Video: President Bird admits to feeling ‘humbled’

Yorkshire club president Dickie Bird with the County Championship trophy. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.

Fifty-five years later he was up in the stands at Trent Bridge in his role as club president, watching on as his beloved county won the title for the 32nd time overall.

“I played in the 1959 side that won the Championship, that was a great side, as it was in the early Sixties,” said the legendary Test umpire and famous son of the White Rose.

“But this is a great side as well and they’ve deservedly won the championship because they’re the best team in the championship.

“I’ve been to every match this season and they’re the best side, easily.”

Asked for his thoughts on the outcome of a clash between two sides of very different eras, Bird said: “It would be a good contest, this side against the Sixties side. Just don’t ask me who’d win.”

As a man who has championed Yorkshire’s cause for years, to see them deliver in his first season as president is a source of great pride.

“I feel very humbled, but very proud to be president of this great club,” said Bird.

“I think this team can go on to dominate because we’ve got so many good young players in the system, it’s a conveyor belt. We could reign for the next 10 years.”