I understand the needs of the sport from so many perspectives:

As a player I reached a good standard (semi final of the National Championships in 1972 and represented England in the 1971 World and Commonwealth Championships)  But my real expertise on the playing side has to be as a coach and from the age of 18 I was coaching and promoting table tennis in Cleveland, as well as producing international players such as Nicky Jarvis, David Alderson, then Carole Knight (Moore), and still more recently the current No. 3 in the England senior  ranking list and No. 1 junior, 15 year old Karina Lefevre.   I have coached many teams at major events and, therefore, I fully understand the needs of players and coaches at every level and can react to these needs on their behalf in Management.

As a match and tournament organiser, I was brought up on league rules and regulations by my father (a  well known local cricket  and football league secretary) and soon this knowledge was put to good use.  At the age of 14 I was running teams and organising leagues and divisions.  I have been a league and club official for close on 50 years and still spend several hours each week at my club organising and coaching the sport... and I am still younger than my opponent!   I have been involved in the organisation and promotion of major table tennis events, starting with  the European Youth Championships at Thornaby Pavilion in Stockton in 1970.  I began writing about table tennis for the North East Evening Gazette in 1963 and still continue to do so, and worked as the BBC commentator at many events including  the 1977 World Championships in Birmingham.  Therefore,  I fully appreciate the importance of press and publicity for our sport, and know what a difference the promotion of a major event can make for members and the general public.
From developing a successful sports company -   from just two staff in 1976 to over 30 today – my experience in managing and motivating sales and general staff is invaluable to my voluntary work in table tennis.

It was great that the ETTA was given the ITTF Women in Table Tennis award, but with regard to support from families, let it not be forgotten that it was my wife, Jose, who initiated the Women in Table Tennis project in England in the 1980’s. This made such a difference with the introduction of the Women’s British League with the two weekend format which is still going strong 21 years later and created a much greater awareness of women in table tennis.

As a matter of interest, Jose has a long background in table tennis too.  She used to play in Birmingham as a teenager and learned her basic playing and administration skills from the late Maurice Goldstein OBE.  Jose emigrated to Canada and after being the secretary and editor of Canadian Table Tennis News became the full time Executive Director of the Canadian Association, represented Canada as manager and delegate at World and Commonwealth Championships, and when returning to England was the Assistant Director of the 1977 World Championships in Birmingham.  Since then Jose has been helping me in all of my table tennis activities.

Mike Smith also brings a great deal of experience to the new team.   Mike was an excellent Vice Chairman Administration during my last term of office and, before retirement, he was a Senior Administrator in a large and progressive University with multi million pound budgets and hundreds of staff.  Over the last few years Mike has been very active in working with the British Table Tennis Association for the Disabled as well as promoting the sport strongly at the universities and heavily involved in developing the sport at all levels.
In his information Alex Murdoch has not given any details about his background and, although he has worked hard over the last six years, it is plain for all to see the difference in experience and knowledge between us.  It is that ability and knowledge which is a vital component of being able to be an effective Chairman of the English Table Tennis Association.

May I ask that you and your fellow ETTA members think carefully before casting your vote for the future of our sport.    Mike Smith and I will bring you experience, a wide knowledge of the sport and management techniques.  Most importantly for the future, we will encourage and train new and younger table tennis volunteers into influential positions to ensure the future of the sport.  We will work with the members to develop the right facilities and with the top players and coaches to bring good results back to England as well as helping the sport at grass roots to flourish.

Alan Ransome