‘Mr Needham Market’ Derrick Bloomfield was born on Wednesday 24th October 1928 in Needham Market where he lived all his life, first in Hawks Mill Street, then Crowley Road and finally Quinton Road. After illness struck following a stroke in November, he was cared for in Barking Nursing Home where he sadly passed away with his son Melvyn and family at his side on Thursday 21st March 2024.
Derrick first worked for Swains the Hardware Shop in Needham Market High Street but left soon afterwards when he found out he was required to work Saturday afternoons when, of course, he wanted to play football. He later worked at Needham Chalks where he acquired his nickname of ‘Chalks’ before moving to ICI Paints in Stowmarket where he worked for 32 years before he retired.
His life, and that of his wife Pauline who passed several years ago, revolved totally around football and their beloved Needham Market FC to whom he devoted well over 70 years of his life. He first played for the club aged 16 when they were playing on Youngs Meadow in the town before they moved to Crowley Park. Derrick had a great left foot and back in those days he played mostly at ‘Inside Left.’
He held numerous positions within the football club for many years primarily as Club Secretary and Treasurer, before handing the role of Treasurer to Donny Vincent, another club stalwart, and Club Secretary over to the current Club Secretary Mark Easlea.
He was awarded the FA Gold Medal for 50 Years Service to the game and a ‘Meritus’ Award from Suffolk FA.
When the club moved to the current ground in Quinton Road in 1996, the ground was named ‘Bloomfields’ in his honour, a fitting testament to his dedicated and tireless service to the club. Much of the time Derrick ran the club and was known by many as ‘Mr. Reliable.’ He was very proud of the progress the club had made since he first started playing, rising through the Non-League Football Pyramid to become the top non-league side in the county, and he will be watching down on the club with immense pride and be over the moon if it achieves promotion to the National League this season.
RIP Mr Needham Market FC ‘A True Legend’