Love is in the air

IT IS the worst-kept secret in Warilla " Gorillas' president Mark Roberts and Secretary Sue Roberts will renew their wedding vows during halftime of their side's South Coast league clash with Albion Park at Cec Glenholmes Oval on Saturday.

Roberts, the Gorillas' president for the past two seasons, originally planned to keep his plan secret from all but a few confidants " but he let the cat out of the bag.

"Three quarters of Warilla know about it," Roberts said.

"I was just going to get Sue onto the field to "?draw a raffle' and then bam! Ask her to have our vows renewed."

A small disagreement led to Mark letting slip his romantic plan earlier in the week.

"We had a disagreement and I went to head out for a while " I stormed back in and said "?oh yeah, by the way, we were going to have our vows renewed when the boys played Albion Park."

Sue said she was shocked when she heard about Mark's plan.

"It's great that he wants to do this " I love him for it," she said.

"He's always been romantic."

"It's not about us, it's about football and the boys," Mark said.

"I just want to share something special in my life with them. I just want people to know we're a family club."

The pair, clad in Gorillas' jerseys, will be joined by their children, Terence, 23, Adele, 17 and Riley, 15, who will wear junior jerseys for the ceremony.

Terence is an ex-player while Riley plays with the club's under 16s.

Mark has served on Warilla's committees for the past 11 years, and is in his fifth year on the senior committee.

He has served as secretary, registrar, and treasurer and is in his second year as president.

Sue is in her first year as secretary and performs day-to-day duties with the club on game days.

The reason for such an unusual setting for a marriage ceremony is simple " the Roberts' love the club.

"The Gorillas are like family to us, it is a family club," Mark said.

"I think the world of the club's supporters, sponsors and players - everybody we want to be there will be there.

"We were always planning to renew our wedding vows, it was suggested we do it at halftime of one of our home games against Shellharbour or Albion Park and here we are."

And the ideal wedding present? The Gorillas to topple the reigning premiers.

The Roberts' had planned to renew their wedding vows ever since their 2002 wedding.

They had originally planned to have a ceremony during a holiday on Hamilton Island in November but opted to have a ceremony closer to home.

The Roberts will celebrate the renewal of their marriage vows and what they hope will be a spirited Gorillas' showing with club mates after the game.