TRIBUTES have been paid to the founding member of Barry Wanderers Cricket Club.

Mike Ashton, who was affectionately known as “Mr Barry Wanderers”, died at the age of 64 last Thursday, September 26.

Mike, who lived on Colcot Road, was formerly a teacher at Bryn Hafren School.

He also worked for Anthemium Auctions in Cardiff, where he was a sporting memorabilia consultant, and regularly appeared on the programme Flog It! when they filmed there.

Barry Wanderers Cricket Club player Mark Ellis said Mike's death was “a massive loss for the club” and that he would be “sadly missed”.

“Everyone that has played for the club has known him as like a father figure,” he said.

“I was gutted and devastated when I found out. He will be sadly missed and not to see him down there will be strange.”

Mark, who knew Mike for around 18 years, added: “He was really welcoming to me when I joined Barry Wanderers Cricket Club and supported me along the way over the years.

“He’s been a really good friend to me over the years.”

Mike founded Barry Wanderers in 1970 with a group of friends and the club went on to play cricket matches across south Wales and England as they didn’t have a home ground. The breakthrough came when they persuaded Sully Hospital to allow them to let them create a cricket field out of its disused vegetable garden. For 18 months they laboured and in May 1985 they were wanderers no more. They became one of the strongest non-league sides in south Wales, with a second and sometimes third side and a thriving junior section. When the old hospital social club burnt down, they raised funds to erect a traditional wooden pavilion.

During his playing career Mike Ashton played more than 1,500 games and took 2,197 wickets.

“On the pitch he was a good leader and someone that always had commitment to the cause,” added Mark.

“He played more than 1,500 games for the club and held almost every position for the club too.

“He was President for the last four years, as well as previously being treasurer, secretary and groundsman.”

Close friend and fellow former Barry Wanderers Cricket Club player Jerry Richards added that Mike was a keen Glamorgan Cricket supporter, as well as a Cardiff City and Barry Town football fan.

“He was an icon in the cricket world in Barry,” he said.

“It will be a massive loss for the club. Everyone that played cricket knew him.

“He will be sadly missed.”

He added: “In the future there will probably be a game in tribute to him.”

Mike Ashton’s funeral will take place on Wednesday, October 9, at Adams Funeral Parlour on Gladstone Road at 1.45pm.