Rugby Club Magazine issue 97

We a r e a l s o o n l i n e: w w w. r u g by c l u b m a g . c o m

RUGBY ISSUE 97 £6.95

CLUB MAGAZINE

Newent RFC

Reigate RFC

“Our mini and youth section has underpinned almost everything we have achieved”

Thurrock RFC “A club for the future!”

Abertillery B.G. RFC

“On the road to redemption!”

Wath Upon Dearne RFC “A club rooted in family values!”

”Outstanding on and off the pitch!”

Old Saltleians RFC

“A story of survival and an attitude of total inclusion!”

Upton-Upon-Severn RFC

“Community Rugby at its Best!”

York RUFC “History Makers!”

Keyworth Rugby Club “One Family!” • Panmure RFC “A proper Rugby Club!”

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Welcome Halfway through the season and time to rest, drink, perhaps, and be merry!

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time for family and friends to come together. For those of us involved in rugby the word family is not misplaced when recalling the many lifelong friendships, we have made through this great sport.

If you have been around on this planet for a few seasons, then inevitably we will all have a few curved balls thrown at us; the ones that are sometimes difficult to catch, a bit like a bouncing rugby ball. However, the ball does stop and then we can see in hindsight its path and the direction it travelled in with clarity; only afterwards though. As human beings we need

others to help us up on our feet at times and to reciprocate by listen to a friend who needs to tell someone how they really feel. Rugby is top of the charts when it comes to this ilk of connection and communication. Rugby is friendship, rugby is connection, rugby is healing.

I hope you all enjoy the clubs that have taken part in this latest edition. A special thankyou to Ralph Henderson and his great contribution to this issue; just another inspiring friend I have met on my own journey.

May 2024 be a splendid year for all our readers, I leave you with a favourite speech by Theodore Roosevelt: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong person stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the one who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Yours in Rugby

MeettheTeam PUBLISHING Morgan Bernard Ltd 36 Cedar Crescent Gateshead Tyne & Wear NE9 6ES www.rugbyclubmag.com PRINTING Bang On Print Arch 17 Forth Goods Yard, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3PG www.bangonprint.co.uk MEDIA DIRECTOR Martin Morgan E: martin@rugbyclubmag.com FINANCE COORDINATOR Michelle McGregor E: accounts@sportip.biz PHOTOGRAPHY COORDINATOR Maria Kearney E: copy@sportip.biz EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Jane Morgan E: editorial@rugbyclubmag.com HEAD OF MAGAZINE DESIGN Rowena Wilson E: rowenawilsondesign@gmail.com HEAD OF EDITORIAL CONTENT Damien Lagan E: editorial@sportip.biz

Martin Morgan

DISCLAIMER COVER IMAGE © York RUFC RUGBYCLUB MAGAZINE

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any mean, or stored in a retrieval system without prior written permission, except as permitted under the copyright designs and patents act 1998. Applications for permission for use of copyright material shall be made to the publishers.

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CONTENTS 06 York RUFC

56 Mosborough RUFC

12 Thurrock RFC

60 Old Saltleians RFC

21 Keyworth RFC

66 Bognor RFC

26 Newent RFC

70 Cambuslang RFC

36 Upton-Upon-Severn RFC

74 Reading Abbey RFC

41 Kenilworth RFC

80 Lordswood Rugby Club

44 Braintree RFC

84 Reigate RFC

48 Panmure RFC

90 Wath Upon Dearne RUFC

53 Thornton Cleveleys RUFC

100 Charlton Park Rugby Club 106

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Abertillery B.G. RFC

36

60

100

41 12

21

53

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York RUFC

I first joined York RUFC as a social member in the late 1980’s. It was close by and a group of us decided it was a good place to drink!

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The club would not be able to succeed or possibly even survive if it wasn’t for the valuable support of our sponsors.

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fter a while we got to know Allan Robertshaw – he was a former player, captain and then Fixture Secretary. We soon discovered that Allan (or Big Al) had played 1075 games for the 1st XV (meriting an entry in the Guinness Book of Records), followed by over 300 games for the 3rd XV! In 2002, he ‘took’ a 3rd XV fixture and put a team together to mark his 60th birthday – Big Al played the full 80 minutes. From then on, I started watching rugby at Clifton Park after being a follower of York City FC since 1963. (One of my sisters took me to see a 1st Round FA Cup tie against Carlisle United on 16th November. We lost 5-2 and I’ve never forgotten my sister’s generosity!)

I started taking photographs at some of the games and then took responsibility as match photographer from around 2010. In season 20152016 I became ‘Head of

Communication’ which involved editing the match programme, updating the club website, organising a team of match reporters, match gate steward, match photographer and a member of the York RUFC Committee!

I wasn’t greedy, it’s just difficult to get volunteers these days!

The Junior Section is extremely important to the club – 350 junior members from 6 to 16 train/play each week providing the opportunity of progression within the age groups whilst enjoying all the benefits that team sport provides. Each age group has separate coaches and team managers who in most cases also progress with the players through their years in the Junior Section. This provides the opportunity to work together in the Colts, along with guest coaches, playing in the style of the 1st and 2nd XV. Many of our current 1st and 2nd XV players have come through

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the Junior Section and is a true testimony of loyalty and how ‘playing with their mates’ really does ensure continuity and enjoyment.

While play was suspended nationally during the pandemic, I decided that the time was right to write a record of the club which was formed in 1928. A Golden Jubilee brochure had been produced in 1978 but I included more of the club’s history, photographs, progress by season as well as lists of team captains through the years.

Copies are still available!

Currently we are very

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close to the top of the league and all the players are enjoying and revelling in the experience. This feeling spreads to everyone at the club and also encourages more spectators to attend the games. The success of the 1st XV encourages all the players at the club to improve their skills and look forward to the day when they get their opportunity. For the last ten years, we have based our progress using ‘home grown’ talent rather than mortgaging our future. Promotion at the end this season will be just rewards for the hard work

from the coaching/support staff and the players and let’s see just how far we can go!

Our aims remain to take the players at the club as high as they can in the leagues and to make Clifton Park the best place for rugby in Yorkshire.

The recent home game coincided with a return visit to the club by former player Paul Williams. Paul played for the club for three years from 2008/2009 before returning home to New Zealand and taking up refereeing after a couple of injuries. He had officiated at the Rugby World Cup in France and took the

opportunity to come to the club whilst ‘in the area’! Toby Baker, a former Junior at the club and now capped at England U18 level, has just donated a shirt to inspire the Junior Section players.

Like many grass roots clubs, a ‘return to rugby’ after the pandemic was not easy but we are now seeing an increase across the whole club. The feelgood factor is spreading from the 1st’s throughout all teams. The Women’s XV has returned to action after a short break and has increased its membership and once again playing in

TOM FRANK FORMER PAYER, SUPPORTER, SHIRT SPONSOR: ICE 3 GROUP

I played most of my rugby at Malton Rugby Club, usually in their front row, before heading of to Nottingham and then London, so my rugby at York RUFC really started in the Vets sides around 2006.

York RUFC has also struck me as quite a unique entity as even before I joined the club it always was a real hub amongst the local business community and seemed to be able to marry business dynamics and acumen with the camaraderie particular to many sports. There is also a very good connection between multi sports represented at the club whether cricket, golf, tennis or rugby.

This season brought surprise and joy in watching our teams perform with a pleasant

surprise in the realisation of how far the 1st XV had come over the past seasons. To now be competing at the top of Regional 1 North East league, is a great achievement and of course the excellent victory against Harrogate earlier in the season was outstanding!

My company Ice Cubed Property Finance are in our 2nd year of sponsoring the club so its great to support the club and community in all their endeavours as well as have our names on the Women`s kit which is becoming a thriving and welcome addition to our club and this great sport of rugby.

My self and all our staff at Ice 3 Group wish everyone at York Rugby Club all the very best of continued success for the remainder of the 2023/2024 campaign and for many more seasons to come!

“Delighted to be a main sponsor of York RUFC!”

www.ice3group.com

a league with sponsorship from our headline sponsor Ice Cubed Property Finance.

The Women’s team is for over 18 and there is a Girls team for 11 to 17 years old. Both age groups have their own coaches etc.

As very much a community club, we also have a thriving touch rugby section playing twice a week such is the demand. Inclusive Walking rugby is now being provided at York RUFC linked in with Over 50’s. For the more competitive there is an increased recruitment exercise to join the Vets at their

training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday.

The club would not be able to succeed or possibly even survive if it wasn’t for the valuable support of our sponsors. We were fortunate to secure a new Headline Sponsor last season, Ice Cubed Property Finance is headed by former York RUFC player Tom Frank and he’s very active in his support of York RUFC. Tom’s association with the club has encouraged others to follow suit and add their support going forward.

York RUFC are an important part of York Sports Club. It’s

made up of York Cricket Club, York Squash Club, York Tennis Club as well as York RUFC. It’s a place where people meet, where people play, where people mix and where club members support each other. It creates a superb environment that members enjoy being part

of; the function rooms offer suitable space for a wide range of events from committee meetings to 120+ dinners or parties. It’s location is ideally situated and the setting is peaceful and tranquil – a great place to watch sport or just relax with a glass of your favourite tipple!

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KEVIN JOHNSON THE MANAGER YORK SPORTS CLUB

We are situated in one of England’s most historic and prestigious cities and York Sports Club boasts some of the finest sports facilities in Yorkshire as well as a great public bar and superb function rooms that are used by all the teams and are available to hire by anyone. We were established in 1966 at our Clifton Park site and we are home to four of York’s premier sport Clubs, York Rugby Club, York Cricket Club, York Squash Club and York Tennis Club.

It’s fantastic to see York RUFC doing so well both on and off the pitch. There is a real team spirit in the club

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and the social side of rugby is a big part of that. Like all sports clubs, it takes a lot of work and effort from the many members, coaches, volunteers and participants that give their time so freely to make the club run smoothly, and the financial support given by our sponsors and supporters that watch the games is invaluable.

Rugby is a sport that is very much enjoyed at our club and that is apparent when you look at the numbers in our Senior section, Youth section, Women’s and Touch teams, but it is also fair to say that we are very proud of the fact that many of our members enjoy friendships and involvement across the Cricket, Tennis and Squash clubs here at Clifton

Park as well. We are all one big team and that makes this venue a great all year round place to play and watch sport.

We are all very proud that York RUFC are currently on top of the league at the highest level we have ever played, (National Level 5) and everyone at York Sports Club wishes them all the very best for continued success for many more seasons to come!

York RUFC was founded in 1928 although rugby union was played around the district in the late 1860’s.

Following the dispute over split time payments, The Northern Union was created, York FC became York RLFC and played rugby league.

Hence the formation of York RUFC. The early years were spent in a ’nomadic’ fashion as they moved from ground to ground until settling in a ‘permanent’ home in the outskirts of the city in Bishopthorpe, just before the 2nd World War. After

the war, they couldn’t return to Bishopthorpe so settled into new surroundings at Hob Moor where they rented a pitch from York Corporation when they took over land previously used by the Railway Institute Golf Club; the club took over two railway carriages which had been locker rooms to use as changing rooms. The Railway Institute Golf Club House was purchased for £300 and baths, showers, kitchen and bar installed. The ‘new’ clubhouse was opened in December 1947. They won the Yorkshire Shield in 1948-49 and again in 1963-64. The club moved to Clifton Park ready for the 1966-67 season to surroundings far different from what we see today. Being no longer ‘fit for purpose’, the existing club facilities were rebuilt in two stages – the first part, 6 dressing rooms etc and a large upstairs function room were opened in 2009, with a new bar to replace the existing one together with another two function rooms, completed a year later. Now, balconies

overlooked the excellent facilities at Clifton Park.

In the first half of the 2010’s, we were pushing towards the top of Yorkshire 1 without ever quite getting there, although we won the Yorkshire Shield in 2006/2007.

In 2015/16, Lee Denham took over as Head Coach with Ian Thompson alongside and a period of success followed with the promotion out of Yorkshire 1, followed by two seasons in North One East, a year out through Covid in 2020/21, 2021/22 in North Premier, then 2022/23 and 2023/24 in Regional One North East; Level 5 in the RFU Pyramid – the highest level the club has ever played at!

Like many clubs, Covid-19 took its toll on York through lock down but thanks to the players, committee and supporters we managed to ‘come out the other side’ in a reasonable condition while still competing with ‘big money’ clubs. Although we lost some of the club’s stalwarts, we were able to resume in 2021/22 looking forward.

We had decided that we needed to replace our stand which was built in 1984 and

the losses suffered through the pandemic spurred us on.

Fundraising started and we opened the first part of the development this season.

Work is now underway to complete the work which will include a bar/refreshment servery, male, female and disabled toilets, together with equipment storage areas for both Senior and Junior players. The fundraising continues and all donations are gratefully welcomed.

All images were either taken or supplied by Rob Long.

CONTACT THE CLUB

Clifton Park Shipton Road York YO30 5RE

01904 623602 www.yorkrufc.co.uk

York RUFC, 1st & 2nd XV, 2023-24, by Rob Long.

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Thurrock, a club for the future “...who are still enjoying their achievements as well as their plans!”

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evin Wakeford, Richie Martin and Neil Wittey drove through the London Irish ruck with unprecedented power. The famed Exiles, fielding six Internationals were shellshocked and Martin Eyles infiltrated the blind-side to throw a dummy and wrongfoot incumbent Ireland scrum-half Rob Saunders.

His pace and stealth helped Thurrock into a lead that was extended through the boot of John Steven and the tenacity of Barry Magnurson.

Glorious defence from Richard Gaches’s team and unforced errors contributed to the 16-10 victory, making this Thurrock’s finest hour in front of two and a half thousand delirious followers!

The team spirit engendered by coaches Steve Putz and Mark Suckling had been a key factor in withstanding a late Irish onslaught.

The following day, Richard Gaches appeared on the B.B.C.’s iconic programme, Rugby Special, where presenter, Chris Rea described the Oakfield event as “The biggest upset in the history of rugby!”

Throughout its history, Thurrock has achieved greatness on a few memorable occasions: those halcyon days of unrivalled Cup success in the seventies and eighties that led to the club appearing in Rothman’s Rugby Year Book as one of England’s top 16 teams; Centenary Middlesex Sevens Finals at Twickenham in 1980 where the team appeared on “Grandstand” and were “the darlings of the crowd” in the Quarter Final against London Scottish. In 1981, Thurrock became the first English club to hire a whole train for the journey to Exeter

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to play what would become one of the World’s most famous clubs. Exeter won by the narrowest of margins in almost impossible conditions at the famous County Ground, the venue for the All Blacks first ever game on British soil against Devon in 1905!

Amazingly, in the seventies Thurrock were coached

by Doctor Doug Smith and Carwyn James, the celebrated management team that had plotted the only British and Irish Lions’ series win over the All Blacks in 1971!

Doug Smith was a resident of Orsett in Thurrock and was dubbed “The Witch Doctor” for his accurate prediction that the Lions would win the series against New Zealand by two tests to one; that they would draw the final test and JPR Williams would drop a goal.

Dr Doug Smith formed a tremendous partnership with former player Dr Alistair Farquharson of President and Chairman which heralded a new era in Thurrock’s history.

At the same time battalions of Welsh teachers migrated to Essex, not only to ply their trade, but also to play rugby for the local club and coach their students in rugby. People like Norman Brown, Brian Howells, Gordon Eckley, Dave Cheshire, Keith Richards, Graham Morris and Clive Beynon had paved the way for the likes of Bob Williams, Brian Davies and Ray Davies to establish an outstanding rugby culture in the primary schools.

Before this era the club coaching was done by the captain and players, usually under car lights at William Edwards School or at Blackshots on a Sunday morning. Clive Beynon became one

A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit

Greek proverb

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of the most successful captains in the club’s history before a coaching career and, eventually, Head Groundsman! In the eighties former club President, Brian Howells, played and coached, as well as being the club treasurer! Brian Howells and his wife, Diane are almost co-Presidents whose whole lives have been devoted to the club. Indeed without the sterling work of people like the Howells’ family, the commercial nous of former Second Rows Jon Langley and Mike Dunk, Jason Bedding, Colin Rate and Mick Leckenby the club would probably have ceased to exist during difficult times.

Saracens captain Don Harrigan brought renewed success, before handing over the reins to former captain, Steve Putz. Enter the fray, legendary All Black Hika Reid! How privileged this club has been?

Doug Smith arranged that Thurrock would play London Scottish as part of a Scottish trial for Anglo-Scots. Even

with seven internationals against them, Thurrock were the better team emerging with a 9-9 draw. Ray Davies kicked three penalties, before the unsighted referee disallowed Derek Saddington’s last minute try!

Thurrock now entered a period where their success meant that they probably played more cup games than any other team in the country. A last-minute drop goal by Ralph Henderson

brought the club’s first victory over Southend in the Essex Cup Final. There were 15 seasons of unrivalled success as Thurrock emerged as one of the top teams in Eastern England. There were so many great players in this era including three scrum-halves; Mark Suckling, Steve Bowen and John Mahoney, whilst centres Peter Worsfold, Ray Page, Ray Davies, fed mercurial wingers Dennis Stone, Ivan Whittall, Trevor Burge and Graham Davies, Keith Davies, John Poskett,Jeff Cave, Barry Magnurson, Craig White and Mick Marmion.

Mike Leckenby became a club legend, not least for his playing exploits but also for convincing a host of young ladies that he was a doctor!

These players were all backs and would have been stifled had it not been for some brilliant forwards such as Yorkshireman Terry Lax, props John White, Bernie Robinson and Kevin Wakeford. Mike Stirling was an outstanding number 8, whose father Robert Victor Stirling captained England in the 50s.

Derek Saddington, Mike Dunk, Norman Brown, Dan Foley and John Magnurson set the standard in the second row while the back row was populated by firstclass players such as Clive Beynon, Brian Davies, Don Harrigan, Graham Morris and Keith Richards.

This era was the high watermark of club rugby with Thurrock regularly fielding eight teams as well as a Colts XV. The club was a thriving commercial concern under the aegis of tireless Chairmen ranging from Barry Lawrence, Brian Godden, Brian Howells, Bob Heapy, the amazing Lew Hughes and Andy Stanford. The work done by club committees is inestimable and clubs would not survive without these brilliant volunteers. Mervyn

Nestled in the heart of Thurrock lies a sporting haven, boasting some of the finest facilities in the entire country, all thanks to a thriving partnership with the local Academy Trust. Here, where passion for excellence meets the love of the game, the grounds are a true testament to the dedication and hard work of those who tend to them.

As you step onto the main pitch, a vision of perfection unfolds before your eyes. It’s a testament to the meticulous care of Head Groundsman Clive Beynon, a maestro in his craft, who orchestrates this natural canvas with the skilled assistance of his deputies, Graham Morris

and Roger White. Together, they transform the pitch into a pristine and inviting arena where dreams are born and victories are celebrated.

Behind this team stands an equally dedicated duo of Deputy Under Groundsmen, Keith Davies and Bob Paterson, whose attention to detail ensures that every blade of grass is just right.

And while their expertise is unquestionable, they are not alone in their efforts. Ray Davies and Keith Richards, the temporary under ground staff, provide the extra hands needed to keep these grounds in peak condition.

But the magic doesn’t stop here. Close collaboration with Norwich

Jones, Brian Howells, Jeff Selway and Martin Healy have all contributed highly to the financial wellbeing of the club. The most important decision was taken to purchase land at Oakfield and build a clubhouse in 1979. Thanks to the tenacity of people like the late Bill Barnett. The ground was opened with a match against an International XV which starred great Welshmen, David Richards and Dai Morris. The commentator was British Lion Brynmor Williams.

With the advent of league rugby and the professional era Thurrock still continued in an upward trajectory especially during the Putz and Hika Reid years. Chris Fuller, Mark Chambers and Jason Smith had long careers Ian Jones after alongside the versatile Paul McCarthy, Richie Martin.

The high point came with that magical victory against

London Irish, taking thousands of supporters to Rosslyn Park Like many teams Thurrock went through the doldrums and endured some unfortunate relegations.

