Rising football star Archie Gray and referee-turned-charity walker Mike Riley were the Harrogate winners at the 29th Yorkshire Young Achievers Awards last night.

The awards, organised by the Yorkshire Young Achievers Foundation, recognised the achievements of young people in seven categories from arts to sport.

Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray, 17, who completed his GCSEs at St John Fisher Catholic High School in Harrogate last year, won the achievement in sport award.

He joined the club at under-9 level and progressed rapidly through the academy, with an agreement being reached with the school to allow him to miss classes to train with the first team.

He was first named on the bench in 2021 and made his debut on August 6 this year against Cardiff City.

Archie was unable to attend the awards, having been called up for the England Elite League squad that faced Italy on the evening of the awards, so his great uncle Eddie Gray and another ex-Leeds player, Gary McAllister, accepted it on his behalf.

Former Leeds player Andy Hughes accepts the award on behalf of Mike Riley, who was on UEFA duty.

Harrogate’s other winner was Mike Riley, who received a special award for his contribution towards helping young people.

Mike walked 206 miles from St Bees in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire, via England’s highest peak of Scafell over 14 days to raise £4,000 for the foundation.

A long-term supporter of the awards, he is until the end of the season, head of Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the body responsible for match officials in England.

He has led the organisation for 13 years, overseeing the development of match officials in the Premier League, FA, EFL and National League competitions and more recently the Women’s Super League.

Peter McCormick, the chairman of the awards who also runs Harrogate law firm McCormicks Solicitors, which sponsored the event at Elland Road stadium, said:

“Every year we are astonished, inspired and, frequently, moved to tears by the amazing stories of our winners whose achievements underline the depth and breadth of the quality of the young people in our region.

The annual event has now raised more than £1.3m to support young people in Yorkshire.

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The Premier League has appointed a Harrogate-based solicitor as its interim chair for the second time.

Peter McCormick OBE will step into the role on February 1 when the current chair Gary Hoffman steps down.

Premier League clubs unanimously approved his temporary appointment. The clubs will now look for a permanent replacement.

The new role comes for Mr McCormick shortly after he stepped down as the temporary chair of the Football Association. He was succeeded Debbie Hewitt MBE.

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Mr McCormick will remain as chair of the Premier League’s Football Board and Legal Advisory Groups. He previously acted as the chair for the Premier League from 2014 to 2015. He said:

“I am delighted to receive the confidence and approval of the 20 Premier League clubs and the Board as they work to recruit the new chair.”

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said:

“On behalf of the Premier League and clubs, I would like to welcome Peter to this role. He is well known to us all and a trusted pair of hands who will see us through this transition period.

“The board’s aim is to have a new permanent chair in place before the start of next season.”

A Leeds United fan, Mr McCormick is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment lawyers.

Peter McCormick, a senior partner of Harrogate law firm McCormicks Solicitors, has been appointed interim chairman of the Football Association.

The news was announced yesterday following the sudden resignation of Greg Clarke for describing black players as “coloured” and other comments he made about gay and female players.

The Football Association, which was formed in 1863, is the governing body of football in England and Wales.

A Leeds United fan, Mr McCormick is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading sports and entertainment lawyers.

He is now the first person to have been chairman of both the Premier League and the FA.

McCormicks Solicitors, which is based on East Parade, describes itself as a ‘fearless law firm with a fearless reputation’.

Mr McCormick, who was awarded an OBE for services to charity in 2000, was elected vice-chairman of the FA in 2017.

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An FA statement yesterday said:

“Peter McCormick will step into the role as interim FA chairman with immediate effect and the FA board will begin the process of identifying and appointing a new chair in due course.

“We would also like to reaffirm that as an organisation, we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to promote diversity, address inequality, and tackle all forms of discrimination in the game.”

Clarke said in a statement:

“I am deeply saddened that I have offended those diverse communities in football that I and others worked so hard to include.