Retirement of long-serving sports editor

Retirement of long-serving sports editor

Mr Felton started work at the JEP in January 1983, spending seven years as a compositor in the printing room before making the switch to the sports desk in 1990.

As well as forging an unrivalled ‘who’s who’ set of Island sporting contacts, the sports editor spearheaded coverage from numerous NatWest Island Games and major sporting occasions such as football’s annual Muratti Vase and Jersey RFC’s trip to Twickenham in 2010.

After completing a printing apprenticeship in his native Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Mr Felton made the move to Jersey in search of work in 1978 – aged in his early 20s – and drove around the Island looking for work.

Two spells working for Bigwoods printers came either side of a period in Holland during the early 1980s before Mr Felton’s JEP tenure began in 1983.

Speaking at a retirement party which most of the attendees – including present and former colleagues – joined online, Mr Felton said: ‘It has been a real treat to have actually had a job where your passion is the whole point of the exercise, and sport has been a huge part of my life – I am very lucky that has been my way of earning a crust of bread.

‘I have an incredible amount of memories and have met lots of lovely people who I respect and hope to meet for a couple of decades to come.’

JEP editor Andy Sibcy praised his colleague’s ‘relentless passion – for sport, the JEP, the sports desk and doing the job well.’

Retirement will provide an opportunity for Mr Felton to spend more time with his family, including his wife Linda – another former JEP employee – son David, step-granddaughter Naomi and Rosie the dog.

Mr and Mrs Felton are hoping to embark on some travelling adventures once Covid-19 restrictions allow, including visiting his other son John, who lives in Australia.

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