City Football Club adds a touch of prestige and expertise to the mix, further elevating the facilities to unparalleled heights. It’s a testament to Thurrock’s commitment to providing the very best for its athletes and visitors alike.

For those who wish to experience these remarkable grounds firsthand, Claire Love, the contact person for facility hire, extends a warm invitation. You can reach Claire at 07528406153, and she will be delighted to assist you in making your sporting dreams a reality. Thurrock’s grounds are not just fields of green; they are a testament to dedication, passion, and the unyielding pursuit of sporting excellence.

WOMEN’S RUGBY RECENT YEARS

The exploits of the Cup years provided the springboard for the next generation and the emergence of Women’s Rugby. The early pioneers were led by the visionary Debbie Gay, before the arrival of the phenomenon that is Mercedes Foy! With the Director of Rugby, Dean White and Head Coach, Jamie Daisley, she embarked on the mission of making Thurrock the best team in the country. Her drive and enthusiasm took her into the England team alongside the amazing talent that was Emily Scott. The best supported Ladies’ team in

the country soon attracted fellow England stars such as Rachel Burford, Kay Wilson, Sally Tuson, and Heather Fisher. In 2012, they won the Championship to reach England’s top tier

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and attracted the League’s biggest crowds. Emily Scott, daughter of former winger, Gavin Scott, went on to win a record number of caps at both fifteens and sevens. She won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games and was an Olympian at Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Women’s rugby has continued to be a major strength at Thurrock, with Dean White still at the helm and India Harvey captaining the side to even more success.

In 2011/2012 the First Team lost only one game in one of the best seasons in the club’s history. Ralph Henderson, M.B.E. started a development programme as Director of Rugby, with Head coaches, Michael Wilkins and Jamie Daisley continuing the fine work of Dave Pavitt and Martin Fahey. Darryl Worster was the captain and Mike Stanley had an incredible season, before becoming the club’s first player to appear in a World Cup, representing

Samoa in England in 2015.

Both Mike Stanley and Emily Scott, joined Jim Evans (who won caps for the England Saxons) in travelling to Thurrock schools to enkindle a love of sport in young people.

In the same season, the Colts won the Essex Cup, with a team that provided many of the current First Team.

With all other teams in the club winning their competitions this was dubbed “A Golden Season.”

The current team have maintained their position at level 6 over the last 5 seasons.

This is an exciting team built on youth with most players from the immediate locality.

Joss Nunn, Jake Barrand, Alex Jones, Dritan Loka and Jake Bedding have been key players until the emergence of Henry Bird, Niall Clifford and Captain, Ben Timson. DoR, Martin Jones alongside coaches Dave Stevens and Dave Catchpole are starting to bring the best out of a team that will shock many in the future.

It is strange, the power that sport has to evoke memories of the past, as well as to inspire our hopes for the future. It is not just about nostalgia, but a genuine belief that aspiration is the sequel to inspiration and the success of previous generations is a keystone to ensuring a culture of achievement.

Key to rugby’s ongoing development is the

commitment of former players and parents to involving their offspring in a safe and stable club environment, even the very youngest members of the community are playing rugby as The Little Acorns. Thurrock has a thriving and exciting junior and mini section.

Fostered by Ken Laybourn, Sunday mornings bring together hundreds of young rugby players in a safe and friendly environment.

HISTORY IS BUNK

For almost 100 years, it has been thought that Thurrock RFC was founded in 1928.

Indeed there is a sparkling new sign on the Club wall which makes this statement.

However, fascinating research by co-authors of a new book about the history of Thurrock,

by Jon Langley and Ralph Henderson has discovered that the Club dates back to 1894, being formerly called Grays RFC and Grays Thurrock RFC. The Club has played at a variety of venues throughout the last 100 years, the most recent move in 1979 to Oakfield when the prescience of the Committee and Bill Barnett acquired the present day site.

Most Rugby websites start with the club’s history, so it is unique that this one starts with a vision of the future! “All men dream, but not equally.

Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes to make them possible. Lawrence of Arabia.

THURROCK’S NEW FACILITIES

Some 20 years ago, John King, Ralph Henderson and Steve Munday, the Senior Staff, discussed the possibility of ensuring William Edwards’ continued domination of local sport through building a new school close to most of the borough’s sporting venues at King George V playing fields which encompassed a variety of sports including an Athletics Stadium, swimming pool, bowls cricket and the Civic Hall; all adjacent to Thurrock

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Rugby Club.

In 2018 in the days of prepandemic optimism, Steve Munday, the C.E.O. of the new South-West Essex Community Education Trust resurrected a vision of building a new school in the vicinity of Thurrock Rugby Club and creating a “Hub of Sport” at the heart of the Borough. Having been a P.E. teacher and former Head at William Edwards School, he was cognisant of the impact of sport on young people and how it is integral to achieving a fully-rounded education.

At an early meeting, there was some opposition to the proposal until one former player pointed out that this was not about the present, but about our children , grandchildren and future generations. Suddenly the potential of this proposal became apparent. Steve Munday began working feverishly with the local authority, management and Trustees of Thurrock R.F.C. to make this dream a reality and, when the club appointed Dave Pavitt as it’s liaison manager, the project gained momentum.

In September, 2020 Orsett Heath Academy was opened to great public acclaim. The outcome is spectacular and the magnificent new buildings and facilities will inspire players and supporters for the foreseeable future.

Currently the new facilities, including an Artificial Pitch which was voted in the top six in the country, are shared between S.W.E.C.E.T. and Thurrock.

However when the substantive school is completed, there will be a “Hub of Sport” as good as any in the country. There will be opportunities for Function suites, Corporate boxes overlooking the pitch, shops, a Physiotherapy Centre, Sports Analysis and Media Rooms as well as accommodation for staff.

The enlightenment of building a school in this environment is to be applauded and great credit should also go to the architect and builders who completed the first phase in rapid time in spite of the ravages of the COVID pandemic and an unprecedented storm season.

Rugby and education are inexorably linked. The game

is named after Rugby School in Warwickshire where legend has it that schoolboy, William Webb Ellis, whilst losing patience at kicking a ball around and never scoring a goal, picked it up and started running with it.

Now that the school is playing rugby at the Club, there has emerged a natural pathway through the ages and stages of sport, straight through to the First Team.

This has been reinforced by the imminence of a Sixth Form which will expedite transition straight into the Seniors.Director of Rugby, Martin Jones, working closely with Development Director, Ralph Henderson, Paul McCarthy, Chairman, Andy Stanford and Youth Chairman, Ken Laybourn, set up The Thurrock Rugby Academy with David Harries as the first manager. With David’s emigration to warmer climes, the mantle was taken by the ubiquitous, Ben Stanley, aided and abetted by Wayne Treadwell, and goes from strength to strength.

In England, the all important “Pathways” into Senior Rugby are still dominated by the Public schools and the Academies of Premiership clubs. This is evidenced by glancing at the winners of the Schools’ National Cup in England since its inception at Under 18 level in 1990.

The competition was won on numerous occasions by schools such as Whitgift or Grammar schools like Reigate. It wasn’t until 2002 that a John Davies inspired Campion broke the mould by defeating Cranbrook 15-11 in the final. This demonstrates that it is possible to break into the higher echelons of the game with the right structures in place.

“Education is the passport for the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”- Malcolm X. With many local students having been fostered through Thurrock’s primary and secondary schools and tutored through the minis, the new Academy will provide a set up second to none.

At the epicentre is Orsett Heath Academy. All major clubs have strong affiliations with its local schools and some are in close proximity like Bishop’s Stortford College which is about 100 metres from the National One team, but I can’t think of any club which has had a school built alongside the pitch! And what a delight on a Wednesday afternoon to look out of a classroom window and watch youngsters picking up the ball and “running with it”, echoes of 1823.

There is no doubt that this has been one of the most memorable events at Oakfield since its opening in 1979 and is sure to have a lasting legacy for many years to come.

“We are delighted that Orsett Heath Academy opened on time with a full complement of Year 7 pupils. This wouldn’t have been foreseeable without the support of the whole community.

A special thank you to everyone at Thurrock Rugby Club who helped make this ambitious partnership project a reality. There are truly exciting times ahead!” - Mr Steve Munday, the man who was bold enough to “dream during the day”!

An Odyssey by definition is a long and eventful or adventurous journey or experience and that’s a perfect description for one of England’s oldest established rugby clubs, that played its first match in the last decade of the 19th century when the newly formed Grays RFC hosted Streatham and Croydon’s 3rd XV. There have been many books written about Rugby, its history, clubs and famous players but less is known about the men and women who helped to make the sport what it is today, with over 10 million players worldwide. This Odyssey begins in 1894 with Grays RFC through to its present-day incarnation, Thurrock RFC, highlighting not only the club’s history but how its members embraced the sport both on and off the field of play.

It is strange, the power that sport has to evoke memories of the past, as well as to inspire our hopes for the future.

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SOME OF THURROCK’S WELL-KNOWN PLAYERS

Hika Reid was an All Black who has coached all over the World and became Thurrock’s player-coach.

Hika has been selected as a member of the greatest Maori All Black Team in Rotorua’s Rugby museum.

He coached Thurrock against Harlequins and is a legend of the game.

unlikely to be beaten unless somebody does it artificially.

Henderson benefited from a great pack of forwards to whom he always gives credit.

Welsh fly-half Paul Turner,got closest with 25,which is the highest in the English Premiership.

Henderson played for Abertillery and Glamorgan shire before spending the rest of his life at Thurrock.

THE STANLEY FAMILY

Legendary All Black, Joe Stanley( “Smokin Joe”) played for New Zealand in the inaugural World Cup of 1987.

Joe’s brother emigrated to England and joined Thurrock Rugby Club.

There were four children,all of whom attended William Edwards,the local school.

The oldest Ben was a fine all- rounder who played at

Jim Evans was a student at William Edwards school and played for Thurrock.

Initially a back,Jim played for Harlequins for ten years.

He was a European winner and represented England Saxons.

Emily Scott is a local product who teaches at the local school.

Emily played for England over 30 times and represented G.B. at the Rio Olympics.

She won a Commonwealth bronze and is now a highly successful coach.

Mercedes Foy was a local teacher who surpassed all expectation by forcing her way into the England team.

Mercedes was a fantastic leader and captained Thurrock Ladies over many seasons as well as being at the heart of social events.

Currently runs Rugby in the Cayman Islands.

Bedford after helping his school team reach the quarter finals of the England Sevens alongside current captain,Ben Timson.

Ben played first team rugby for many years and is now the Academy Manager who performs a plethora of other roles.

Michael Stanley was incredibly gifted,playing for England at every level.

He joined Thurrock in 2011 and became the catalyst for a giant leap forward with several other key players joining the Club.

He was advised to move to New Zealand and promptly got snapped up to play for Samoa in the 2015 World Cup A brilliant all-round player,he was a great asset to the Club.

Sam Stanley was a fly- half in the same year group as current England stars George Ford and Owen Farrell.

Indeed the R.F.U.website announced that sons of England greats( Mike Ford and Andy Farrell) will play alongside the nephew of legendary All Black,Joe Stanley.

As well as playing for Saracens,Sam represented England in the World series before returning to his home side.

Sister Olivia is extremely proud of her brothers and Thurrock is greatly indebted to this wonderful family.

To hire the Club’s facilities, please contact Club Manager Jane Burrows on 07748077665 or Claire Love on 07528406153

Sally Tuson was an exceptionally powerful runner who scored some wonderful tries for England.

Later became a Backs coach with the First Team.

Rachel Burford one of England’s most capped players.

Kay Wilson, a flying winger for Thurrock and England. A former student of Cardiff Met. Heather Fisher, An outstanding back - row forward.

India Harvey, another outstanding player who played age grade Rugby for England and captained Thurrock to Championship victory THURROCK’S WORLD RECORD

In 1978, Thurrock’s Ralph Henderson broke the World record for the highest number of drop goals in a season.

Club statistician,Eddie Pugh had pointed out that the record of 25 was held by England fly- half,Les Cusworth.

Henderson was on 20 and over one weekend dropped six goals to overtake Cusworth. Eventually the record went to 39 and is

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CONTACT THE CLUB

Oakfield, Long Ln, Grays RM16 2QH left to right, Dr Doug Smith, Carwyn James, Clive Beynon, Alistair Farquharson, Barry Lawrence.

01375 374877 www.thurrockrfc.com

JON LANGLEY THURROCK RFC

My rugby journey began in 1964 when I went to the newly built Barstable Grammer School in Basildon. I’d never played rugby before and was fortunate enough to be taught by Meirion Jones, one of a large number of Welsh school teachers that had moved to Essex in the 1960’s. I was already over 6 foot in height and a bit of a lump so it was inevitable I’d finish up in the second row. Rugby and Basketball were the focus of my sporting life and by the age of 16 I was in the school 1st XV when Meirion encouraged me to join Basildon RFC as a colt. During the season the school matches were played on Saturday morning followed by a quick trip home to get a fresh set of kit and then turn out for Basildon in the afternoon – almost impossible to contemplate such energy levels in later life! Meirion left the school and moved to a new job in Gloucestershire and little did I realise then, that I’d meet him again nearly 20 years later when I moved to the same county.

After Meirion’s departure, Alan Eaton took over as Head of Sport and as First XV captain I benefited greatly from the wealth of experience he brought from his playing days at Blackheath. Call-ups to play for Essex and then Eastern Counties Under 19’s came my BILL BROWN SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: BROCK HAULAGE

I was born in 1943 in Croydon and went to Grays Grammar School after passing my 11 plus, but it wasn’t until many years later that I was introduced to the rugby club.

My family have always had a close association with the club over many years with my son Nathan having played for Thurrock’s infamous 4th team and both my daughters and my grandchildren Carter and Leo are all connected with the club.

Carter plays for the U10`s,

way before I let the school and took a break from playing rugby to concentrate on my new job commuting into central London.

By chance I met a friend, John Curtin, who I’d played against in schoolboy rugby and he encouraged me to join Thurrock RFC at the end of the 1972/1973 season which was thriving following the introduction of a large number of outstanding Welsh schoolteachers combined with some exciting local talent. By the end of the season, I’d made my way from the 5th team to a debut in the 1st team in a home game against Barking and that was the start of a long and wonderful association with Thurrock.

By the time I left the club to move to Gloucestershire in 1980 I was fortunate enough to have played in the ‘number 4’ shirt in 5 Essex Cup Finals and 3 Eastern Counties Cup Finals, a period now regarded as a golden period in the club’s history. More importantly whilst at Thurrock, I met my wife to be Tricia in 1973 after a cup match and we are happily together 50 years later with 3 children and 3 grandchildren.

I continued to play rugby in Gloucestershire as Club Captain of Tewkesbury RFC in 1981/2 and finally called it a day after a season with Worcester RFC in 1984/5. and is a great tackler, and Leo plays for the U16`s, is a phenomenal athlete playing outside centre usually. As my grandchildren have become more involved, I have naturally become more involved too.

My company Brock Haulage is also a club sponsor, and we enjoy giving a little back to help support club and community. As a club Thurrock provides a safe and fun place for young and old alike. Without their presence there would be a huge whole in our local community. Myself, my family wish everyone at the club all the very best of continued success for many years to come!

ROBIN O`CONNELL, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: HDS SECURITIES

I am originally from Cork, Ireland and have been involved in rugby all my life whether as a player, usually 2nd row or number 8, as coach or as a fan. As former Youth & Mini Chairman at Stanford Rugby club for several years, and still and existing coach over at Thames RFC, I have had the privilege of mingling and getting to know many great people at other rugby clubs who we played against including Thurrock where I have formed some great relationships.

More recently, over the past 3 years, I have become more involved with Thurrock and had the honour of giving a little back through sponsorship with my business HDS Securities.

It has been great to witness how the club has evolved and progressed over the years particularly during the last 5. Both their on and off field successes, with the full array

of teams from minis, to ladies and seniors, coupled with the new developments on the horizon has firmly established them as as a well organised and true community club.

Particular note has to go to the T-Birds who under the excellent tutelage of Dean White and his team have reached unprecedented hights in women’s rugby; and not finished yet. It’s been a real privilege to get to know them all. The camaraderie, banter and atmosphere that the girls create is astonishing and can only be admired and learned from.

Thurrock Rugby Club is the epitome of a real Family club.

You only have to watch the 7 or 800 children running around on the weekend who otherwise may be out on the streets without the friendships and coaching that are benefiting them now and for their future.

The club has an abundance of unsung heroes that tirelessly give of themselves in small and bigger ways and who are a credit to the town and to rugby!

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JAN LILLEY CLUB SUPPORTERS AND SPONSORS: J & M BELTS.

I was born and raised in Orsett, Grays and myself and twin brother Mark have played squash at the club for the past 20 years.

I am also an avid Hockey player and a current U18`s coach so to have the excellent facilities we enjoy at Thurrock is great for my sport and particularly the advantage of an all-weather hockey pitch is a real bonus for us Hockey players!

As a sponsor with our business J & M Belts we have always enjoyed helping the club and our

local community.

Thurrock is moving forward with its latest phase of development and to have such a well-run multi-sport facility available for local people can only be a good thing. Recognition has to go to the many people and their hard work at Thurrock Rugby Club who have made this happen; Jason Bedding & Ralph Henderson to mention just a few.

Mark and I would like to wish everyone at Thurrock Sports all the very best of continued enjoyment and success for many more years to come, keep up the good work!

“Very Proud of our Association with Thurrock RFC”

Grays: 01375 375924/373975 Latchingdon: 01621 744244 24hr Callout: 07957 828693

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Thurrock RFC owe a great debt to Marc and Jane Burrows for their outstanding contribution to Thurrock Rugby Club. They have committed many years to ensure continuity, continued growth and success to our club!

MIKE DUNK THURROCK RFC GENERAL MANAGER, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: EVERYDAY LTD

I went to a soccer school in my youth and only started playing rugby when I arrived a university where I played in my lifelong position as a 2nd row forward, and very occasionally No.8. I played most of my rugby at Dudley Kingswindford RFC and had the honour of being skipper in the early eighties playing over 160 games for the club.

I moved north to Chester Rugby Club afterwards adding another 60 games to my overall match talley before settling at Thurrock RFC. In the course of my time at Thurrock I took on a joint role as DOR with Ralph Hendeson & Steve Putz witch ultimately led me into the position I am in now as the clubs GM where amongst other duties I deal with player registration.

I have only missed two games this season and witnessed a similar journey for the team as last season. Many of our league competitors are semi-pro clubs and therefore pay their players which is something we don`t do. Over the course of the season, we have had some very positive results coupled with equally impressive performances which in no small part has been influenced by our excellent DOR Martin Jones who came to us via London Welsh.

With some outstanding young players coming through our U15 & U16 teams, as well as a very good Colt`s team, the future is looking very exciting for our club.

Clive Beynon is our talented Groundsman, Clive and his team ensure we have one of the best pitches in our region, helped by the advantage of a AGP pitch to keep the use on the grass pitches to a minimum and allowing us to manage training and playing times amongst our many teams effectively.

Being involved in a number of small businesses I have been able to contribute to the club through sponsorship over the years usually helping out with the purchasing of teamwear. It’s always been a privilege to support the club and rugby in this way and to a sport that has given me so much.

I have made many great friendships amongst rugby and rugby clubs over the years, and it always astounds me to experience the respect we have for each other and the camaraderie that seems to be timeless. In a recent get together by members of our 27 member WhatsApp Gp, called The Survivors Gp, in honour of great and dear friend who passed away, the support was never in question. It’s the people that make our club what it is.

Wishing everyone at Thurrock RFC the very best of continued success on and off the pitch for the 2nd half of the 2023/2024 campaign and for many more seasons to come!

DAVE SACH SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR OAKFIELD PHYSIOTHERAPY

I suppose my first introduction to Thurrock RFC came through a physiotherapist who took me to a clinic attached to Thurrock RFC after I had sustained a serious leg injury during a Paintball War Games competition.

Kevin Lidlow, the therapist eventually became my physiotherapist and friend and who along with another very good NHS professional Greg Ritter helped me get literally back on my feet after a year and a half of not walking and 3 and half years of difficult mobility.

