NICK Yeo, known as ‘Nick the Bus,’ the owner and driver of the Signature Travel coach which has transported the Somerset players for the last 11 seasons, has made his last journey with the team because he has retired- with so many happy memories.

Growing up in North Devon, Nick got his first taste of Somerset CCC sitting on the grass round the boundary edge at the County Ground watching the likes of Botham, Garner and Richards during the Glory Years.

He said: “Then I moved away to college in Bristol from where work took me into the bus and coach industry in London and the South East,

“Somerset cricket has been part of my life for 50 odd years so to bring the two together at the end of my working life was an opportunity that I never ever expected.”

How did it all come about? “We’d moved back to the west country to bring up the family and in 2013 I went along to a Devon and Cornwall Area Committee Meeting where CEO Guy Lavender was hosting.

“I knew there had been a few problems with the travel arrangements that year so went up to Guy, introduced myself and said if I could be of any help or offer advice then Somerset should contact me - not expecting to hear any more. However the next day he phoned me and invited me to go into meet him.”

Little did Nick know that this was the start of a new lease of life for him that would combine his passion for Somerset cricket and his professional expertise.

After three years of driving the team bus for another company in 2018 he bought a coach since when he has spent his entire summers transporting Somerset teams to their away matches.

Nick talked about the way he had been embraced by the team on their away travels. “The way that the team treat me and treat the coach is just so special. The squad just make me feel an integral part of the away team and when you are spending that amount of time together this is such a huge thing.

He went on: “The last few seasons have been truly remarkable - 2019 was the first trophy since I started which was amazing as we hadn’t won anything for a long time and it was the start of an era for this group of players.”

Nick recounted something that happened after the Vitality Blast Final in September. “I was just leaving the ground when the head steward at Edgbaston came up to me. He said ‘Ive been looking for you, I just wanted to say how pleased we all are that you won. We always love having you here, your guys are always so friendly, so respectful to us and we are just as chuffed that you won.’

“I guess we can’t all be great cricketers but we can be great people and you are and I think that’s what makes this club and this team so special.”

Nick added: “I’ve been so lucky to have been involved like I have and the way that I have been treated is so special. Next year I will be here watching as a spectator but I have so many fond memories from my time driving Somerset and they will last forever.”