Our UK connection: Simon's the link

Our UK connection - Simon's the link

Simon Thornton has been a revelation since he joined Moonee Valley in the 2009/10 pre-season, and is continuing to have an impact in our recruiting for this season.
He was introduced to the Valley through our legendary Life Member John Talone - the Charles Brownlow of cricket club secretaries - and we're grateful that he was.
Simon, a stalwart of Yorkshire club Sheriff Hutton, has been lured here to become an Aussie through his Australian-born wife Mel.
In his first season at the Valley Simon played Firsts and Seconds, and now in his second season he has been voted in as our Club Vice-President.
Simon (centre) is shown above with new Valley players Joel Wilford (left)
and Kris Garland (right).
But Simon's UK connections are also helping us on-field.
He made a lightning raid on the UK in August, and as a result his former Sheriff Hutton team-mate, Joel Wilford, was recruited and has arrived in Australia.
Exchange student Kristian Garland is in Australia for a year studying at Victoria University. He discovered Moonee Valley through our website, but it's no coincidence that after he made contact with us, he found it reassuring to know he had a fellow countryman as one of the Club leaders.
Kris said recently that it's a friendly reminder to hear the English accent around the Club - and he's looking forward to the Ashes contest this summer and the chance for a bit of rivalry and one-upmanship with his new team-mates.
And to round out the UK connection, another British traveller, Gloucestershire player Steve Godden is coming to Australia in October for a working holiday and has signalled his intention to play for Moonee Valley - and again happy to know of some fellow-travellers already wearing the black and white.