Leg amputation had been a reality as a young man back then in 1991 but with the help of these great men and mentors I not only returned to health but was inspired to become a physiotherapist myself.

My career took a change of direction then for my work had been as a plumber and I then enrolled in further education and went off to university. I haven’t looked back and still love and enjoy this chosen field of work to this day. What’s meant for you wont go by you!

When Kevin was headhunted, I kept on the clinic at Thurrock Rugby Club, eventually having to build new premises, for

the treatment of players and community. These days its always a pleasure to witness players I have worked with back then who are still competing successfully today and to see how they have grown.

My son Louie, who attends Orsett Heath Academy, played outside centre and winger for the club, through from the age of 9-14 so as I said I know many of his teammates who have matured into senior rugby players and great human beings. Louies is mostly concentrating on his love for athletics at the moment.

My company Oakfield Physiotherapy is also a club sponsor so it’s been a privilege to hep out a little over the years.

Thurrock RFC is without doubt a family club demonstrated by the willingness of senior players to help out the mini players. The club has grown a lot over the past 6 years and the camaraderie and closeness of the teams and members Is clear to see.

Congratulations to everyone at the club on being recognised in the lates edition of Rugby Club Magazine, keep doing what you are doing in providing continued opportunities for people to be connected and involved in sport and in this great club at Thurrock RFC!

“Very proud of our long association with Thurrock Rugby Club!”

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JASON BEDDING CLUB VC AND SPONSOR: TRUNK LOGISTICS

I was born and raised in the local area and played most sports growing up including rugby. My son Jake joined the club as a 7-year-old and I naturally became involved helping his team out through coaching to U16`s age group.

Thurrock became a real attraction for me born out of my own experiences of being there and time spent amongst the players and members. The culture was so attractive. Camaraderie was palpable and second to none and I could see how close the friendships were with everyone willing to help each other out and with a level of respect which was refreshing to be part of. I still see many of these young men, who I saw grow up through rugby, many years later and their level of courtesy and politeness has never diminished. As I speak about all the great effects, I watched in being part of Thurrock Rugby Club, I must say that I am also aware of the great influence it had on me personally; without a doubt I can reflect and say it helped mold me in many ways into a better person!

Jake`s journey took him, aged 22, to Oaklands College at Saracens then Blackheath Rugby Club for 6 years where he enjoyed and was part of an outstanding set up and standard of rugby. An excellent scrum half he is unfortunately out injured at the moment.

As well as being a club sponsor for 10 years and having experience in business negotiations for a long time I have also been able to help the club out with the new school’s partnership which will hopefully help our club move forward towards full self-sufficiency and ensure our future for many seasons to come.

Thurrock Rugby Club have an abundance of outstanding members and supporters who deserve a special mention and praise. I don’t believe they fully realise the tremendous and positive impact they have made to our club and in other people’s lives. The volume of contributors and unsung heroes come from all areas within the club. These people are for me what makes Thurrock such a great pillar of the local community and the best place around to spend your time!

“Very proud sponsors of Thurrock Rugby Club!”

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Keyworth RFC KEVIN PRICE CLUB CHAIRMAN

I first became involved in the Club in January 1977 as a fresh-faced student, originally from Leicester, lodging in accommodation in Keyworth.

Word soon spread that a rugby playing “lad” had moved in to the village and I was invited to attend training.

One Thursday training session later and I was selected to play the following Saturday; and the journey has simply continued from there, as well as playing regularly, acting as publicity secretary providing weekly match reports to the local press, with a stint as 2nd XV Captain and, when injured, becoming a post-match pint puller!

1985 saw my retirement from playing (more injuries and visits to the local A&E than is good for anyone really) after 278 appearances, then taking up refereeing for Club matches, and subsequently being elected as Club Chairman for the 1985-86 season. At least, one season was what I thought I was letting myself in for at the time. Chairmanship lasted until 1990 when I managed to pass on the role, and subsequently became Treasurer, fulfilling that role until 2001, when I was

re-elected as Chairman, a position held jointlyto this day with that of Treasurer (again!) since 2006.

I have been privileged to have enjoyed an incredible journey, fulfilling a number of roles, with Keyworth Rugby; a journey which I would never have imagined when I first joined, and one that has led to me becoming acquainted, and forming friendships, with so many, not just at the Club but in the wider local rugby community, as a result.

Like most Clubs, we’ve had our ups and downs. Perhaps the biggest challenge came in 1991 when a group of players were persuaded to leave and establish their own Club in a nearby village. An exodus of players saw our playing numbers reduced from four teams to two in an instant; but we survived.

We had been looking forward to the progression of Colts players into senior rugby as early as 2015 but that didn’t happen due to a number of players moving to bigger clubs or simply giving up the game, resulting in the relevant teams at that time disappearing.

With an increasingly older group of senior players, hence the decision

in 2018 to withdraw from the RFU League structure, the challenge was to recruit sufficiently to at least see us through the next four to five years, and ensure that the U14/15’s at that time were retained and developed towards senior rugby.

Of course, the pandemic did for us what it did for most - the challenge of keeping players engaged when there was no rugby to play and no socialising at the Club.

We didn’t have any magic formula other than the players themselves pulling together with the determination that rugby would come back on the calendar and the Club and they would be there when it did.

Thanks to the excellent coaching teams that challenge was met, both in terms of recruiting senior players and resulting in the successful transition of the 2021-22 Colts, a good 50% of whom are now playing senior rugby either on a regular basis or during university breaks.

The immediate playing ambitions have to be promotion for the 1st XV to Counties 2, and to consolidate their position there for the next two or three years, and to re-establish a regular 2nd XV in the local Merit Leagues; that, together with the retention of, and recruitment for, our current U13 and U14

player base to develop them towards future Colts, and ultimately Senior, rugby.

Off the pitch, our current plans centre around the development of our changing facilities to bring them more in line with current requirements.

The current changing rooms were designed when there were fifteen (if we were lucky!) players in a team, there were no physio benches (just a sponge bucket and an ash tray). They were economical on space then, so to accommodate twenty plus players, physios etc, in the same space now can be “cosy” to say the least. It would be nice to think that the development will have been achieved for our 50th season.

All coaching at the Club works towards the (TREDS) core values of the game; Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship, and [CARDS] Creativity, Awareness, Resilience, Decision Making and Self Organisation as priority skills in the development of the players.

We are keen, at senior level, to play an expansive, entertaining brand of 15-man rugby. This means that every player gets hands on the ball and is involved in a variety of set plays as well as open, unstructured play. Training sessions are a safe space where it is expected that

21

players will make mistakes as they learn new plays and enhance their skills. The two most import things we focus on are player enjoyment and, the one thing the coaches cannot, unfortunately, fully control, 100% effort from the players on match day.

The coaching teams at Age Grade level all work to those same core values.

The coaching is playercentred, the focus being on potential rather than current ability and the emphasis on enjoyment and encouraging a love of the game, which will hopefully encourage them to persuade others to join, and increase the likelihood that they themselves will ultimately progress to adult rugby.

The success of our Colts in 2021-22 and the retention of them through to senior rugby, the introduction of a new senior coaches in 201920 and 2022-23, an influx of players, winning games, and an enthusiastic supporters’ group, have all contributed towards providing a mood at the Club that is the best it’s been for a number of years.

Whilst we have yet to attract any ex-internationals to play for us, or to produce any ourselves for Mr Borthwick, we live in hope!

From the early days we have had a number of players join us from higher levels, on their path to retirement from the game, and likewise we’ve had a number of players who have gone on to play representative rugby, either whilst still playing for us or having moved to higher level clubs.

From our formation in 1976 we attracted a number of players who had played representative rugby for NLD, and one who had played for the Midlands XV. One of our regular players during the latter half of the 1980’s joined us from Nottingham where he had played during their heyday, when they fielded a number of international players.

We’ve had a number of players represent NLD at Colts, U20 and Senior XV level. Six of our 202122 Colts XV represented NLD, with one going on to represent the Midlands.

We have seen one player. who commenced their rugby journey with us at junior level, represent Exeter in the Premiership, and one player currently playing for Nottingham in the Championship who also started his rugby career with us as an U7, playing with our juniors through to U16.

From a Senior rugby view point the current situation is the best it’s been for a

22

number of years. Player recruitment, retention, and player commitment are all excellent, meaning that we are now able to field a more regular 2nd XV. There’s a buzz about the players which generates a feeling, whilst not being arrogant or overconfident, that further success is just around the corner.

Our U13’s and U14’s continue to improve, match by match, towards being our next Colts success story.

Our ambitions for the end of this season would have to be Promotion to Counties 2 for the senior 1st XV. To have achieved the maximum number of senior 2nd XV match opportunities.

Retention and recruitment at all age grade levels and particularly at U13 and U14 levels towards building another successful Colts team in 3 to 4 years’ time.

Age Grade Rugby, as the powers that be like to call it now, is a hugely important part of our Club. The benefits of it to the Club are clearly visible now in the senior sides where a number of our very successful 2021-22 Colts side, many of whom joined the Club as U7’s, are now playing.

That has to be the ambition; to see as many youngsters as possible progress through eight, nine or ten years of Age Grade Rugby and ultimately represent their Club at senior level.

We do consider ourselves to be a Community Club, although our location doesn’t make it easy to be part of the community from which our name is taken.

Whilst we do pull in players, supporters, and users of the facilities from the more local community, we do like to think of ourselves as open to the wider community, drawing members, supporters and users of our facility from the wider West Derbyshire, South Nottinghamshire and North Leicestershire community areas.

Our sponsors have always been a valuable asset. Where would any Club be without them? We do realise, though, that given our playing level and location we are unlikely to attract any major sponsorship from those seeking huge publicity. So, we rely on member contacts to bring in small sponsorship packages.

None has been more valuable than that of our principal sponsor over the period 1992-2013, Security Plus Limited, whose MD lived an Keyworth and whose sons played for the Club for a number of years, The support from them over twenty or so years undoubtedly provided us with a solid foundation for achieving

much of what we have today.

Regrettably, that relationship came to an end after 21 years, but their involvement with other community rugby clubs in neighbouring counties continues.

Our other longest association is with Nottingham based Castle Rock Brewery, whose sponsorship began in 2002 , and continues to this day.

Many others have assisted with varying and invaluable degrees of support over the years, with the current sponsors, in addition to Castle Rock Brewery, being Abacus Lighting, Elliotts Turf Supplies, Evans Landscaping, Home Trend Living, PS Midlands Ltd, Pheonix Technologies Limited, and our next-door neighbours Eurobale, and Happy Hay. Hopefully the above gives everyone an insight in to the Club, where we started, our journey to date, and our ambitions for the future.

None of this would have been achieved without a number of individuals, some who have sadly passed away, some simply are no longer involved, and some who have become stalwart workers and supporters towards OUR CURRENT the Club’s success.

CLUB STALWARTS

Steve Hale – 252 playing appearances, groundsman, barman, and someone who will put his hand to most things that need doing around the Club, Neil Hartland – 388 playing appearances, current match day playing facilities coordination, Cavan Kieran – 381 playing appearances, current chair of rugby, Jill Stimpson – has been at the Club in excess of 30 years serving at various times as membership secretary, fixture secretary, bar chair, match officials contact and permanently as catering guru.

Mike Waplington – our current President and one of those rarities at any Club in that he never played but has served the Club in one administrative capacity or another including Secretary and Treasurer since 1989.

Also worthy of note are the number of players that have achieved playing landmarks for the Club. At the end of the 2022-23 season there were one hundred and sixty players who have made one hundred or more playing appearances for the Club.

Of those one hundred and sixty, two have made over 700 appearances, three over 600, three over 500, ten over 400, twenty-two over 300, and thirty-five over 200.

The best way of saying why Keyworth Rugby Club is such a great place to be at, and part of, is probably answered by a selection of comments (well, the repeatable ones anyway!) from our members and visitors; “Keyworth rugby club is more to me than just a club.

I started here when i was a fresh faced 17 year-old making new friends. Now 20 years later I’m a seasoned veteran at the club with children, the eldest of whom started playing for the under 7s this year… Keyworth rugby club has grown into my extended family. Everyone is very welcoming and is always happy to help out. Very proud to be a part of the biggest little club in the Midlands.”

“The club has an amazing warm welcome for all, I joined 23 years ago and made friends for life, friends that I have grown old with, and friends that have lasted longer than one of my marriages!”

“Rugby is a community sport but Keyworth is a family club, we have a special spirit, whether it’s coaches, parents and their kids on a Sunday morning, senior players and coaches driving the success of the first team, or social players returning or new and trying rugby for the first time, everyone is warmly welcomed ...Once you are a #pesky windmill we’d like to think you’ll stay for life.”

“Keyworth RFC may be a small club, but there is a great deal of effort that goes into it in the background... the club feels like a family.”

“Keyworth RFC is a special community asset.”

“Players come for the rugby but stay for the people.

So many players, like me, don’t live near the club but still play for Keyworth because it really is a rugby family. It doesn’t matter if you are new to rugby, or your family have played for Keys for generations, everyone is welcomed into the family.”

“Being new to the club I can say we have been made to feel very welcome. The club has a wonderful friendly and inclusive approach, a credit to all involved.”

“I only joined to get out of the house on a Saturday… now I can’t stay away!”

“Keyworth rugby? It doesn’t matter whether you’re four or sixty four; you’re always welcome, where else would you want to be?” ”Nice people, good beer, good food, good rugby, what more could you want?” We really rather like it here.”

A LITTLE OF OUR HISTORY!

In 2021-22 an opposition spectator at one of our Colts’ matches (in Sheffield) was heard to shout “where the ******* **** is Keyworth anyway? Let us enlighten you.

Keyworth is a village approximately 6 miles South East of Nottingham, population circa 7,500.

Keyworth Rugby Football Club was founded following a meeting on 4th February 1976 when eleven individuals pledged their support to the formation of the Club, and dispersed from that meeting with numerous tasks to complete in the following few weeks. Training sessions started in August 1976 and

by September there were 18 regular trainers, but not all of them players.

The first ever fixture, in September 1976, was cancelled due to the rockhard pitches following the hottest summer on record to that date.

The first game played was against the warders and guests of HMP Lowdham Grange Borstal (for obvious reasons, away at Lowdham!)

By November there had been 7 matches played and a 2nd XV had magically appeared from somewhere, and by the middle of the month the use of a local farmer’s field, complete with resident sheep and a donkey, had been negotiated for use as our home pitch for 197778. That, along with the use of the local Comprehensive School for changing and winter gym training, and the local Tennis Club for post-

match socialising set us up for the next 6 years.

The Club was affiliated to the Rugby Football Union in May 1977.

By the 1982-83 season the Club had grown to running four teams and a new, more permanent, home was needed. The search began and in January 1983 the Club took possession of its own facilities, 3 miles outside of Keyworth, at the nearby village of Widmerpool.

Negotiations with the land owner, another farmer, who had been running an amateur cricket club there, were completed and, following financial support from the Sports Council, the outright purchase of the existing timber framed/clad cricket pavilion and sufficient grounds to accommodate two full size pitches was completed ahead of the 1983-84 season.

Improvements, following a fire, were undertaken with brickwork replacement to the clubhouse façade in 1989.

For the initial years the existing pavilion with two small changing rooms and, on reflection, totally inadequate shower and toilet facilities had to suffice. In 1990 portacabin changing rooms for two teams were added. We continued to grow. A 5th XV was fielded on a number of occasions between 1989 and 1991.

A further portacabin incorporating two changing rooms was added in 1993, together with improved shower facilities.

The portacabins were eventually removed and replaced with a permanent brick-built structure accommodating four changing rooms, equipment store, and match officials changing facilities in 1999.

Further development in

2009 saw the addition of new clubhouse toilet facilities, improved disabled access and toilet facilities, meeting and store rooms, to give us the facility we have today.

Pitchside, having managed with temporary portable training lights for ten years, more permanent training light installations were undertaken in 1994 with upgrades in 1996, 1999, and 2001, and in 2013 we achieved the long-held ambition of having full match floodlighting installed to the main pitch, and these have recently been updated to LED’s along with new training lights to our second pitch, with assistance from East Midlands Airport Carbon Reduction Fund and Government Funded Rushcliffe Borough Council UKSPF Grant Schemes.

From a senior playing perspective, the first success, totally unexpectedly, came in 1980, when a group of players got together for nothing more than a day out and managed to win the Oakham 7’s Plate.

In the early days it was all friendly fixtures, apart from local Cup competitions, until 1984 when it was felt that the 1st XV was sufficiently strong to join the Nottinghamshire John Player Pennant competition, which in today’s terminology would be called a Merit Table, containing the 2nd XV’s of the top County sides of the day. Success in that came in 1985-86, in winning Division 2.

Entry for the 1st XV in to the RFU Leagues, in 1991, saw the 2nd enter the local Security Plus Pennant

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Competition. The first 1st XV League success came in 199495 with a runners-up spot in Midlands NLD 2; and for the 2nd XV in 1993-94 with a runners-up spot Security Plus Pennant Group 2.

Numerous successes were to follow in the new era of “competitive” rugby becoming winners and runners up in a number of competitions, many of them on more than one occasion, including: Oakham 7’s Plate, John Player Pennant, Security Plus Pennant, Notts RFU Junior Cup, RFU Midlands NLD 2, NLDRFU Plate, Notts RFU Junior Vase, RFU Midlands 5 E N, NLDRFU Cup, NLDRFU Colts League, RFU National U18 Cup, QFinalists, RFU Counties 3 M E N and the NLDRFU Vase.

Regrettably however, in 2018, following a drop in playing numbers the decision was taken to withdraw from the RFU League structure, with the intention of rejoining after a period of reconsolidation whilst participating in the Security Plus Pennant competition.

The Club achieved RFU Accredited Club status in January 2018 The 2021-22 season saw our first full Colts team come to fruition, and they became the most successful team in the Club history, remaining unbeaten for the entire season, winning their league, and reaching the Quarter Finals of the RFU National U18 Cup, only to be eliminated following a drawn match ,with Kettering going through as the away team.

That success and the number of players subsequently becoming available to play senior rugby encouraged the move back in to the revamped RFU League structure, participating in Counties 3 Midlands East (N). for the 2022-23 season, finishing as runners-up to a very strong Derby 2nd XV. As this is being written we remain unbeaten in 2023-24, with the target of winning the league outright and promotion to Counties 2 for 2024-25.

Mini/Junior rugby started at the Club in 1999-2000 and continues to the current day, currently with age groups from U6 upwards. COVID19 saw a drop off in playing numbers at all ages, but more so at the ages which would now be U15, 16 and 17, resulting in us not now having a Colts XV to feed through to senior rugby for another 4 years. Numbers at the lower age groups are also sparse, resulting in us having to combine groups at U9 and U10, and having no U11 or U12 groups at all.

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CONTACT THE CLUB

Willoughby Rd Nottingham NG12 5PU

01509 889189 www.keyworthrfc.com

RICHARD BROOKS FORMER PLAYER AND SPONSOR: EUROBALE

CARL VERNON SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR

I played my rugby over at Derby, usually in the front row; No3 tight head. I have always been passionate about supporting grass roots rugby and the development of children and individuals into this great sport.

Not only do you meet and make life long friends but you are provided with a great set of skills for life, by learning how to interact with others and managing your own internal emotions, compass and thinking.

This in turn increases confidence and healthy self esteem.

My son Ben has joined Keyworth and it has been a

real pleasure to watch him grow and excel. Not unlike his dad, I know he loves loose head to tight head; front row is the only place for the Vernons!

On saying that my best mate, as a 6ft 9”, ex south african rugby player was 2nd row!

As a club sponsor we will try and do whatever we can to help support this great club. I would like to acknowledge all the unsung heroes at Keyworth RFC for the continuity in bringing rugby successfully to the people through our area.

With the club thriving both on and off the pitch I’m sure we will still be playing rugby here at Keyworth RFC for many many more seasons to come!

