Sports Personality 2007
DS 1186 David Barry Rimmer – Serious and
Organised Crime Unit – HQ
Nominated by:
County
Club Football Committee
Main Sporting Discipline:
Football
Police Sport UK Activities
Dave joined the Lancashire
Constabulary Police Cadets in 1979 and was very quickly selected to
represent the County football team.
During his late teens he
was selected and played for the Lancashire Youth Football Team, which at the
time was dominated by lads who were already on the books of the North West’s
professional football teams. In fact the team sheet listed players
exclusively from pro clubs except Dave who was listed as ‘Lancashire
Constabulary’.
Dave joined the police as
a regular in 1981 and was stationed at Ormskirk, by this stage he was
already an established member of the police 1st Team. At this
stage the team played in the National PAA trophy, the Frank Close Cup and
the Preston and District Football League.
Dave was a member of the
team that won the Preston and District Premier League three times and the
Guild Hall trophy on three occasions, and as a result the Club returned to
the West Lancashire Football League. The team’s success, including Dave
continued when they won the West Lancashire League Cup in 1995 and 1996,
League Runners-up in 1995 and Lancashire Amateur Shield Winners in 1994.
Dave continued playing in
the West Lancashire Police Saturday Team until the 2002 season. He had also
been the Football Section Secretary between 1997 and 1999.
The Lancashire
Constabulary Football Team, and the ‘Veteran’s’ are now regarded as one of
the most successful PAA (PSUK) teams in Police football history. The 1st
team have played in six national finals, and won on three occasions. Dave
has played in four of those cup finals and actually scored the winner
against the RUC in Belfast in 1991.
The Veteran’s have won the
national cup on six occasions and Dave has played in five of those cup
finals.
In summary, whilst
representing Lancashire Constabulary at football Dave has won 17 winner and
two runner-up medals.
Other Police Sport
Activities
Dave has also represented
Lancashire Police in the Police Sport UK Cricket tournament.
Since reducing his
involvement with weekly football, Dave has become a keen golfer, he’s a
member at Lancaster Golf Club and the Central Division Golf Society where in
the last two years he has won four competitions.
Other Non-Police Sporting
Activities
Away from the Police
competitions Dave has been involved in other sporting activities.
In March 1997 Dave with
other Police colleagues completed a 500 km bike ride across Egypt and raised
£6000 for the charity, Mencap.
In June 2003 Dave played
in the Vodaphone Football Cup which was actually staged at Old Trafford
Football Ground.
Premiership League
All-Stars
In September 2007 Dave
attended trials for the Sky One live football competition
called ‘Premiership League All-stars’. This programme was featured live on
Sky One Channel at peak times for seven nights. The concept of the
competition was each Premiership side entered a team consisting of three
ex-players, three celebrities and three fans.
Dave attended trials at
Birmingham City Football Training Ground and was selected for the Manchester
United Team. He played for the United Squad that also included Lee Sharpe,
Ray Wilkins, Clayton Blackmore, Angus Deaton and Radio 1 DJ Chappers. The
United Team beat Blackburn in the first round, Manchester City on penalties
in the quarter final, but lost in the Semi Final to West Ham. All these
games were featured live on Sky, and Dave was interviewed and introduced as
‘Detective Sergeant Dave Rimmer from Lancashire Police’. Quite amusingly the
5000 fans in the stadium (held at the David Beckham Academy, London) booed
Dave each time he was introduced!! Context later covered Dave’s
involvement.
Conclusion
Dave is a true sportsman.
He has represented Lancashire Constabulary in sporting terms for over 29
years and makes a most appropriate winner of this prestigious title.
