Herald and Gazette journalist retires after 50 years
CRICKET-LOVING journalist Tony Mustard has declared with a career half-century in the newspaper industry.
Tony, production editor of the Littlehampton Gazette since 2001, spent most of his working life on papers in West Sussex, and for much of that time was a sports journalist.
Through both playing and reporting on cricket and football, he made many lifelong friends and acquaintances.
As Tony retired, Gazette editor Roger Green paid tribute to a greatly-appreciated colleague and friend, at a farewell party attended by Gazette and Worthing and Shoreham Herald workmates.
He said: "Tony has given exceptional, dedicated service not only to the papers on which he has worked, and particularly the Littlehampton Gazette in recent times, but also to the communities in which our titles play such a valuable role.
"We wish him a very long and happy retirement."
Tony joined the Bognor Regis Observer as a trainee reporter in January, 1959, transferring to the Chichester office a year later to work for The News, and the following year moving to that paper's Portsmouth headquarters.
He covered a wide range of news stories before switching to sports journalism.
In 1965, Tony moved back to Sussex, joining the Worthing Herald as a sports reporter, and apart from a year in Suffolk and three years as a freelance, he worked for the group including the Herald and Gazette for more than 40 years.
His service included general sub-editing and a couple of years as Herald sports editor.
Probably the biggest story he covered was the committal hearing for the murder trial in 1960 of Victor Terry, who killed Durrington bank worker and amateur archaeologist John Henry Pull with a sawn-off shotgun in a bank raid.
"I sat 6ft away from a man who was later hanged," recalled Tony. "Throughout the case he showed not one trace of emotion."
He added: "I have had a good career – very enjoyable. I have made so many friends through work and sport and a lot of it has overlapped.
"The people you get to know is quite staggering. I can't walk down the street in Worthing, Littlehampton, Bognor or Chichester without coming across someone I have written about or played cricket with. I have been very lucky."
An accomplished bowler, Tony took more than 2,500 wickets, playing mainly for Ferring and Arundel cricket clubs, but also for Denmead and teams in Chichester. He now umpires for Pagham Falling Leaves.
Tony lives at Felpham and is married to Kathy. He has two sons from a previous marriage, Neil, who also played cricket for Arundel, and Andrew.
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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