My introduction to Keyworth Rugby Club was through some land, a field in fact, that I had sold to the local cricket club who in turn sold it onto Keyworth RFC! My dad was a club president and I helped organise a president’s game against the club in those early years. Most of my rugby was played over at Melton so it was really when my son Harry started playing as a 7-yearold that I became more involved. Being farmers, Harry would drive himself on a tractor, aged 7, over to the club and across our field!

Many of the clubs’ colts have now successfully transitioned to senior rugby in no small part down to the excellent coaching and support they have received and the lads that are away at university are very keen to play when they return and pull back on the Keyworth jersey with pride. I don’t miss a game and thoroughly enjoy watching my son Harry, who is the team’s No.8, play and had the great honour of playing in the same team and in the back row with him as well.

The amazing NLD Vase

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win against Meden Vale last May was quite something to behold with the noisiest support I have ever had the privilege of being part of as our 16th man.

Harry said,”We have a great team spirit throughout our team and the age range between the older and younger players is not noticeable due to the excellent camaraderie. After games our older players kids run onto the pitch and their dads put them high on their shoulders; I often have mentioned that this is where I want to be in years to come picking my son up onto my shoulders after a match!”

Yes, like Harry said the bond between our players and members is great to see and the likes of Cav Keiran, Jill Stimpson, Kevin Price and Kev Parker still playing at 63, to name just a few, are unbelievable. My only regret is not playing as a youth at Keyworth Rugby rather than as an old fella. My wife and I look forward to going down to this great club and being involved with such top people. The continuity of support that the club receives really epitomises a `True Family Club` that is the Pesky Windmills!

“Very proud sponsors of Keyworth Rugby Club!”

• Risk Management Services • Construction Services • Safety Management Services • Training

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EUROBALE, MANOR FARM, WILLOUGHBY RD, WIDMERPOOL, NG12 5PU

25

Newent RFC

Peter Kingston with the late John Moore (see club history) at Twickenham.

PAUL DANDO THE PRESIDENTS PERSPECTIVE

“The building is now almost finished, so we are hopeful we will be able to use it before this edition of Rugby Club Magazine hits the news-stands!”

I took on the role of President this season when Ex-Gloucester and England player Peter Kingston, relinquished the role. Peter was an U18’s England coach from 1996-2004 and was part of the coaching team on a 1997 tour to Australia. Many of that group (Borthwick, Wilkinson, Balshaw, Tindall, Sheridan and Flatman) went on to win full caps and some, the world cup. He was also one of the great coaching team that took us through from Gloucester 3 to Regional 2, so a pretty tough act for me to follow.

However, Peter’s tenure left the club in a pretty good shape so I’m hoping we will be able to build on the solid foundations that he and his predecessor the late Mike Poole built.

From inception, Newent has never had a permanent building in which to entertain visiting teams on the Recreation ground (The “Stade de Rec” we like to call it). However, that is about to change because with 106 money coming in from local housing developments and offers of financial support from ourselves, the Recreation Trust with the support of the town council

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has just erected a community hall on site to be used in conjunction with recreational pursuits on the ground.

The building project has caused us significant shortterm issues, with no access to the carpark allowed. As a result, team kit had to be lugged from the changing rooms to the opposite side of the field and back, and parking had to be found elsewhere in the town or, as some choose to do, at the roadside. This obviously affected our teams when we travelled and opposing teams when they visited. Not the welcome to Newent we would like to show, so apologies to those sides that had to visit us during this period.

However, the building is now almost finished, so we are hopeful we will be able to use it before this edition of Rugby Club Magazine hits the news-stands.

Although it will not be our own building it will at last give us somewhere on site for after match entertainment on Saturday afternoons,

the occasional Friday evening matches and, most importantly, Sunday’s when the Mini and Juniors normally play or train. It will also be useful when the Walking Rugby group occasionally play matches against visiting clubs on a Wednesday evening.

This promises to be the biggest off field step forward for the club since it started, and we are grateful to the Town Council for facilitating it.

On the field, the first team is doing really well. We were unbeaten after Christmas in Regional 2 Tribute Severn last season. The RFU moved us across to Midland Division 2 West this season and as Director of Rugby, Joe Goatley explains, at the time of writing we are unbeaten in that league with 8 straight wins. Some say the Midlands league is softer than the Severn/SW rugby divisions, but I would say that’s not true. Yes, we have won all 8 matches but many of them have been tough, physical games so I would say they are pretty equal.

The new community building at Newent.

Our second team, the Phoenix, like many other second teams, occasionally struggles for numbers. Injuries, work commitments, first team calls, holidays, family events and other leisure pursuits all take their toll. One week we can have 20 players available the next week 8. Nevertheless, we are committed to keep the team going and, when numbers are down, look for “game on” protocols just to keep the lads playing.

As we have seen from Lizzies report, the Mini and Juniors continue to prosper, and this really is where the future lies. The input of parents is crucial as we see from week to week when they ferry their children to different clubs around the county and beyond. In addition, many get involved in training, coaching, and taking the first aid courses arranged by Lizzie.

We encourage M&J players to get involved in rugby academies, but this policy can have unforeseen consequences. As lads reach a certain level, they are asked not to play for their clubs anymore. We had a very successful U16’s side a few years ago when we lost about six players, three to Worcester and three to Gloucester which ripped the heart out of our club side. I understand the Premier club’s priorities but do question the impact on the community game. On the upside, players involved in the academies have a great experience even if they don’t make it through to the final cut so to speak, and it’s great to see one of our own turning out for one of the Gloucester academy sides and who knows even going on to play premiership and maybe even international rugby. Several of the stars of this side, unlucky not to make the academy setup, have since moved up to play senior rugby and we remain indebted to the great set of coaches who took a group of just 7 U13’s through to a full and successful squad of U16 players.

Progress on the field would not be possible without our sponsors who put their hands in their pockets year after year to support the club. Be it sponsorship of kit, advertising boards, matches, match balls or individual players, their contribution to our club is vital and much appreciated.

Thank you to all, and to Sponsorship Manager, Pete Neilens and his team for their mammoth efforts.

We are fortunate to have what we believe are the best supporters in the league.

Whether it’s those who

stand on the tump (Newent’s equivalent of the Shed) in cold winds and pouring rain or those many supporters that travel, sometimes hundreds of miles, to give their considerable support to their teams on the road. All a long way from the one man and a dog that sometimes turned up on the Rec back in 1970/71 when the club started.

Another group vital to the wellbeing of our club are our growing band of Vice Presidents. They meet for lunch 4-5 times a year just before a home match and enjoy a beer or two with former players and supporters. These are convivial affairs enjoyed by all and we are indebted to VP Organiser, Laurence Venn, for his work in this area.

Many of our VP’s are also volunteers who turn up on match days to put no parking bollards on the road adjacent to the ground (without which traffic would grind to a halt), set out flags and post protectors, scan the pitch for unwanted litter (sometimes of the doggy variety) and clear up after the match etc. Thank you to Volunteers Manager Dean Fletcher for ensuring we have cover for these chores every home match.

Special thanks too for club stalwarts, Gary Gardner and Dennis Hamlen who have been marking out pitches this season prior to matches.

All work that goes on largely un-noticed but essential none the less.

Finally, thanks to a very hard-working committee in Chairman Dave Webb, Secretary Georgina Gardner, Treasurer Marcus Warder, Sponsorship Manager Pete Neilens, Media Manager Hazel Cutting, Vice Chairman Alex Timney, DOR Joe Goatley, VP Organiser Laurence Venn, Second Team manager Andy Clair and Volunteers Organiser Dean Fletcher. These folks do so much behind the scenes to keep the club running and moving forward. There are also a host of others, too numerous to mention, who also give their time and support to the club for which we are very grateful.

MY PERSONAL RUGBY STORY

Early in 1958 there was no rugby played in Newent whatsoever, not even at the school, but they began later that year. I became a pupil the following year and was selected to play for the school team. I don’t think we won a game for a year or two but had turned that around by our fourth year when we

Newent School U13’s 1960/61 Season. were unbeaten.

I was hooked on the game but when I left school a few years later, there was still no rugby club in Newent, so I had to look toward Gloucester for my rugby and joined Gordon League (see issue 94 of Rugby Club Magazine).

More about this later.

Early in 1970 the local newspaper ran a story about Newent starting a rugby club. I was very interested but was settled with Gordon League, where I was very happy. Nevertheless, I played in several Sunday morning matches later in the spring to help get Newent started and of course came under enormous pressure to join the new club which I eventually did at the start of the 1970/71 season when the club commenced Saturday fixtures.

There was great enthusiasm for rugby in the town and in the very first season we ran 2 sides.

However, there was a very steep learning curve for the new club which was highlighted in the first season by the second team being thrashed 135 – nil by one of the established Gloucester club’s 3rd XV’s.

Nevertheless, we won the odd match too and it was clear the club would survive and prosper. It was full of great characters and there was great camaraderie among the players. In a notable 1st round Junior cup match at the end of that season we were drawn against the same club that had beaten our 2nd XV 135 – nil. They must have thought it would be a walk in the park, but we gave them a heck of a fright losing by just 3pts. It did our confidence the

world of good especially as they went on to win the cup at Kingsholm.

As the cutting above shows, I took on the captaincy in the second season, but it

was very tough. In those days, an awful lot of tasks fell to the captain, on and off the field. The initial enthusiasm had died away and getting two sides out became a real

27

competitive, thanks to Ross, Lodgey and a great bunch of lads. We were very unlucky not to make at least two County Cup finals. Four of our current first team came from that group of players.

In the event, the only competition we did win was Bream’s U17’s 7-a-side tournament with first teamer Brett Gardner stepping in to coach the side on the day.

At the time we had one other junior team, but it became obvious that we had to step up our efforts in this area which we believed was crucial to the success of the club. We encouraged more people to get involved and grew our mini and junior section with the help of parents, players, and former players till we had teams at almost every age group. I stepped down as chairman of the section some years ago, but this section continues to thrive thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of a dedicated group of parents and coaches.

Newent U16’s winners of Bream Sevens 17/08/2014. struggle. Nevertheless, we had some notable successes and again gave a good account of ourselves in the end of season cup matches.

I carried on playing till I was 32 when pressure of work, family and a house building project I got myself into, meant I rather lost touch with the club until 2011.

Newent U 16 c. 2014.

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Then, one Saturday, I just happened to be passing the ground when a match was on and stopped for a quick look.

I stayed till the end of the match and have hardly missed a Newent game since.

It wasn’t long before Mike Poole, club founder, friend, and the then President, asked if I’d manage the U15’s. I

said I’d do it till the end of the season but ended up taking them through to colts level. I was fortunate to be immediately joined by Ross Webb and Chris (Lodge) Steward, two first teamers, as coaches. We struggled for numbers initially but persevered and our U16 and U17 squads became very

WALKING RUGBY

As we’ve seen, Newent also has a walking rugby group. I was one of its members from the beginning and absolutely loved it. The nearest thing to playing the full-on game I’ve experienced, so I’d recommend it to any ex-player who finds veterans rugby a bit too much but wants to stay fit. As a

member of the first Newent walking rugby team to win a match, I can claim a unique record since I also played for the first Newent school team to win a match and the first Newent club team to win a match.

FOOTNOTE

As I mentioned, after leaving school I joined Gordon League but my first training session in mid-July of 1965 ended in disaster. I was so unfit, after a very severe long-term illness earlier that year, that I pulled both my hamstrings and was forced to leave the session.

Being rather embarrassed, I never went back and thought my rugby playing days were over. I was rather surprised therefore to receive a letter from their secretary in the September of that year, telling me I’d been selected to play for their colts the following Saturday. I played, loved it, and never looked back.

The lesson we, and every club should take from this is, never give up on a player.

Everyone is worth a second chance and a message from the club may be all it takes to bring someone in. I remain eternally grateful that the Gordon League secretary took the trouble to write to me. It resulted in lifelong friendships and great memories of games won and yes, even some of those lost, plus a great social life. What’s not to like.

JAMIE ALCOCK SPONSOR AND SUPPORTER

I moved to Gloucestershire in 1986 and settled in the local area around Newent about 8 years ago. As a former rugby player, typically in the wing or full-back positions, I was acquainted with Newent RFC and the positive relationship they had developed over the years.

After deciding to sell my 1873 Club debenture at

Gloucester Rugby, feeling that professional rugby had significantly diverged from the game I had played and loved in the 80s and 90s, and desiring to contribute to grassroots rugby, I opted to sponsor Newent.

With my Shire Horse business entering a quieter period, I now have my Saturdays free until March next year and will have the opportunity to watch the team play more. I have also offered to make one of our miniature Shetland ponies a club mascot.

This season has witnessed a real intensity, discipline, cohesion and desire among the 1st XV at a level that I

have not observed previously.

Last season, we were one of the most northern teams in our league, and this year we find ourselves as one of the most southern.

Rugby has always been about respect, whether on or off the pitch, and this is consistently evident among fans and players. The Rugby club fully embodies that ethos, which is crucial to the essence of this great sport.

Newent Rugby Club is very much a community club committed to the people in our local region, and this, for me, makes them such a great club to be part of. Best wishes to everyone for the second half of the 2023/2024 campaign!

LEADING MEMBERS OF THE MINI & JUNIOR SECTION, LIZZIE AND GARETH ARROWSMITH, GIVE THEIR VIEW OF THE M&J’S GROUP

Newent RFC has a great mini and juniors section comprising of just shy of 100 players from teams U7-U14.

At the heart of the mini and juniors is a great communal spirit. The teamwork and comradery that is formed within each age band and across the club provides children from different schools and local villages with a sense of belonging. This is felt every Sunday morning when you arrive to be welcomed and encouraged by coaches, teammates, and parents alike.

It was this sense of community and the enjoyment that our two sons got out of the club that prompted our involvement in my becoming fixtures secretary, rugby safe and Gareths progression to U11s coach.

Being on the smaller side when compared to other Gloucestershire clubs every player is appreciated, supported, and encouraged.

In addition to physical rugby skills Newent mini and juniors learn determination, teamwork, fitness, respect for referees and opponents and how to dig deep. The U14s demonstrated this perseverance and comradery recently when they arrived at a game with no subs and recovered from 21-0 down at half time to win. Having been together for over 8 years, the passion and pride of the coaches and parents was palpable.

Newent U7s won the Spirit of Rugby award at a recent tournament after displaying great sportsmanship from the youngest of players.

Newent U11s and U12s are also dominating most of their matches supported by

Newent U11s on Ru Western Super-maregby tour at last year.

on Rugby Newent U14 - Success are last year. tour at Western Super-m

Newent U7’s after a ma tch at a great group of parents. A stream of new players has been seen this year due to the friendliness, enjoyment and success associated with our mini and junior’s section allowing for the exciting addition of an U10s team.

Teamwork, respect and having fun are key factors within Newent mini and juniors’ rugby. Rugby tours are one of the clubs’ activities

Ross-on-Wye.

looked forward to by children and parents alike. The juniors still regale their fond memories from previous tours.

This year almost 200 adults and children are heading off on a family focused tour and rugby tournament. We are currently organising fundraising events to subsidise the price making it accessible and affordable for all members and their families to attend.

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CLUB HISTORY

Newent first had a rugby team in 1878 and they may have played in the games first ever floodlit match against Ross-on-Wye in 1879 as part of a publicity stunt for the new-fangled electric light.

Sadly, that team did not make it into the 20th century, and it was left to Newent legend Mike Poole, and Dickie Harris, a former Harlequin, to resurrect rugby in the town in 1970. The club phoenix logo was chosen to symbolise the club’s rebirth.

The highlight of the early years was an appearance at Kingsholm in the junior cup final which was eventually lost to Gordon League after a re-play.

Growth was rapid in the 70’s and 80’s and the club eventually turned out 3 and sometimes 4 sides. This onfield success was mirrored offfield by the acquisibon and conversion into a clubhouse of a redundant building at the old grammar school which opened in 1980. Newent RFC conbnued to field 3-4 sides throughout most of the 80’s.

The onset of league rugby was not good for many clubs in the community game and Newent was no excepbon.

Key players were lost to other clubs playing in higher leagues and support fell away.

This, together with rising costs, meant the clubhouse was given up in 1995 and we returned to the Red Lion Public House in the centre of the town for after match entertainment.

The remainder of the decade became a struggle but the club did manage to win the Forest of Dean (FoD) Combination Minor Cup in 1999, beating Cinderford 4ths at Berry Hill.

The club came close to folding in the noughties and no senior rugby was played in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons, when the only matches played were at youth level. Eventually, many of these talented and enthusiastic youths, plus a few imported top-class players, superb coaches and an energetic committee formed the basis of a renaissance that was to see the club hit new heights.

It began in 2009/10 when the first XV topped the Gloucestershire 3 table playing fast, open rugby.

The Ashleworth axis; George Phelps, Will Mansfield and Charlie Gellert, whose progress in the Junior ranks had been managed by club patron and sponsor Geoff Phelps, re-joined the club and became an important part of the future successes.

The firsts won the FoD Minor Cup beating Cinderford

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NEWENT 1ST XV 197

0/71 Back (L to R): Mr Jack Fyffe, Pete Hain es, John Lloyd, Mark Jones, Barry Williams, Nick Fole y, Chris Boyd, Bob Simpson, Dave Burgess, Mr Bill Ralp Middle (L to R): Pete Jones, Robin h.

Fyffe, Mike Poole (Capt.), Paul Dan Front (L to R): John Bourne, Dennis do, Stuart Fox. Hamlin, Tony Blewitt.

NORTH GLOUCESTER COMBINATION JNR. CUP FINAL 1974/75 AT KINGSHOLM – NEWENT V GORDON LEAGUE

Back (L to R): John Wallace, Robin Fyffe, Paul Dando, Steve Littlewood, Martin Wooles, Ian Cowley, Tim Beard, John Pennington, Henry Rivers.

Middle (L to R): Keith Laken, Ken Ambery, Terry Davis, Mike Poole (Captain), Darrell Wallace, Roger Barnett.

Front: Richard & Ian Beard

3rds at Bream. This game marked the debut of Joe Goatley, now our DOR, who as an 18-year-old had played for Gloucester before moving away to London and playing for Sutton & Epsom and later for Richmond. The 1st XV were promoted again the following season but narrowly missed promotion in 2011/12. Winning the FoD Junior Cup was some compensation though, and the second team also shared in the successful end to the season by taking the FoD Minor Cup at the Stade de Rec. 2012/13 was a great season for the club with the first team winning promotion to Glos. Prem and going a full

12 months without losing a game. It had already marked the return to the club of Ross Webb Grandson of Mike Poole the clubs founder. Ross, brother of current No10 Tom, also dropped several leagues to play for Newent, drawn by the brand of rugby being played and family ties. Ross would go on to captain the club from 2014-2021 and coach a very successful colts side with another Newent legend, Chris Lodge Steward.

In this season however the league became a bit of a sideshow as the team won through to the final of the national “Junior Vase Competition” at Twickenham,

captained by Tris Veale, against previous winners Baildon on 4th May 2013.

The team were presented with green and gold club blazers sponsored by a local company linked to The Red Lion Public House. Gloucester legend Andy Deacon gave the blazers to the players before they left along with a rousing call to arms.

The support from the people of Newent was phenomenal with 5 coach loads of supporters and many more travelling by car, train and minibus. The boys didn’t disappoint, winning 58-29.

More was to follow as the first team retained the FoD

Club Founder, Mike Po ole celebrating a second Twickenham triumph.

Junior Cup, beating Drybrook 2nds 36-7 at Berry Hill.

Not to be outdone the seconds, coached by Lyndon West, emphatically won Glos Reserve League 4 (North) and were thence promoted three levels to Division 1 of the County Reserve Leagues.

A further word here about the superb coaching team that had come together by this time. Alongside Peter Kingston we also had Ross McMillan (playing for Northampton at the time and now assistant forwards coach at Exeter Chiefs), Kerry Phelps and Andy Addis. These four provided an enviable coaching group for a club of our standing. None are still full-time members of the coaching team at Newent, though Peter still does the occasional stint, and Kerry stepped in to do a pre-match warm-up session recently.

Our policy of attracting top coaches though, continues to this day.

In a sign of the successful management of the club, led by Chairman Dennis Hamlen and supported by Secretary John Moore, it was awarded RFU Accreditation in March 2013.

