Bryan Potter, a former Bury Town player and sports editor, passed away at 92 in Bury St Edmunds, leaving behind a legacy in journalism and sports.
The sons of Bryan Potter, a former Bury Town footballer and sports editor, have paid tribute to their beloved father. Bryan, who lived in Bury St Edmunds, died at the age of 92. His family reflected on his long and joyful life.
Born in Bury in September 1933, Bryan attended Guildhall Feoffment School during World War Two and later Silver Jubilee School. He was captain of the school football and cricket teams and served as Head Boy.
After finishing school, Bryan worked as an invoice clerk at Greene King, one of the town’s largest employers, before serving three years in the RAF. During his service, he was a confidential clerk to Group Captain Willie Tate, a decorated pilot from World War Two.
While stationed at RAF Mildenhall, Bryan studied journalism and received a six-month trial as a trainee news reporter at the Bury Free Press after leaving the forces. The then editor offered him a salary of around £5 a week, expressing confidence in his eagerness to start a journalism career.
While working at the Bury Free Press, Bryan signed with Bury Town, playing regularly on the left wing in the Eastern Counties League. His football skills led to an offer for a trial with Bolton Wanderers, which he declined to join the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph as a sports writer.
In his biography, Bryan mentioned that his love for music brought him to Northampton Jazz Club, where he met his wife, Shirley, whom he married in 1959. They were married for 63 years until Shirley’s passing in 2023.
Later, Bryan became the sports editor of the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph and editor of the Saturday Night Football Telegraph. His journalism career included covering cup finals and international matches at Wembley Stadium, including England’s World Cup victory.
In 1970, he became the sports editor of the Cambridge Evening News, leading his team to success in national design awards. He also enjoyed playing golf, winning the Cambridgeshire Seniors Championship in 1991, and later wrote about the sport.
After retiring from newspapers, Bryan covered the Ryder Cup and Open Championship while editing golf magazines. He returned to Bury in 1993 and spent five years as a press officer for the European Tour, covering senior golf tournaments.
Bryan retired in 2002 but continued to write a golf column for the Bury Free Press, where his career began. He passed away on November 28. His sons expressed their love, saying, “Well done dad, we will really miss you.” His son Neil added that Bryan would find peace when his ashes are reunited with Shirley in a memorial garden at Bury Cemetery.
Bryan is survived by his sons Neil, Darren, and Vaughan, grandsons Ben and Simon, and daughters-in-law Dawn and Deanna. His funeral will be held on Thursday at the West Suffolk Crematorium, starting at 12:30 PM.
