St Albans Centurions club secretary Tony Bottomley has been awarded the RFL Lifetime Achievement Award for London and the South after a distinguished career in rugby league.

Bottomley was honoured at the fifth annual London and the South Rugby League Regional Awards, held at Arsenal Football Club’s Emirates Stadium.

Having turned out for Halifax, Hull KR and Bramley, as well as representing England’s Under-19s as a player, Bottomley has continued to work hard off the field since his retirement.

He set up Ealing rugby league after moving to Hertfordshire and was chairman of the London Amateur Rugby League for ten years before sitting on the London Junior Development Committee for 11 years.

Bottomley also managed Herts Rugby League service area for three years, and is currently the manager of the South African Wild Dogs national team.

Centurions chairman Brian Parker said: “This is a prestigious award and for Tony to receive it is wonderful.”