Progress continued in 2013/14 as the first team topped Glos Premier to win promotion for the fourth time in five years. The team were again having success in

a national competition, this time it was the Senior Vase trophy. Arriving at HQ for the final on the Gloucester team coach they ran out 20-13 winners against Yarnbury. The support from the town was magnificent and the welcome back at Newent’s Market House and the adjacent Red Lion pub was, for a second

time, something to behold.

The 2nd team finished the season with a very creditable 4th place in Reserve League North 1 after their 3 league jump from Div. 4.

The season also saw the establishment of the Green Godesses Ladies XV. After surviving 44 years with no facilities on the Rec

for entertaining visiting teams, their supporters and members of the flourishing Mini & Junior section, the club were allowed to erect a portacabin adjacent to the changing rooms for the start of the 2014/15 season.

The first team gained a fifth promotion in six seasons in a play-off victory against

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Kingsbridge with a lastminute penalty and the Ladies side finished in third place in Midlands 2 of the Women’s National Combination.

In 2015-16 playing in South West 1 West the Green Army finished in 3rd place, narrowly missing a playoff for promotion to level 5. However, they went on to win the FoD Senior Cup overturning a 21-point half-time deficit to beat Cinderford United 22-21 at Berry Hill.

The Green Goddesses were crowned champions of the Woman’s NC Midlands League but following this great success, key players left to further their rugby careers and the lady’s section sadly folded.

A great loss to the club.

The first team finished 5th in the league in 2016-17 but retained the FoD Senior Cup beating Drybrook 23-22 in a nail-biting finish.

A walking Rugby section, “The Grey Army”, was formed during this season which still flourishes today and provides great entertainment for all abilities to get involved.

The following season was marred by unprecedented injuries but the first team finished a respectable 4th in the league.

A superb set of floodlights were erected on the top pitch and “christened” with a 2nd team fixture against Malvern II on 9th November 2018.

Newent ran out winners 31-14.

Later in the 2018/19 season the club was devasted by the passing of long time President and founder, Mike Poole and Chairman John Moore, respectfully referred to by all as “The General”.

These two enthusiastic and inspirational gentlemen were instrumental in creating an environment where others could excel and their passing in the January of this season was a great loss to family, friends and the Club. They are still greatly missed by all.

They would have been extremely proud that the first team which, despite the sadness pervading the club,

finished third in this very competitive league.

2019/20 was a season disrupted by Covid, retirements and the loss of Will Mansfield and James Dean, key players for Newent at the time, to Cinderford. The fact that we were able to stay in SW1 West, finishing 11th, was a compliment to the players, coaches and second team members who were able to step up to the higher level of rugby.

Following the resumption of fixtures in 2021/22, the rebuilding process continued with the 1st’s finishing 7th in the league and the Phoenix runners-up to Berry Hill in the final of the FoD Minor Cup. We started last season badly but then went unbeaten in the league after Christmas, finishing in 4th place. The rebuilding process was clearly on track. Planning permission for a Community Building on the ground was re-established and building works commenced in the close season.

COUNTY HONOURS

The success of the club in recent years saw the following players recognised by selection for Gloucestershire: Mikey Addis, James Dean, Brett Gardner, Charlie Gellert, Will Mansfield, George Phelps, Ben Vincent, Ross Webb, Tom Webb, Tom Woodman.

INTERNATIONAL HONOURS

• John Gadd (England B) • Adrian Potrykus (Poland)

For a more in-depth history of the club read “GREEN ARMY Newent Rugby – The Story so far” by Tony Marcovecchio, Simon Barker and Paul Wapshott.

Newent score v Worce ster Nov 2023.

Last seasons Newent county players Tom Woodman, Tom Webb and Ben Vincent.

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23.

Newent Phoenix 20

U12’s with Glos and En gland’s Charlie Sharples and Joh nny May. JOE GOATLEY DIRECTOR OF RUGBY

”By creating a positive club culture and identity, while developing players ability and character through the mini and junior experience we will see far more players committing to the club in the future and ensuring future success of Newent RFC!” Having moved to the area in 2010 I was impressed with the group of young players having watched them play in the junior forest cup. There was a lot of ‘green’ talent, and they were a group who played with such tenacity that I couldn’t help but want to get involved and play alongside.

In the time I’ve been involved with Newent I believe the development both on and off the field has been significant and now plays a far-reaching role within the community. The culmination of this being the new community building at the Recreation ground which will provide Newent RFC a base they have worked so hard to get.

I believe the greatest challenge is player recruitment and retention. At a time when rugby playing

numbers are on the decline, we have worked hard to provide a rugby offering that keeps players engaged and enjoying their rugby both on and off the field.

Our current focus is to get promoted from Level 6 up to level 5. Our ambition is to then progress to level 4, and we believe that the core group of players we currently have are capable of competing at level 4 through the right kind of coaching and their own willingness to develop as players.

Our coaching philosophy for Newent RFC is focused on 3 key points, developing the players skills, developing their characters and to develop their love for the game.

This philosophy is applied across both the senior and junior club as it is important to recognise our identity as a community club and by providing all of the above, we can provide the foundations for both junior and senior players to progress and play at an elite level while allowing everyone to enjoy.

The 1st XV has made a very strong start to the season having won 8 from 8 at the

Newent 1st XV.

time of writing this. While this is a great achievement both the coaching staff and the players recognise that our performances are still falling short of what we are capable of and striving week on week to learn and develop in line with our ambitions.

The Newent Phoenix (2nd XV) have played a few games and at times showed what they are capable of. However, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the difficulties 2nd team rugby is facing regarding playing numbers both at Newent and in finding meaningful opposition to get them playing week in week out.

The mini and junior section of the club is continuing to go from strength to strength with player numbers increasing year on year as well as more volunteers stepping up to help coach and administer youth rugby at Newent. We enjoy weekly fixtures across the age groups and already there is some genuine talent starting to shine who we hope will go on and represent what Newent can offer much higher in the rugby pyramid.

Last season we saw a steep improvement in the way in which we understand the game in terms of game management.

We have some really talented players who have a good work ethic who’s understanding of the game has improved dramatically over the last 18 months. With this in mind our clear ambition for this season is to win the league.

Having started discussing the 2nd half of the season with the coaches we are setting new goals in order to keep driving the standards up and keeping the boys motivated.

With the coaching group having experienced rugby at an elite level, they understand what those standards are and working to install those standards in the players.

Beyond our league ambitions we would also hope to have a good run in the Papa Johns cup as we believe these competitions are a great experience for any sportsman.

With the carrot of a final at Twickenham it’s a dream for any player to work towards.

As mentioned earlier playing numbers are dwindling, the youth rugby we provide is a critical part of the clubs future. The biggest drop off in playing numbers in the sport is the transition between junior and senior rugby. By creating a positive club culture and identity, while developing players ability and character through the mini and junior experience we will see far more players committing to the club in the future and ensuring future success of Newent RFC.

Club away day fun – wit h just one man down anda military theme one injured.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER HAZEL CUTTING

I’ve always loved watching rugby - I can remember my dad always having it on the TV during a Sunday afternoon and I used to watch. I can remember going to Gloucester Rugby and standing in the shed with friends in the early stages of the professional era. But it wasn’t until around 10 years ago when I started to come and watch Newent RFC, as a friend’s brother played and, as my children were old enough to be left at home, I was able to come along. Even though I don’t have a family member playing, I’ve looked after some of the lads when they were small at playgroup, so I feel I know them like family! About 6 years ago I put myself forward to do the website and social media and haven’t left!

The social media side of the club has grown massively.

As we are a community club, with our ground in the heart of Newent. By using social media, we can communicate all aspects of Club life to a wider audience than just the local area such as promoting our sponsors - particularly if

their player has scored points or is player of the match.

Sharing information about match days and post-match photos, or match reports which can be shared with those unable to attend and players enjoy sharing posts, which again all helps with getting our name out there and that of those connected to us.

Memories of past teams or matches have been favourite posts which again, draws on the community feel of the club and keeps the feeling of belonging for those that have been involved in the club over the last 50 + years of its reemergence. As well as sharing good news of players or those from the mini and juniors who have been playing for county or professional teams.

This engagement of the local community is hugely important, now more than ever, as it helps to build a strong relationship between our supporters, Newent’s businesses, and the Rugby Club - particularly when we have home games which can be mutually beneficial for businesses and club alike.

Favourite posts of mine over the last few seasons have been where we have celebrated different aspects of our Club. Whether that is our small band of volunteers putting the flags out/car park monitors/scoreboard manager etc, or players playing for County and being mentioned in The Rugby Paper. Other popular posts have been the player profiles that are posted before the season starts to

drive up interest and sponsors - there’s always a few players who throw a curve ball in with their answers but that adds to the entertainment value!

It also helps the supporters engage and recognise the players, particularly the new ones that come in.

The players also enjoy seeing what they’ve all said, which adds to the community feel of the club. Additionally, some novelty posts such as International Cat Day when I remembered that there was a photo of one of the players had dressed up as a cat for Halloween one year caused some amusement, as well as a post on April Fool’s Day where Gloucester player Fraser Balmain was rumoured to be interested in signing for Newent RFC as he was at our awards night last season. Our mini and juniors have also started having match reports on the social media pages which they love as they feel part of the Club.

We don’t have our own club house and ground to socialise at on a regular basis, but by using social media to highlight what is going on within the club from the mini and juniors through to the seniors and volunteers/ sponsors/supporters, it all adds to everyone feeling valued within the Club.

CONTACT THE CLUB

Recreation Ground Watery Ln Newent GL18 1PY

07715 481124 www.pitchero.com/clubs/ newentrfc

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JAMES HAY SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: BEYOND STORAGE

ALEC VINCENT, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: RGV AVIATION

I`m originally from Cheltenham and my involvement with Newent Rugby Club is really through my son Ben who is a number 8 and 1stXV player for the club. Unfortunately, a bicep rupture has meant he will miss most of the season, not an unusual event in rugby, but he is hoping to return before the season ends.

Although I don’t have a rugby background my wife Elaine does so, we have supported and followed Ben`s successful career for 21 years now. Being a very active and energised child, the sport seemed ideal for him and has benefited him ever since he started playing U7`s rugby.

This led me to helping coach his M&J team at Bredon Rugby club as well as him travelling to New Zealand & Australia where he played for Thames & Thames Valley (NZ) and Eastern Suburbs RUFC (AUS). He has also had

the honour of stepping up to county level as well with North Midlands and Gloucestershire.

So far this season I have not missed a game and Elaine only one, and usually we are accompanied by my father-inlaw Mike Slatter.

This season`s new build has been another step forward for Newent Rugby Club. My business RGV Aviation, who have sponsored Ben since he started with the club pre-covid, were also delighted to be able to support the club with kit sponsorship this season.

I can’t speak highly enough about the club, the people, members and the excellent bunch of players that make up the Team. I, Elaine and both our families wish everyone all the very best of continued success for the 2nd half of the season. I feel that the main reason for the success of Newent Rugby Club is that the lads all play for each other and as always there’s a great bunch of volunteers behind the scenes.

I can’t speak highly enough about the members, committee, parents, coaches and fans that make Newent Rugby club such an important part of our local community. Without the efforts of these people to nurture the future of rugby football in our local area

there would surely be an incomprehensible whole where in fact there is a vibrant and safe hub for people to dwell.

Myself and all our staff across all our locations of Beyond Storage would like to congratulate everyone at the club on such an outstanding season thus far and wish them all the very best of continued fun and success for many more years to come!

Delighted to be associated with the success of Newent Rugby Club!”

RGV AVIATION HAS BEEN BASED AT GLOUCESTERSHIRE AIRPORT (EGBJ) SINCE 1973

Family-Run Self-Storage for the Midlands & South Wales

“RGV Aviation Ltd proudly support NEWENT RFC!” HANGAR SE4 GLOUCESTERSHIRE AIRPORT CHELTENHAM GLOUCESTERSHIRE GL51 6SP

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0800 77 20 200 www.beyondstorage.co.uk

LAURENCE VENN SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR

My Wife’s Father Mike Poole, who sadly passed away 4 years ago, was a founder member of Newent RFC which he loved very much.

A rugby man through and through there weren’t many roles and hats he wore at the club, player and chairman being two of them. His grandsons Tom and Ross both captained Newent teams at one time or another and their father is Dave Webb current chairman; so we have very strong family ties Newent.

We are also a sponsor of the club with our family business Bouldson Croft Manor and having such a historic bond with the club we all help out at the club whenever we can whether its myself organising international tickets or our wives and daughters doing little bits here and there to support the club.

Its great to hear Newent RFC are being recognised in rugby Club Magazine for their outstanding contribution to local sport and community and myself and all our family would like to wish everyone at the club all the very best of continued success for many more years to come!

ROSS WEBB SPONSOR AND PLAYER

My Grandfather Mike Poole was a founder of the club, my dad Dave Webb is the current Chairman, and my brother Tom is still a player.

I was invited down to play for the club over 20 years ago, as a 15-yearold, starting off in the not untypical fly-half position before moving to centre and finally back row; a position I wished I had played in earlier as I feel I really came into my own and thrived there.

As well as playing for a few other clubs, I also had the privilege of playing county rugby. Now at the age of 38 I have hung my boots up with last season

Boulsdon Croft Manor is an imposing Georgian house set within the grounds of our 24 acre livery yard near the foot of May Hill, Gloucs.

We are surrounded by horses, orchards and blackcurrant fields with footpaths for miles (2 dogs welcome) with our own 1.2km circuit round the farm, a lake and a picnic area with fire pit.

We also have a large heated summer pool and grass tennis, all year hot tub, croquet lawn and a games room with cinema & table tennis.

07739 447069 boulsdonmanor@aol.com

being my final one.

When I returned to full time playing after some time in the National Leagues, I spoke to friends who gave me some good advice on the timing of my return. As an `all-in` type of player, I needed to make the right decisions at that time to make sure I would enjoy playing again.

Although I haven’t been down to the club this season, mainly due to avoiding any chance of pulling my boots back on again, I know the lads are flying and I would just like to wish them and everyone at Newent Rugby Club all the very best for the 2nd half of the 2023/2024 campaign and to emphasise that their enjoyment of this great sport is paramount!

35

Upton-Upon-Severn RFC for the lead of our “Community Rugby at it’s Best!” battling new division. The club is Rugby Club is a fantastic community-driven place with a rich history an exciting present, and promising future.

PETER DOBBIN CHAIRMAN

U

pton Rugby Club offers a strong sense of community, welcoming players of all levels. The loyal supporters create a vibrant atmosphere, fostering pride and unity.

Beyond the field, the club hosts various social activities, fostering connections among members. In essence, Upton

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I joined Upton RFC 11 seasons ago when my son Olllie started playing tag as an U7. Initially volunteering as a coach, I’ve since become the Club Chairman, feeling a deep responsibility to put something back into the club which, not only, means a lot to me but also the town.

The club’s main challenge, in the past, was player promotion and retention.

However, after a number of some tough playing years and eventual demotion last season we now find ourselves

definitely a place where the glass is always half full and so we embraced the opportunity to press the restart button.

Our coach, Dan Keytes, and manager, Rob Heeley, have been instrumental in our new found success and all credit must go to them and the players. As the saying goes “success breeds success” and we are now attracting new players, making it an exciting time for Upton RFC. We’re looking forward in the coming seasons seeing our colts migrate into the senior section to develop the next generation of Upton RFC XV. This season, we launched a 5-year plan to enhance playing and clubhouse facilities, additional floodlights, changing rooms and build a second team through the RFUs Play-

Together Stay-Together initiative. (See photo) we can’t be complacent about player promotion and retention.

We have been nominated for the Co-op community fund and have been successful in a number of funding bids such as the RFUs Social Spaces fund and also some large sponsorships packages with the likes of Airband Internet Services and Abbott Medical Supplies Ltd. Through this funding we are a little more financially secure to be able not only improve our own facilities but also support our local secondary school, Hanley Castle High School.

Many of our Juniors play for both school and club.

The senior squad is flying high in it’s division while our colts team remain unbeaten, The goal is to end the season with our playing teams on top while developing a second team.

The mini and junior section is vital to our growth and we are really fortunate to have a thriving M&J section that has developed over the years. It’s

often said that Upton punches above its weight, not only in size but also in the quality of players. We now have a number of players going through the DPP process which is fantastic. Along our M&J section we have our girls team which is thriving under club stalwart Adam Staite, Adam has not only played for the club but has been Chairman and President and who’s daughters now play for the girls team.

Upton RFC is really at the heart of the town, not only in location but aligning itself with local events. The town holds a number of music festivals which the club supports by allowing its pitches and clubhouse to be used as stages. Local sponsors, often families with historical ties to the club, have played a crucial role in our revitalisation.

The Gammond family are a great example of the that, not only do they help sponsor the club but you will see regularly see the family name on the team sheet.

Sponsorship is no longer just about a name or brand on

a shirt. Sponsorship for a small club like Upton is about working collaboratively with the sponsor on how we can support each others aims and objectives while sharing resources, helping to contribute to growth and development, helping attract and retain talent while bringing exposure to the club and sponsor.

The club was imagined in 1981 in the nearby Ye Olde Anchor Inn, a black and white timbered framed pub from the 17th century.

Locals felt the town of Upton upon Severn should have its own rugby club and plans were laid for exactly for that to happen. The colours of the pub gave inspiration for

our club colours of black and white quartered shirts.

Club members went door to door selling building bricks for a £1. Many of those who donated time and money building the club eventually played for the club as did their children and now their grandchildren.

Quite a legacy.

A LITTLE OF OF OUR HISTORY

The club was imagined in 1981 in the nearby Ye Olde Anchor Inn, a black and white timbered framed pub from the 17th century. Locals felt the town of Upton upon Severn should have its own rugby club and plans were laid for exactly for that to happen. The colours of the pub gave inspiration for our club colours of black and white quartered shirts. Club members went door to door selling bricks for a £1. Many of those who donated time and money building the club eventually played for the club as did their children and now their grandchildren.

Quite a legacy.

CONTACT THE CLUB

77, 79 Old St Upton upon Severn Worcester WR8 0JQ

07462 302290 www.uptonrugby.com

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SARAH EDEN SPONSOR: AIRBAND

I first heard about Upton through some colleagues whose son plays for the club.

Airband were looking for local clubs to sponsor that were in areas where we provide broadband services, it was even better that Upton is based in Worcestershire like ourselves. After speaking to the chairman Peter Dobbin, I knew we were a great fit. One of our values is Community and Upton really embodies this, it’s a real hub of the community. This was seen through the sponsors day they held, we were able to speak to fans and fellow sponsors and

also see for ourselves what the club means to the community.

I’m really impressed with how the club is run, especially its focus on junior rugby and growing its women and girls’ membership, it’s definitely an exciting time to be involved with the club.

Airband has only been a sponsor since the beginning of this season, but already we have seen the benefits that the relationship has brought. The club has really been proactive in promoting Airband and our services to the local area, it is also great to see what our sponsorship means to the club, it’s definitely a win-win partnership.

WILL COLLINS

there decided to start playing for Upton as a Junior and did so from the age of around 12-13. I came back to the game after having a break due to working in retail sales and not having free Saturdays as soon as my career path changed I was easily convinced to get my boots back out.

All at Airband want to thank Upton for welcoming us to the club and for their continued commitment in growing our partnership. All the best for the remainder of the 2023/24 season and beyond.

ADAM STAITE GIRLS COACH DEVELOPMENT AND SPONSOR: ADAM STAITE GARDEN BUILDINGS

I have lived in and around Upton Upon Severn for most of life so it certainly feels like home so much so with now living in Cheltenham being there on a Saturday for a home game is my favourite part of the week. I played my youth Rugby at Worcester colts but not seeing a future

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38

Yes, I was born and bred in the local area and ended up down at the club to watch my mates playing when I was 18/19. The rest is history as they say and I played in the usual back positions as winger and full back, for the 4ths and 3rds, as well as captain of the 2nds for a while, until I got older and not untypically got closer to the pack. I have also taken my turn as Chairman which was great fun and last season I turned out for a few games for the 1st XV and our Vets squad, the Floaters.

