairman in 1976, just nine years after the club was formed following the amalgamation of Tang Hall and Clifton tennis clubs after they both lost their bases at Tang Hall Hotel and Water Lane YWCA respectively.

"We came from humble beginnings," he said of a club which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year.

"We approached York cricket and rugby union clubs, who had moved to Clifton Park (a year earlier in 1966), and asked if we could go there as well. We (Tang Hall and Clifton) joined forces and that's how we were formed some 49 years ago.

"The squash club soon arrived as well and that's the make-up of York Sports Club as a whole, with the tennis club as one of the constituent member clubs."

He added: "Back then we had three red shale courts and a little wooden hut. We now have six beautiful Astro-turf courts, five of them floodlit, and a purpose-built pavilion, and have gone from strength to strength.

"We have a big function room which we share with the cricket, rugby and squash, and that's a fantastic facility. It's a lovely set-up down there.

"Over the years we've had to sail through some stormy waters but I hope I've run a pretty good ship."

Linfoot admits one sadness is the reduction in York TC teams playing at county level - but, far from being a local issue, that mirrors a nationwide pattern.

"We used to have three teams in the men's Yorkshire League - which was a big tennis league going back. We now have only one," he said.

"But that (fall in county league teams) is country-wide. We also have a very popular local (York & District) league. Yorkshire League matches, with their three-set format, can take a whole day. The York men's league is on Sunday mornings and is generally over in a couple of hours. People don't tend to have too much time these days."

Linfoot no longer plays league tennis himself but remains a regular social player.

"We along with Poppleton pride ourselves on being the top two clubs in York, and there's a keen rivalry between us," he said. "It's been like that for a number of years."

He added: "I will still be involved on the committee but won't have that responsibility (of being chairman).

"We're in a pretty healthy state overall.

"We've got an excellent coach down there, John Moore, and he's been doing wonders increasing the membership.

"We also have one or two new committee members coming on board, which is good, and I'm sure they will take the club from strength to strength."