However, I think my body is starting to say no now as I am more focused these days on enjoying a pint and watching the lads play than pulling my boots on again.

My daughters Poppy and Tessa-Bella were keen to play rugby outside of high school and so a few seasons back we formed a girls’ team. We currently cover U12`s, U14`s and U16`s with an overall squad of 20. Not having enough players to form full teams, we have connected with another 6 or 7 local clubs to collectively form teams. Although there was a little trepidation for our players initially with the newness of this situation a few months down the line and many friends have been made and lots of enthusiasm is visible, so it looks like full steam ahead and competitive rugby awaits.

Upton RFC is a very easy club to be part of. There is very little needle or conflict amongst us. I always make a point of recommending people from our club for everyday requirements whether you need a plumber, joiner etc as I feel that the members, I know are good people and will give the same respect to a new customer as I see them emit around our club. The work and effort put in by our club and volunteers on and off the pitch with the new facilities improvements particularly has been outstanding. Best wishes to everyone at our club for the remainder of the 2023/2024 season and beyond!

JULIAN MUNDAY SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR CRE8 CAPITAL LTD I live relatively close to the club near to Course Lawn, Nr Tewksbury and played most of my rugby at school / college and the army where I played mostly in one of the forward positions prop, second row and number 8 for many years. My involvement with Upton Upon Severn RFC really started with my stepson Tom and Stepdaughter Ellie when they wanted to play rugby, both currently play for U15`s and U14`s respectively, Tom firstly joining the club around 5 years ago.

Having always had a love and fascination with rugby I could see the outstanding work that the likes of Peter Dobbin and other club stalwarts were doing, and as such this contributed to me

to becoming a sponsor with my company Cre8 Capital Ltd, I was able to help out with all the playing strip after match 1st uniform to help give a little back and show my appreciation for this great forward thinking, growing club.

Last year I sponsored the tour kits and bags etc for Tom and his teammates who played and won the Hilversum Rugby Festival in Holland. Not only a great achievement for club, and team, but a hugely significant and memorable experience, that now goes down in club history, and will forever remain special for those who played and bonded together on that memorable day.

To me rugby clubs are an important part of any community and I’m glad that my other children Annie & Robben are also involved in such an inclusive sport which

benefits many of us in life also. I always remember a club in Norfolk, that originated from fathers who wanted their kids to experience the safety and friendships that rugby brings, where over time many of those young players, guided and coached by club members, went onto play for teams like Leicester Tigers; none of this would have happened if supportive action wasn’t taken.

Upton Upon Severn Rugby Club is very much a children and family focused club and that includes my family

too. I have many great friends at the club, and we spend time with each other sometimes enjoying other sports too which is testament to the unity we all experience through Upton RFC. I would like to congratulate everybody on being recognised, and paid tribute to, in Rugby Club Magazine and wish you all the very best of continued success for many more seasons to come!

We are a forward-thinking company, where innovation and creativity are at the heart of everything we do www.crea8capital.com 39

JAMES GAMMOND PLAYER AND SPONSOR AJ GAMMOND LTD

ADAM STAITE GIRLS COACH DEVELOPMENT AND SPONSOR ADAM STAITE GARDEN BUILDINGS

Yes, I was born and bred in the local area and ended up down at the club to watch my mates playing when I was 18/19. The rest is history as they say and I played in the usual back positions as winger and full back, for the 4ths & 3rds, as well as captain of the 2nds for a while, until I got older and not untypically got closer to the pack. I have also taken my turn as Chairman which was great fun and last season I turned out for a few games for the 1st XV and our Vets squad, the Floaters.

However, I think my body is starting to say no now as I am more focused these days on enjoying a pint and watching the lads play than pulling my boots on again.

My daughters Poppy and Tessa-Bella were keen to play rugby outside of high school and so a few seasons back we formed a girls’ team. We currently cover U12`s, U14`s

and U16`s with an overall squad of 20. Not having enough players to form full teams, we have connected with another 6 or 7 local clubs to collectively form teams.

Although there was a little trepidation initially with the newness of this situation a few months down the line and many friends have been made and lots of enthusiasm is visible, so it looks like full steam ahead and competitive rugby awaits.

Upton RFC is very easy club to be part of. There is very little needle or conflict amongst us. I always make a point of recommending people from our club for everyday requirements whether you need a plumber, joiner etc as I feel that the members, I know are good people and will give the same respect to a new customer as I see them emit around our club. The work and effort put in by our club and volunteers on and off the pitch with the new facilities improvements particularly has been outstanding. Best wishes to everyone at our club for the remainder of the 2023/2024 and beyond!

I have always lived locally and played rugby both at school and club but unfortunately Upton had no juniors back then, so I played over at Worcester from U7`s to Colt’s level.

Coming from a rugby family my uncle Tim and Paul Badger played at Upton so when I made the decision to continue into senior rugby Upton was my natural choice.

My older brother Tom also played, primarily as hooker, and I slotted into my usual scrum half position; my cousin, John Gammond, played in the late 90s early 00s too and for the first XV on the wing.

As well as having the honour of captaining the side for 4 seasons I have also stepped into the flyhalf position on occasion when needed. When you have been at a club for a long time you will typically go through many ups and downs, which come with the territory, so to see the lads do so well this season is not only great to witness but a fabulous experience for the

whole club too.

My company AJ Gammond Ltd. have been proud club sponsors for around a decade now and its always nice to give something back. Upton Upon Severn Rugby Club has been a huge part of my life and family and I can’t ever not see myself not being involved and my future generations. If the team keep training hard and continue the very good camaraderie, we all have, I can’t see us not being there or there abouts at the end of the 2023/2024 season!

“Delighted to be associated with the success of Upton Upon Severn RFC!” With over 30 years experience of being involved in the trenching industry. A J Gammond Ltd is now the specialist provider of some of the most advanced trenching equipment in the UK and Ireland.

For enquiries or further information.

Please contact Bruce Gammond: Tel: +44 (0)7831 881 888 Email: bruce@gammond.com www.gammond.com 40

Kenilworth RFC DOM CARRICK PRESIDENT

“My family has been involved with the club since my Grandad first played in the 1920s.”

I was introduced to mini rugby by my grandfather Roy Bellerby and neighbour Roger Marvelly when I was 6. My grandfather played for Kenilworth RFC in the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s. I PAUL FOUNTAINE CHAIRMAN

“The club has a special place in my heart.”

I was introduced to the club by my school head of rugby, the late Rodger Jenkins, in the early 1980s. I enjoyed my years in juniors through to Colts, and played in a couple of outstanding teams.

As a teenager, I toured with the senior club to the British Army of the Rhine (BOAR) and Glyfada, that well-known rugby-playing Greek Island.

I made my 1st XV debut at 18, scoring on the day but being promptly dropped the following week.

The club holds a special place in my heart. It has formed lifelong friendships, offered guidance in times of need, and plays a significant role in shaping the lives of young people. I believe in ‘More than the game’ and aim to make Kenilworth ‘their’ Club for the young, just as it was for me.

Our current priorities are ensuring the club’s sustainability, promoting a ‘one club’ ethos, and planning for our new ground. Which is an extremely exciting undertaking for the club and the wider community.

made my own 1XV debut in 1991 at 17 and played my last 1XV match at 38. My family has a long history with the club, with uncles and cousins playing at 1XV level. I joined the committee about 15 years ago and rejoined in 2020, as an early Director of Rugby at the club, becoming the youngest KRFC President in 2022. I’m also active with our

Vets side, Kenilworth Pirates which presents an outlet for those of us that still talk a good game but haven’t quite got round to hanging our boots up for good!

Jai Purewal, Director of Rugby: “On the field, we aim to support all players’ ambitions, regardless of which section of the club they’re from.”

I moved to Kenilworth in 1987, joining the club in my youth. I left briefly for Coventry Colts but returned in the mid-’90s, making over 130 appearances for the 1st XV. In 2018, I became Director

of Rugby, overseeing rugby operations and focusing on Seniors across the Men and Women’s game. Since then, the Men won the 2018/19 RFU Intermediate Cup and regained Level 5 status.

The women are at Level 2, partnering with Leicester Tigers, and our Minis and Colts sections continue to thrive.

Off the field, our community presence, supporting local events like Remembrance Day and launching KENFEST Kenilworth’s beer and music festival continues to grow. We’ve established a Partnership with Community Group to help us to become the top community rugby club in the Midlands. Covid caused player losses and volunteer shortages, and we’re working hard to bring our numbers up, engaging with the recently completed state of the art secondary school and junior school community of

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A LITTLE OF OUR HISTORY

Kenilworth RFC was founded in 1924 and moved to Glasshouse Lane in 1947. It became a limited company in March 1998 to streamline club operations.

The club entered the league system in 1988, reaching level 5 and occasionally level 6 over the years. It shifted its structure, stopped paying players, and introduced young homegrown talent. The arrival of Dave Ellis in 2018 led to significant success, including a Twickenham victory. The club has a successful M&J’s section, with all levels represented, and a Women’s section was formed in 2015, achieving remarkable success in a short time.

Kenilworth RFC is a traditional town club with

Men’s 1st XV and Women’s 1st XV performing well.

The club fields Men’s and Women’s 2nd XV, a thriving Colts XV, and occasionally a Men’s 3rd XV/ Veterans (Pirates) team. The Minis and Juniors section has over 350 members, including a growing Girls’ Contact section. The club welcomes players of all abilities, fostering a sense of community.

We support local charities, collaborate with local businesses, and prioritize the safety and nurturing of young people. Rugby teaches values such as resilience, discipline, and respect, making Kenilworth RFC a positive influence in the community.

Kenilworth in a bid to make the game more accessible.

Our new ground plans are central to our increasing charitably goals and the building of community support.At the heart of community - rugby doesn’t pay for itself so we need the whole community get behind the new facility. Our Community Dept acts as a means of meeting our developing charitable aims.

As much as we love our club, it is fair to say that the existing facilities are outdated and fall short of the current standards set by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Sport England. The existing Clubhouse has evolved over the decades and while it represents a familiarity and warmth for many of us, it currently does not lend itself to meeting the Club’s ethos of an all-inclusive club

catering for every sector of the community.

The “Cowpatch” which hosts the training pitches and is a buzzing hive of Minis and Juniors activity on a Sunday, has very limited facilities and the split site presents organisational challenges for us. It has long been our ambition to move, and now finally, following the tenacious efforts from a dedicated team the club has moved from a position of ambition and aspiration to planning reality. We call our volunteer programme our #BuildTheCastle campaign.

Kenilworth RFC is an inclusive club providing opportunities for everyone.

We value and are hugely grateful for our members and supporters’ contributions to the club’s success.

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RICH FRANKLIN M&J CHAIR

“M&J rugby is crucial for Kenilworth RFC.” A vibrant and successful M&Js section is vital for our club. M&J players represent the club’s future and build connections that last a lifetime.

The M&Js community includes coaches, parents, guardians, friends, and family, offering support, fresh ideas, and enthusiasm. A thriving M&J section adds to the club’s feel-good energy and fosters positive actions in the community.

KRFC WOMENS RUGBY

We founded our women’s team at Kenilworth 8 years ago in 2015 and they have achieved remarkable success in such a short time. The team joined the leagues after one year and achieved three promotions in just four seasons, and they now compete in Championship 1 North, one level below the women’s premiership. A few highlights include winning successive leagues twice in a row in 2017 and 2018, reaching the final of the Intermediate Cup in 2018, being a finalist in the Team of the Year category at the National Rugby Awards in 2018, and last year playing against Leicester Tigers at the

great Mattioli Woods Welford Road stadium.

ABOUT OUR CLUB

We have seen a large number of players come through the club to progress to a higher level, our close links with Coventry in particular have seen many KRFC players play at Coundon Road or the Butts Park Arena as well as a number who have returned the other way. We have also seen a number of former Rugby Lions players join the club, instigated initially by the arrival of ex England and Coventry hooker Steve Brain joining the club as player-coach in the mid-90s. Our current 1XV back-row stalwart Mikkel Andresen is the captain of the

Danish National team and we have had a number of overseas players join the club over the years from Australia and most notably Takerei Norton from New Zealand – who went on to play NPC for Canterbury after he returned home. We’re looking at offering a noncontact pathway within the club to retain players.

Kenilworth RFC values its role in the community and aims to be a positive influence while making rugby

an enjoyable and meaningful experience for all.

2024 - 2025 season will be an important year for us. Not only will it mark our centenary, it is also when we expect to be ‘breaking ground’ on our move.

So, a real forward looking focus while at the same time the Centenary will provide numerous club events to help members past present and future enjoy the heritage and memories of the club and its pivotal role in the community of Kenilworth.

Our Colts are a regular crowd pleaser kicking the weekends off with ‘Friday Night Lights’ providing the transition to senior rugby and as such the head coach comes under the DoR, supported by the age group team who are a key element

CONTACT THE CLUB

Glasshouse Lane The Jack Davies Memorial Ground Glasshouse Ln Kenilworth CV8 2AJ

Instagram @Kenilworthrfc & @kenilworthwomensrugby X (formerly Twitter) @kenilworthrugby 01926 853945 www.kenilworthrugby.co.uk

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Braintree RFC NIGEL BRAND, CHAIRMAN

“Rugby is such a great community sport it is and always has been.”

My first introduction to Braintree Rugby Club was in the season of 1976/77 when I was 11 after seeing a poster in my local school posted by the club and decided to go along.

At that time, we didn’t have enough players for individual age groups, so it was pretty much mixed ages right through to the colts which I was given the honour of captaining at 17, we didn’t have a manager then, so I also took on this role which was a senior committee role back then. We had a fun season and friends that I still have to this day.

After leaving the colts I trained with the seniors, played for the 3’s and 2’s and I managed to get into the first team at 18 and by 21 I was made Club Captain when someone stepped down from the role at the last minute that season.

I went on to play in the first team for 18 years and captained them another 4 seasons, before dropping into the 2nd team for 5 years and later 5 years for the 3rd/ development team as captain after this I retired at 48. The last 10 years of playing with my friends and having the chance to develop some younger players coming into the seniors in the 2nds and 3rds turned out to be some of the most enjoyable rugby I played.

Over the past 21 years I have been involved with the Mini and Youth sides as a coach, first with my eldest son and later with my youngest son who is now in the last year of the Academy and if I have learnt anything it has to be make sure your having FUN! I have been involved on both Senior and Youth and Mini’s committees for more than 10 years. the last 5 years 18 months ago, I finished a 3-year project to put together a book on the History of Braintree Rugby Club with the help of some of the members across the club.

I wanted to do this while we still had the members to record the club's journey to the present day.

It was a lot of work, but it was well worth the effort and all proceedings will be going to the club funds for future projects.

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working as Development manager between the Academy and the seniors to assist players into Senior rugby, where we have a high percentage of home-grown players playing in the starting 15 in the first team last season.

Our long serving Chairman stepped down at the end of last season and I have now taken on this position.

My hope is for the club to continue to grow so we need new volunteers to help the existing committee, I’m sure we will succeed.

The main challenges we face today is retaining players, there are a lot more choices on a Saturday afternoon these days.

We need to keep creating an environment that they want to be part of with their friends, make sure we can provide the best coaching and facilities possible, along with right physio and rehab should any injuries occur to give them the right best player welfare needed to keep them playing longer.

As a club we must aim for promotion or finish in the top 3 and if we get promotion in the next two seasons maintain that league above and then reevaluate from there.

To do this we must build our player base and strengthen our second team, so we have more strength in depth and hopefully a more regular third team.

We have worked hard to get the players from Youth to Seniors and this must continue for this to happen. We must keep building our Mini & Youth section as this is a vital lifeline for community clubs like us.

We have tried hard to keep in touch with our players who go to University, so they are part of our preseason training and early games along with anytime they come back to Braintree, so we have more chance of having them back once they graduate. Or if they move away, they keep playing

wherever they are.

In our Youth section we have a good number of Girls playing, hopefully this will help build our Ladies’ team so we can start to look to fielding a 2nd ladies’ side too.

As a club we are looking to extend our facilities to incorporate a new Gym and rehab area, but this will need careful budgeting and planning, so we don’t over stretch ourselves.

We would also love to have an all-weather training area to help us manage our pitches through the winter months, as

sometimes we lose training time to over used pitches.

James Herbert is our Head coach who previously coached at Shelford RFC, he came to us at the beginning of 2020/21 after we advertised the role as our previous coach had stepped down.

When he started it was while the pandemic was still affecting how we could train and no games were able to take place, so testing times for all and how to keep things going as normal as possible when we came out the other side he worked hard to get players back involved especially where habits had been broken, some players needed this push.

James has brought in fresh ideas as well as people including our Strength and Conditioning coach Jo Hopkins who has made a big difference to the players’ work rate and performance.

On the whole James worked hard to push the players to improve their standards, along with their understanding of how he has wanted to increase our playing structure and the players have responded well to this, across the ages.

This was evident at the end of last season when the first team won 7 games in a row to finish third in the league.

Over the years we have had lots of players doing well in Northampton Saints and Saracens Academies. More recently Craig Wright came through our youth to get a contract at 18 years old with Saints and is still there, he has just played in the England

under 20’s World Cup just gone.

A few of our players have managed to play in the National Leagues and represented England U18’s and U20’s.

As for players who have come to the club - Andrew Tunnningly played for us in the mid to late 90’s he held the record points scored by Saracens in a season at the time.

As of late we are very lucky to have Nio Halangaho who has been in the UK for 2 years visiting family and kindly offered to help coach at the club. He has represented Tonga and played to a high standard in Australia, Ireland and South Africa. We are most grateful to have this opportunity, but unfortunately for us he returns later this year to Australia, and he will be sorely missed by everyone at the club he has been involved with.

I am sure lots of clubs have been major parts of people’s lives across the country as this is why Rugby is such a great community sport it is and always has been.

As a club I think we are very welcoming to new members from all walks of life and many people use the club as an escape from everyday life and work etc. and go along to see friends make more

friends, finding it a relaxing place to socialize and watch this wonderful game we are part of.

This is becoming more and more important in society these days with mental wellbeing, and I strongly believe Braintree offers this.

DONNA KEMPSTER ACADEMY ADMINISTRATOR

As a family we first became involved in Braintree Rugby Club when our then 4-yearold son, Oli, began playing rugby with the Bumbles (he is now 20!). My husband played at the club as a youngster before moving to Kent in his teens, so our association with the club goes back quite a long way! We were made to feel welcome from day one and as a family have made lifelong friends over the past 16 years. Oli played for the club from U7s until he went to university when he was 18, and still returns to play and train whenever he is home. Having coached Oli’s team through the mini, youth and colts set up Don still continues to coach the colt’s side as well as help with the senior men’s teams.

I actively volunteer at events and manage the admin for the colt’s side so we have a strong

connection to the club.

A strong youth and mini set up is vital to any club.

Apart from the obvious of providing players into the senior teams, those clubs with large Y&M sections have additional revenue streams, greater options for sponsorship and funding, as well as the ability to gain solid links with local schools and community groups. High performing Y&M set ups also provide links for coaching and joint learning with professional clubs (for Braintree that is with Northampton Saints and Saracens). These form either coaching session, CPDs, camps etc all of which help build the club in different ways.

For Braintree we have a number of clubs in our local area and having the ability to promote these various factors and the success of Y&M sides will ensure continued through put of players into these sections. Our current first team side has over 70% home grown players with many having played in the colts set up less than 5 years ago. This only bodes well for the future as they mature into seasoned players. And, with a number who are currently at university playing in the BUCS set up we are hopeful of retaining this core of home-produced talent.

The club is in a good place generally. Our recent Diamond Anniversary ball was well supported with current members, old players and current Y&M parents, and our World Cup family fun day saw over 120 Youth & senior players, coaches and parents join together for a touch tournament. The atmosphere was relaxed and jovial and many stayed to watch the England victory in the bar afterwards! Everyone is focussed on the season ahead and many are looking at setting the fundamentals for the future. Funding and finances are key concerns across all elements of the club

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and we are looking at building the foundations with local businesses that will allow us to consolidate this season and build a platform on which we can look to compete higher in the leagues in future.

Preseason is always a difficult barometer of future performance. Player availability with holidays affects how effectively you can compete, but we have had a solid offseason preparation and are looking cohesive. The team’s performance in the most recent friendly highlighted the players’ hard work, dedication, and a true team effort in very hot conditions.

The preseason has allowed us to build consistency and the whole squad are high on commitment and effort. With a fairly small squad keeping everyone fit will be key.

The women’s / girl’s section is growing strongly at the club and is well supported by our members. The women’s squad is small, but they are active in their local league and performed well last season.

The girl’s section has grown rapidly and boasts U14, U16 and U18 teams. Where they are unable to field full squads the girls game utilises a cluster system where they join with other clubs to allow each club to run their own teams but field squads together ensuring that all girls get to play at a competitive level. As a club we are active members of this clustering system and as such as building a strong girl’s section (known within the club as Warriors). The U16 team is very strong and boasts a number of Essex players. The U18 team is smaller (keeping girls in sport at this age group will always be a challenge) but has resulted in a few playing at Essex and Saracens level.

For those girls that don’t

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go onto university there is a pathway into the ladies’ section, and we are hopeful this will be fruitful for both the girls section and the ladies team going forward.

Most definitely Braintree are a community club. We are based in the heart of the town and have been there for 60 years! We host a huge fireworks event every year that is very well supported, and looked forward to, by the local community and provides much needed funds for the club. We have links with many local schools and hold school competitions at our grounds every year. Our club house is a low-cost venue and we host parties, wakes, comedy nights and many other local events there. We regularly attend the local carnival, and our club house is open for all international rugby games for locals to come and watch the games and have a pint!

We hold a few collections a

year for the local food bank, especially at Christmas.

Sponsors are vital to the club and allow us to offer rugby for all at a rate that is affordable for our community. They allow us to bridge the gap between membership revenue and the costs to run a club of our size, without having to charge excessive membership fees. We are very proud of our club sponsors and do our utmost to support them in return with promotions to our membership base and social media following. We are widening our sponsorship packages so that more local businesses can get involved in our club and allow us to offer even greater experiences for our local community to interact with the club.

PAUL ALDRIDGE HON SECRETARY

I started in 1987 as part of the first youth team for the club

who had looked to restart a youth section and played all the way through the Juniors, and started Senior rugby at 16 with the 4th XV and then eventually progressed to being a first team regular. I am proud to say that I have played for the first team every year since 1992 in 12 different positions, and will still now to step up when needed at 48. I started as club secretary in 2010, which I have done since, bar 1 year, and have also taken on the chairman of playing role in 2022 Player retention and attraction is our biggest difficulty, lots of poor press on rugby generally and the annual battle of keeping players once they finish academy is difficult. Even more so, given we aren’t a uni team and none of the senior schools in our town are private or play rugby. Being in a hotbed of strong clubs – where within 30 minutes you have national teams, and

teams at top of London and SE make it difficult to retain talent too – there are at least 15 players of the top of my head playing for higher clubs who came through our youth system. As a club who doesn’t pay players it is made even more difficult, but our strategy is that this gives us players who want to be here, who want the best for Braintree.

This is paramount to our success, we do not have funds to attract players,

the only way we compete is through a great youth section, by creating a social team and by having players who want to represent our club. Last season we typically had over 70% of our 1st XV each week from home grown players.

Key for us this season will be a strong 2nd team, who have struggled in past few seasons, however Braintree Rugby Club are in a much better place in terms of volume and quality of player, this will support our first team.

LAUREN BENEY SOCIAL MEDIA SEC AND LADIES PLAYER

which we placed 2nd in the league to now with a reshuffle going into Women’s NC 3 South East (East) in which we are training hard in preparation for!

Both women’s and girls’ teams play on a regular basis through the seasons and are actively recruiting for new players. The warriors are desperate to get some more U13s as well as U18s to allow a seamless transition between minis to youths and youths to seniors.

LOUISE LAVERY SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: ATLAS WINCH & HOIST SERVICES LTD

great rugby people. Sadly, women’s and girls’ rugby wasn’t really on the scene back then. I often feel, being a bit of a tomboy at the time, I may well have pulled on the boots myself! My brother-in-law is also heavily involved with the famous club Biggar RFC in the Scottish Borders who have produced their fair share of Internationals over many years.

Anton played at Derby too, in fact we met there, and the rest is history as they say. He also played one game for Braintree some years back however an injury coupled with escalating work commitments meant he had to take the decision to end his playing career.

Finn is still involved with the club, although illness had taken him away from the sport for

a while, and although he isn’t playing at the moment, whilst studying away at Northumbria University, he loves reconnecting on his return with his very good friends and catching up to watch a game or two.

As a club sponsor we are currently supporting Ben Collar, who is a great family friend, and have thoroughly enjoyed giving something back to the club that have given us so much. Nigel Brand and Donna Kempster are a few of the many great club stalwarts that epitomise the values and lifelong friendships that rugby is renowned for.

Since joining the club, we have made many great friendships.

Anton, myself, Cullen, Finn and our extended rugby family would like to congratulate everyone at Braintree Rugby

Club on their recognition as an outstanding rugby club this year and wish them all the very best of continued success for many more years to come!

My husband Anton and I moved to the area some 20 years ago and with both of us coming from large rugby families it was inevitable that we became involved with rugby in some way. Originally our eldest son Cullen played over at Saffron Walden RFC, which he thoroughly enjoyed, and then our youngest Finn, who also played at SWRFC for a while, was encouraged by friends to come along to Braintree Rugby Club.

My dad, Max Allen, a formidable loose head prop in his time, played for many years at Derby RFC, so I had the great experience of growing up around the club and many

At Braintree we have a senior lady’s squad: The Vixens and an ever growing U14s & U16s girls squad, The Warriors.

Our Vixens are now on their 4th season of rugby, starting with inner warrior games back in 2019/2020.

Progressing to Women’s NC 2 Midlands (East) post covid (2021/2022). Coming down into Women’s NC 3 Midlands (South) for last season in

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Robbswood Beckers Green Road Braintree Essex CM7 3PR

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47

Panmure RFC ROB PRUDOM CLUB SECRETARY

“They say that happiness is egg shaped and that is epitomised at Panmure Rugby Club!”

For a number of years, the club has struggled, at all levels, in terms of numbers of players, Volunteers and Juniors. A lot of captains would spend Friday and Saturday nights phoning around friends chasing for that one extra player to take it to 15. As with a lot of sports clubs we struggled through covid, having been in a good position just prior to it.

However, we are now again steadily growing the club, we have two excellent senior Coaches in Bruce Beckett and Clinton Davey and their work is reflected by good numbers at training and consistent performances on the pitch.

The junior volunteer’s numbers have increased, and this is again reflected in the increase in numbers at the Primary 1-7 age group.

Because of our low junior numbers (now approx.) we have been unable to run rugby for s1 up to under 18 or women’s and girls’s rugby.

We have a strong relationship with our local schools and offer lunch time rugby for the primary schools and school time rugby for Grove Academy. Aspirationally, we have to offer all this.

Our ambitions are to continue the development of the club. We have strong links to our local community and coach rugby at the secondary school and local primary schools. It is important that we work to expand the playing base and the availability of rugby across the board.

We share our facilities with a number of other sports club and together major investment is taking place to upgrade our facilities. This will in turn make Forthill a more attractive place to play rugby.

The overall philosophy is that the players at both seniors and juniors should enjoy rugby and the fellowship that brings.This includes playing attacking rugby.

For Panmure Panthers it is about ensuring the children develop at their own pace in a safe environment.

The general mood throughout the club is very optimistic – there is a clear sense of togetherness. It has been an excellent season to date. Players numbers are up, and the coaches are

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creating a very impressive environment for the players to enjoy themselves.

Junior membership is also increasing.

For a number of years, the aim of the club has just been to stay in existence.

The challenges of keeping a senior men’s team have been immense, with a general drop off playing numbers across Scotland. Through a lot of hard work, we feel as though we are progressing, and continue to be quietly ambitious and part of this is we are hoping to increase the breath of rugby available including girls and women’s rugby. We support the development of rugby within Grove Academy and through this we have recently started to have a number of girls start training, this is a small start.

Panmure Panthers are the junior section and are a vital part of the club. We have slowly grown numbers and continue to work hard to do so. We do not have sufficient numbers to have rugby teams from under 12 to under 18 however in the next year or so I believe we will be able to offer this.

A large number of our senior players started their rugby careers as part of the juniors including Jonny Pattullo our current captain and it is important that we offer that pathway for our current juniors.

For the club to grow we need a strong senior section, the correct structure and support around them and a thriving junior section.

We offer Tartan Touch at Panmure, in the summer, which is an excellent Friday night social gathering – young children to adults – players and non-players. The club house is open, and we provide regular BBQs. We have looked at expanding what we offer to include Walking Rugby – but again its important we do this

DOUG BETT CLUB PRESIDENT

My father played for the club and was also a captain and president in his time.

For a long period it was a players number game for us, however now we are doing well on that front. Our ambition is to have 2 senior teams playing every week and a junior section that has teams from P1 through to U18s.

The mood is very positive currently. Some of our player connections include Andy Nicol and Jonny Petrie who were panthers with both playing and captaining Scotland. This season`s

ambition is to win the league and gain promotion to the National League. We are also always looking to improve in all areas with the likes of girls and women’s rugby…and of course mini rugby is the life blood and ensures the future of our club. Touch rugby through the summer months, and walking Rugby will only enhance our reputation as a community led club.

At Panmure Rugby club we are fortunate to have so many pro-active members supporting our club and teams. With the loyal support of many sponsors who are extremely important to us!

at the right time when we have the right number of volunteers.

We are very much a community-based club.

Broughty Ferry is an excellent place to live and grow up. We are part of Forthill Community Sports Hub and support the other sporting clubs. Where possible we look to support local businesses and purchase locally.

We support the local schools through training provision and any sports days and have supported local charities with donations and this is something we will continue to do.

We are involved in delivering Sporting Memories at Forthill CSH which started recently – again this is an excellent way to support our community.

We have invested in our players and as part of this we need to raise funds.

Our sponsors such as Scott Brothers, Gillies and Pitairlie Garage support the club and

hopefully we offer them good value for money.

Family is what our club is all about. We have an excellent group of people involved in the Panmure.

The trip to Murrayfield last season would not have taken place a few years ago. We took two buses of supporters with more travelling through by train. My daughter was stopped by the Ticket Collector at Edinburgh Haymarket Train station and asked which club was playing as she had seen to many people with the club colours on.

We are a small communitybased club, but on a weekly basis we coach rugby at local primary schools, coach at our local secondary school, train two/three time a week, play on a Saturday and train our juniors on a Wednesday and Sunday.Our current lunch time club at Eastern primary school has thirty five participants.

JONNY PATTULLO PLAYER – CAPTAIN

I first became involved with the club as a junior. My dad played and brought me along on Sundays and I was involved up till P7 then moved to Carnoustie and Angus Colts during my teenage years. After going to Agri College i took a gap year which turned into 4 years in Aus & NZ and so not a lot of rugby was played although I did play a few games while in NZ. I Came returned to Scotland in 2016 and have been ever present for Panmure since playing in the second row.

In past years we struggled for numbers at training and fielding a team. These days, as captain, my ambitions are to get the club into the National League and hopefully have another cup run which would see us back at Murrayfield. Its important keep the club growing and

hopefully field 2 senior teams.

Our senior playing philosophy to playing attacking rugby and the mood at the club is great. 2023 has been a really good year for us. Winning the Caly bowl in March and then to make the National Bowl Final in May and taking this momentum into the new season where we sit top of Caly 1 Midlands, was a great achievement.

Our ambitions for this season are to make sure we top the league going into the playoffs and have a serious go to try and make it into The Nationals. Also, a good cup run in the shield would be very nice!

Panmure Rugby Club is such a great place to be a part of because of the warm friendly and welcoming environment we have. On the field we try and play attacking rugby and off the field we enjoy a few pints with wide range of social events organised to keep us all entertained.

I have played 50 consecutive games since covid, and the Pattullo’s have a lot of family connections with this great club. My dad and his brother played, and my granddad is an expresident and my great uncles and dads cousins played too.

My mum and sister are heavily involved in club from cooking teas after training and helping run things behind the scenes.

They are amongst the many helpers at Panmure RFC which make it such a great club to be part of!

FIONA WALSH MOTHER OF CONOR AND AIDAN/WIFE OF JOHN: A VALUED SENIOR MEMBER

Rugby is a huge part of our family, if it wasn’t for rugby then our little family wouldn’t exist. John and I met at Edinburgh Northern, at their annual 7s tournament, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Fast forward a few years to 2014 and a post marriage move back to Broughty Ferry was on the horizon.

For a good year, which was meant to be John’s retirement year, Doug was trying to tap John up to play for Panmure but he was still traveling back to Edinburgh to play for Northern.

Eventually, with a newborn baby, the appeal of running out with his young nephew Thomas, and the promise of a post match pint or 3, John started for the first XV at Panmure and hasn’t looked back. 8 years on and retirement has been put on hold, for this season anyway!

As a wife, parent and a sponsor, there has been many amazing memories at Panmure. Back in 2018, the team and many helpers spent 2 days clearing the pitch of a deluge of snow to ensure their Midlands Bowl Final tie against the Dundee Medics went ahead. My kids watched the

match from a sledge on the sidelines as Panmure secured a win to lift the bowl. It was an amazing show of teamwork and what can be achieved when everyone pulls together.

Last season was a particularly emotive one for me, and one which made me realise the importance and strength of the Panmure Family.

With Panmure in the National Bowl Final at Murrayfield (or the Dam!), my young sons, who are both Panthers, were selected to run out with the team. To watch Conor and Aidan run out with the captain Johnny, followed by their Daddy and big cousin made me so immensely proud.

The team left everything on the pitch that day and gave their huge crowd of travelling supporters an amazing game of rugby to watch.

The people are what makes Panmure, the passionate players, dedicated coaching teams, proud sponsors, enthusiastic supporters and the hard working clubhouse team. Everyone is welcome and feels part of the family.

They say happiness is egg shaped and that is epitomised at Panmure. It’s a happy place to be, whether you are playing aged 5 or 55, but I do hope John has retired before he tests that theory!

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF PANMURE RUGBY F.C

Est. 1880 It is reported that the name ‘Panmure’, was chosen because a number of the original members, who founded the Club on 18th September 1880, lived in or near Panmure Terrace in Dundee. The Club’s first pitch was beside the Law and in its early days it was an open Club without former pupil affiliations.

The first matches played in the closing months of 1880 were against Dundee High School, Newport and Dundee Institution. Of these three old opponents, only Dundee High School FPRFC has remained and share their 125th Anniversary with us.

In 1884 Panmure RFC joined the Scottish Rugby Union, itself only twelve years old. In 1886 a second XV was constituted and the Club took a firm root in Dundee.

In 1888 Panmure RFC arrived in Broughty Ferry as tenants of Forfarshire Cricket Club, with their opening game being played against old rivals Perthshire who narrowly beat Panny by a drop goal to a try.

In 1906, after twenty-six years in existence the Club elected their first President Mr. J. Millar. From 1908 until 1913, Captained by R.C.Cunningham then G.M. Cleghorn Panmure won the North of Scotland Cup for five years running.

Between 1914 & 1918 Club activities were suspended.

The period from the 1920’s to the early 1930’s were without significant success.

The tide turned when in 1936 and 1939 when Panmure won the Midlands Sevens, and also the North of Scotland Knockout Cup in 1937, 1938 and 1939.

Again the Second World War ended Club activities for six years.

The fifties again saw a rewarding time for the Club and fixtures expanded to take in more Edinburgh and Glasgow sides. Aberdeen was a favourite venue for away games and Panmure

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celebrated a run of twenty six games against them without defeat. At that time the Aberdeen Evening Express ran a banner heading across its rugby pages “Panmure – Cocks of the North”. In 1955 the Midlands Sevens Cup was won and the following year the North of Scotland Sevens Cup. In the early 1960’s Panmure moved across the Arbroath Road and rented a field using old Nissen huts as changing rooms and tea rooms.

In 1967 Panmure moved back to Forthill with the formation of Forthill Sports Club, and with loan from the S.R.U. went towards building the Clubhouse which was opened in 1971. The opening game saw Panmure narrowly beat Edinburgh Academicals.

The 1970’s was a good period for Panmure with links being forged in the Welsh Valleys.

The Club celebrated it’s Centenary in 1980 with a ‘Centenary Dinner’ in the Angus Hotel on Friday 19th September, 1980. The President of the day was Mr. I.B. Fisken and Panmure’s Captain was M.R.F. Clark. The Centenary Tour took in Trinant in Wales, Carrickfergus from Ireland and three Clubs in Yorkshire.

Since the Centenary P.R.F.C. has continued to draw players from throughout Dundee and Angus and continues its strong links with the farming community. The quality of the rugby played suffered as the numbers playing sport in general fell but Panmure has successfully maintained its playing numbers and boasts a strong off-field club.

The team dropped out of

the national leagues in 1999 and played in the Midlands League’s for six years before returning to the national leagues in 2005.

IAN MCGOWAN PARENT/MINI/ MICRO COACH

I first became involved with Panmure Rugby Club when my son started with the Panthers in 2019. For the next few years, I played the role of the supportive parent, particularly through Covid. After Rugby started back up again the club were short on volunteers, and as I’d be up at training every week anyway, I volunteered to help out where needed.

Panmure won National Division 5 Caledonia in season 2005/2006 after an impressive season both home and away with 15 wins and only 3 losses. The team clinched the title in the last game, away from home under the shadow of Ben Nevis.

Since this date we have been consistently inconsistent – having a number of strong seasons followed by seasons where we have struggled to field a team.

2017 - 2018 – Midlands Bowl Winners – Snow Bowl 2022 -2023 - Midlands Bowl Winners/National Bowl losers

This was the start of my love affair with community rugby and with Panmure RFC. I come from a football background, played to a semi pro level and had been through UEFA B License coaching in 2005 with the FA so had some experience in coaching team sports, however the approach that Panmure, and the SRU for that matter, take in coaching kids is simply outstanding. So much so that the kids have

no idea they are developing skills in arguably, the most complex team sport in the world, they are simply playing playground games, having fun and developing physical and mental skills that will last them a lifetime. I have enjoyed my coaching journey so much I started my SRU coaching certification and continue to coach with the Panthers and also now with the local primary schools too.

For Panthers, the biggest challenge is player numbers, we were decimated after Covid and it’s taken time to rebuild the numbers back to where we are now, however we are in a really great space at the minute and continue to develop and provide a great environment for kids to play rugby.

We have some really exciting ambitions for Panthers and the wider Panmure RFC right now and are really keen to develop the club’s community ties, particularly with local schools.

We are also in the early stages of providing rugby for kids beyond their primary education years, into secondary education and I can’t wait to watch some of the players I’ve coached from 4/5 years old (including my own son) run out for the senior team in years to come. To have that pathway from such a young age all the way to senior rugby will be amazing.

Our kids continue to develop and have played some excellent rugby at all levels so far this season. The introduction of a second training session for the older kids last year has really brought their game to a new level and this season has seen them play some outstanding rugby.

I’m biased, but for me developing mini & junior rugby is crucial, it builds a bond to our club for children and families that will hopefully last a lifetime and see more Panthers go on to play senior rugby at Panmure!

ANDY PHILP PLAYER

I started many moons ago with Panmure minis after my brothers started and when i was 3 years old. After watching them play for a few months from a buggy, the legendary coach Jeff Martinson came over and said i had been sitting down for too long and got me up and onto the rugby pitch. I spent the next hour sitting down and picking mud and worms out of my shoes!

From then on I was always involved in the minis under coaches Jeff and also Joe Williamson. They made us all feel very welcome from the getgo and were such nice people.

They would run BBQs in the summer and there was a great feeling to be part of a group that kids and parents enjoyed so much. My mum even got an award for producing the most rugby players (4 brothers all played for Panmure Minis!)

I have always had that close connection with the club, and this gave me the skills and platform to play for my school (High School of Dundee) eventually playing for the 1st XV at hooker/flanker.

My older brother James came back to play for Panmure

senior team in 2010 after having a liver transplant 4 years prior. It was an incredible achievement with great guys like Rob Prudom, Gordon Melville and Duncan Lindsay making him feel part of the Panmure family. Although, I think the change from hooker to winger was a difficult adjustment, but he was skinny enough for it! I started playing a few games for the senior team with my brother in 20112012 (when i was 21) with James being made captain in season 2012-13.

After I finished university, i was based in Middlesbrough and i played for Middlesbrough RFC, a great club with 4 senior teams, a fantastic set up and also a very friendly/sociable club.

My brother tragically passed away in 2014, but i knew how much Panmure meant to him, so I wore a Panmure top to his funeral. He was always one to enjoy the moment.

The Panmure family were very supportive of me and my younger brother at that difficult time. In 2015, I came back home to Broughty Ferry and have played for ‘Panny’ ever since with me becoming captain in 2020-22 which was a particularly proud moment.

We have had some tough

times on the pitch over the years, only having about 6-7 guys to training in some years but the club has grown immensely in that time and are in a much better position both in the league and are a very sociable club off the pitch. Doug Bett and Rob Prudom particularly have driven this.

My family have always been involved in the club and my family’s local business (Gillies of Broughty Ferry) a home furnishing company, regularly sponsor the club.

I’m now 33 and hope to still be pulling on a shirt for the Panny in the coming years yet!

CONTACT THE CLUB

Forthill Sports Club Finty Place Broughty Ferry, Dundee Angus DD5 3BL 01382 775550 www.pitchero.com/clubs/ panmure

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BRIAN BINNIE FORMER PLAYER, PARENT, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR

My journey with Panmure Rugby Club began at the age of eleven, it was my local club and it was the obvious choice of club to begin, what turned out to be, my lifelong love of rugby. Back in my school days at Dundee High, rugby was more than a game, it was a shared passion between many of my friends and this is what led me to seeking out Panmure. I vividly recall my first taste of competitive rugby with Panmure at Crieff, a tournament that marked the beginning of my lifelong love of this incredible sport.

Through the years, my story at Panmure evolved, from the 3rd team to the 1st XV, always as a back, and Panmure became my rugby home.

My three boys all embraced the solid tradition of mini rugby from age five at Panmure. It was ran by a group of committed and enthusiastic coaches and volunteers making the often cold and wet Sunday mornings fun, and filled with the Panny passion and team spirit that continues to run throughout the Club. Fraser, the eldest, plays outside centre, and has earned accolades at both school and club levels. Greg, is a versatile

talent at scrum-half or fullback, and has recently completed his tenure as President of the Heriot Watt University Rugby Club.

Alistair, the youngest, has followed in his brother’s footsteps as an outside centre and scrum half, started his playing career at Panmure by winning Man Of The Match in his debut game. Alistair is currently working in New Zealand and is already part of a Touch Rugby team, and Greg has just left to work in

Australia – both are eagerly waiting for the rugby season to begin in February/March.

Panmure Rugby club isn’t just about the rugby matches, it’s a community woven together by remarkable individuals. Doug Bett and Rob Prudum, among others, have steered the club with dedication and enthusiasm preserving its timeless values and fostering a true ‘rugby club’ ambiance. Supported by a team of exceptional coaches and committed

parents, Panmure ensures that every age group feels a sense of belonging.

Last season’s final, played at Murrayfield, may not have ended in triumph, but the spirit displayed by our players and huge travelling support, in fact the whole Club, spoke volumes. It was a spectacular day for all involved and the camaraderie and sense of elation we experienced that day more than made up for the result – the boys on the field gave everything and made us all very proud to be part of a Club with such heart.

As owners of Denfind Stone, it has been a privilege for my wife, Ali, and I to sponsor a club that has given so much to our family and myself, personally. It’s not merely a financial contribution; it’s a heartfelt acknowledgment of the impact that Panmure has had on our lives. Rugby, to me, is about enjoyment, and Panmure Rugby Club epitomises the perfect blend of competitive spirit and revelry.

As a past player, a member, a former VP and now a parent observing the growth and development of my sons, being part of Panmure Rugby Club fills me with immense pride.

They currently sit at the top of the league, and I credit this to the fact that Panny is the very essence of what a community rugby club should be.

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Thornton Cleveleys RUFC Papa Johns Men`s North Plate Cup Champions!

CLUB PRESIDENT WILL GARDNER

I became involved with Thornton Cleveleys Rugby Club 12 years ago as a player.

I had just moved to the area and wanted to continue playing rugby.

Four years ago, our incumbent rugby committee at the club all stepped down after a long stint at the helm.

Unfortunately, there was no succession plan in place to replace the posts, as the usual demographic of suitable people to step up was nonexistent at our club.

Thus, the existing older playing group decided that they would put themselves forward and were voted in at the agm whereby I became the chairman of the club, whilst still an active first XV player, with Grant Blackshaw becoming as well as club secretary, membership secretary, fixtures secretary, treasurer and other generic committee roles.

Before we could even get started, covid-19 hit, and our first rugby season was cut in half, inclusive of sponsorship money and player subs.

Navigating through covid as a newly formed committee had it’s struggles, but ultimately, we came out the other side as a stronger club. Having joined the club 12 years ago as a player just looking for some rugby after relocating to the fylde coast, I have made lifelong friends and shared some incredible memories with this group. I stayed on as chairman for 3 years until the beginning of this season after I retired from actively playing rugby.

However the pull of the club drew me back in and I was appointed club president this year, with james gorrie taking the reins as club chairman.

At this time, we didn’t have a coach, so our first duties were to interview for the post and fortunately for us we were able to secure the services of steve woodburn – an ex-rugby league player and a great man looking for a new challenge.

The appointment of Steve as head coach has been incredible for the club. Within 3 years he has turned thornton-cleveleys into a great community club with an extremely competitive environment and an amazing culture. Last season we won the papa john’s national cup.

We were also lancashire bowl

champions and finished 4th in the league. This season we are currently unbeaten in the league and sit top; aiming for promotion.

Currently, we do not have our own club house and we have been actively trying to find the best location in the local area to obtain a lease and start grant funding to achieve our own home. Where we are based currently leaves the club with little room to grow and our ambitions are to develop a junior section along with a women’s team, eventually. However, our currently facilities do not permit us to explore those options as it stands.

We have a strong walking rugby team at the club, who recently won their first tournament. We regularly get between 15-30 people on a thursday night or sunday

morning at the club and it is growing year on year!

One of our main challenges was of course covid. Many players were just not able to make time

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NOTABLE PLAYERS AND LINKS

Barrie-Jon Mather (when he was younger) – Dual Code RL and RU Player and 1st ever Rugby League player to be capped by England Rugby Union. The clubs first ever President was Sir Edwin Lutyens (EF Lutyens) Royal Architect who designed The Cenotaph at Whitehall and also New Dehli during the period of the British Raj. TC Alumni (and walking rugby players) and local businessmen – David Craven, Tony Attard and Martin Long – set up a Rugby Charity (Fylde Rugby Community Foundation) which supports getting rugby union into schools and clubs in the north west working closely with Sir Bill Beaumont who often wishes us well in local derbies and big games. to fit rugby back in their lives and we also had a large tranche of middle-aged players retire from playing and left not only the club, but community rugby.

These would usually succeed the committee and provide the link between to old boys and the players. We didn’t get that. We had to start from scratch – no coach, no sponsors, no squad.

Our development plans are to create a sports hub for all people and all sports at a decent level, with the community and social side being front and centre.

We want to facilitate competitive sports for everyone so they can make the same quality memories that rugby and tc has given many of us. Our coaching philosophy is ongoing, like cogs in machines, you might say. We are always looking to build confidence and be the best at this level.

The current mood at the club is one of a sense of commitment; with our committee facilitating amateur rugby as professionally as possible, our coach to provide direction for a group of men and give them purpose, and the players to take it very seriously as the group is of an age where they know that

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the music will stop playing at some point.

So far, the 2023-2024 season has been about understanding the system we want to play while developing structure and consistency in the face of sweeping injuries and unavailability.

Our ambitions are to win all competitions we are in (league and 3 cups) and ensure promotion into the league above – the level we believe we should be at. It’s tough being a one team club however the culture at the club is building to be more “professional” with limited shirts up for grabs and 30+ players fighting for them.

This has raised the standard and with that comes expectation and the players fully expect to be playing at a higher-level next season – and hopefully with a cup or 2 more in the trophy cabinet.

On the social side the club is planning its first club tour in over 10 years, so the players and supporters are very much looking forward to that. Our club is in the heart of the community and after a rebuild period, the players and committee have begun to strengthen the bonds around the immediate locality.

Whether it’s having events at new, local pubs/ bars/ restaurants to raise their profile, to engaging with local businesses to invite them to matches and educate them on the core principles of teamwork and multidisciplinary working in teams. Fortunately, from these relationships blossoming, we’ve created strong partnerships and re-embedded our roots in thornton cleveleys through sponsorship with local companies.

One thing we’ve always had at tc is family – and throughout the years many generations of families have donned the windmill on their chest and supported on the committee and through sponsorship. The Heskeths, the Gorries and the Crompton’s are just some of the names that have built, maintained, and driven this club for many years and for that, we are eternally grateful – and not to mention Vik’s mum for doing authentic

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The bonds that have been created over the almost 97 years of this clubs existence add up to so much happiness and fulfilment that it’s almost hard to imagine.

biryani for post-match food every now and again!

A healthy wave of successful contributors to tc from Next Generation Travel Group, Panaz Ltd & Builders Supplies North West Ltd saw the club through a very stable period – the importance of this period would be critical to the clubs survival through the covid pandemic - but all good things come to an end and with new blood in the committee and player group, comes new partnerships and then-chairman Will Gardner secured a new kit sponsor in Alliance Leisure Ltd. However, Alliance wanted to donate the space on the jersey to a good cause and so the club decided to advertise a charity close to its heart in Mind Lancashire (mental health charity) which was greatly received by all. Scrum half Jack Smith and his brother Elliot’s Bespoke Events Sound Stage and lighting firm (SSL Live Ltd) were quick to answer the call to jump on board and they ensured the players looked professional with travelling kit.

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WALKING RUGBY

We have 30+ participants from 48 to 80 years old, Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons.

Started as 8 blokes during covid and has grown to not just ex-TC players but ex-players from far and wide who have retired to the coast. We often hear great feedback from external participants about how it has given them a social life back and the fellas often retire to a local watering hole for post-game refreshments.

This was closely followed by winger Jack Mcfarlane helping out with training and warm up kit through his bathroom design firm JMC Plumbing & Bathroom Design.

The support from our sponsors not only means that we are a very well kitted out club for our size, but also that during our double cup run at the end of last season, our travel costs were mounting up and were it not for support from a family with longstanding involvement with the club and the fylde rugby community

foundation it would have cost the players (and their families and our supporters) lots of money to play in the big games and without the support we received, the day would not have been so special and memorable.

Our cup success brought much needed profile to the club and from there, we’ve managed to attract more support from longstanding and established local businesses such as precision engineering project designers Addison Group and International Plastics Powerhouse Glasdon Group via their DJ Sidebottom & Glasdon charitable programme.

We’ve also rolled out a player sponsorship programme with great success seeing local firms offer their support for a local cause or for their employees to stay active through rugby; Farm Yard Brew Co. – The Redwood Group – Blackpool Tile & Bathroom Centre – Mildot Group – JCSC Electrical Services Ltd – J Wareing & Son Ltd. The pockets of people that we have at the club who are basically family is one thing that contributes to this great club. They holiday together, attend weddings and christenings together. They celebrate births and mourn deaths together. All life’s events that unfold in front of us are shared by one another and the bonds that have been created over the almost 97 years of this club’s existence add up to so much happiness and fulfilment that it’s almost hard to imagine.

All the stories of the bar baa’s (the old boys) and the crazy tours to places like

A LITTLE OF OUR HISTORY AT TCRUFC

Road, where it remained for 75 years. A new clubhouse and changing rooms were opening on the 10th of October 1961 by then President of the RFU, Major General RGS Hobbs, CB DSO OBE. The clubhouse became affectionately known as The Hut but was destroyed in a fire in 2003 after TCRUFC had relocated to Thornton Sports Centre, this is where the club remains today.

Miami, the old clubhouse and how we still have its ashes in a box in our changing rooms after it burnt down, the offshoot invitation only touring team poulton exiles who have toured many countries and remain unbeaten – the memories are what we play this fantastic game for and for it all to culminate last year in winning the Papa John’s cup was just immense. The support from everyone, even our bitterest rivals, was incredible and to give our players and supporters – our family – a memory like that is what this club is all about.

GRANT BLACKSHAW TCRUFC HONOURARY SECRETARY

Blackpool Grammar School teachers living in Thornton in 1927 opened a club ground on School Road and an inaugural match against Vale of Lune RUFC was planned, but the visitors travel was prevented by flooding. Fylde hastily raised a team and stood in.

The following year the club was re-located to Fleetwood

One of the things we’ve looked to do is mirror what the pro’s do. Now obviously, we don’t have 10 hours spare a day, nor do we have the facilities to train, review, recover to the same extent – but the culture we look to drive is. We’ve brought in coffee club before every session where we’ve got an old coffee machine serviced and

we have barista style coffee and biscuits and just chat for half an hour before getting changed. It’s not only great for team building but it’s great for the lads mental health – to come down and have the mick taken out of you will always put a smile on your face.

We’ve redecorated the changing rooms thanks to a donation from Glasdon Plastics, we’ve introduced subsidised snacks and sports drinks before matches so when a player arrives, the changing room is set up like a pro changing room. Little things like that just take a bit of effort and to see the culture of comradery and brotherhood grow has been class. We’ve recruited a few new players (we even have a French exchange teacher) and the first thing they mentioned was how tight this group is, but also how easy it is to get onboard with – and that’s what this is all about.

Providing a space where people can come and just be themselves.

KURT GLEDHILL TCRUFC CLUB CAPTAIN

As the Club Captain at Thornton Cleveleys Rugby Club, I have got to say, things are rocking! The vibe down at the club has never been better. Our squad is always pushing each other to do more. After the success we had in the Papa Johns Cup in the 22/23 season, we are now aiming for promotion this year in our league.

CONTACT THE CLUB

Victoria Road East Thornton-Cleveleys Lancashire FY5 3SX

07702 251155 www.pitchero.com/clubs/ thorntoncleveleys

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Mosborough RUFC

“They are one big family and I love inclusiveness of the club; from my experience they give anyone a try!”

FIRST TEAM CAPTAIN JAKE EYRE REFLECTED ON A FAMOUS CUP DOUBLE FOR MOSBOROUGH

The two cup wins last year were great for the club in what was a strong end to the season. The uniplex midweek vase final was a really tough game away at Wath. We started strong and ran in a couple of early tries but we were under a lot of pressure second half, with a lot of support along the touchline for the home side. It was blood and thunder for the last 15 but we managed to keep Wath at bay. The lads dug deep and we managed to hold on for the win and lift the trophy.

The Yorkshire Vase trophy started with a classic home

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cup tie against Halifax started us off on our second cup journey in the Yorkshire vase.

Halifax are a top side and won promotion from our league a few weeks prior. In what was probably our best performance of the season, we managed to beat them in front of a big crowd on our memorial day, which is probably the biggest club day in our calendar. It was a mammoth effort from the team and we played some outstanding rugby with and without the ball to earn the win.

After winning Halifax, it was then onto The Yorkshire vase final at Castle park.

We’ve had a few very tight games in the past against the opposition Hornsea, who are a great set of lads. It certainly

wasn’t our best performance in the first half, we were trailing by 10 points with 9 minutes left to play. Luckily for us, the remaining minutes were the best we’d played in the game, managing to score a converted try and a last gasp penalty to take the game to extra time. The extra time golden point period was a new experience for a lot of our players and extremely tense and nervy for both teams. After 15 minutes of stalemate, up stepped Our Dale to knock over a brilliant penalty to bring home the goods. Anyone would have thought we’d won the World Cup with how the team and supporters celebrated. What a moment, and what an end to the season.

COMMUNITY

At the heart of our rugby community, we take pride in fostering a strong bond with the local schools.

Our commitment extends beyond the field as we actively engage with primary and secondary schools, conducting coaching sessions that instil a passion for rugby.

We’ve hosted vibrant tag festivals, welcoming primary schools to partake in the excitement and invited secondary schools to join in spirited matches, creating lasting memories on the pitch.

Beyond the game, we believe in building a sense of camaraderie off the field.

Embracing the festive spirit, we’ve organized Halloween and Christmas parties at the Mosborough Miners Welfare Club. These gatherings not only celebrate the season but also strengthen the bonds within our rugby family. We thrive in fostering a community where rugby is more than just a sport – it’s a shared experience that unites us all.

SAM MAIDMENT SUPPORTER

As a family, I started taking my two sons and daughter to Mosborough RUFC around 13 years ago, then aged 5, 6 and 8. All three of my children absolutely loved the game and the rugby family atmosphere of the club.

Eden (Edna) my eldest son, now 22, has gone from playing in under 9’s to losing his team at U14’s. For two years, whilst he was without a team, he helped coach his brother’s team. Until the opportunity came to take on the U7’s, who are now our current U13’s. Eden went on to play in Mosborough seniors second XV, whilst also playing for his university team at Sheffield Hallam w e he is now a current 1st team prop with Mosborough 1st XV. Playing Rugby and Coaching at Mosborough inspired Eden in his professional career choices and he has obtained a degree in sports coaching and a PCGE masters where he is now a lecturer in post 16 sports coaching at Chesterfield college and Derby university.

Edna also holds Coaching and referee qualifications through the RFU and has helped out coaching and refereeing within the club.

Reuben (Ruby Two Shoes), my youngest son (now 19), started playing at tag rugby age, he has progressed through the ranks of Mosborough over the years and played solidly at many tournaments and friendly games, regularly earning himself Man of the match.

He has such a passion and knowledge of the game, and he has Trialled for Yorkshire County and is Currently playing regularly for Mosborough 1st XV and his University of Hull team. Ruby is a solid, fearless member of Mosborough.

He has played Scrum half, Winger and full Back over the years and continues to do so.

He is currently holding top try scorer for the season at Mosboroughand last year was voted player’s player at Hull University.

Constance (Coni Mi Sista) now 18, has played rugby from tag along with Reuben. She played with Mosborough taking part in many tournaments and festivals right upto age 11 where she had to find a girls’ team due to Mosborough unfortunately not fielding one. She continued her journey playing captain for Sheffield Swans and was then approached to play in a cup game for Mansfield RUFC. Since then, she has trained and played regularly with both Sheffield Swans and Mansfield and in 2022 she was selected to play with her County team of Yorkshire, where she was one of the few girls to play in every game that season.

Unfortunately, she sustained a knee injury in early 2023 but she is now back training with both her clubs and with the Yorkshire Squad. Coni has also taken on a coaching role for Mosborough of U7’s back where it all began for her. She has always played Hooker and loves this position, her carrying strength is amazing. Coni will be moving into senior Rugby in September and will play for Sheffield ladies and Mansfield Ladies along

with trialling for whichever university she gets into.

Myself, as a parent Mosborough, have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the club, it has been fantastic. It has and continues to give all three of my children so many opportunities, it has given them a secure bond within a team environment and embedded so many fantastic qualities in them, such as, teamwork, determination, strength of character, stability, self belief, commitment, a feeling if belonging, just to mention a few.

I was a manager of Reubens team from U9’s to colts and have made some amazing friend’s and shared so many experience’s with everyone I’ve met along the way. Now all my children are grown up, I am still involved with the junior section, by bringing my Niece and Nephew along to ruggerbeez (U6) and running the children’s university scheme for Mosborough. This is where children get credits when they train or play, and these build up until they have enough credits to gain a certificate and badge at Sheffield children’s university awards nights.

Mosborough holds a very special place in my heart and long may it do so.

SPECIAL MENTION MICK KEEN, PHOTOGRAPHER

A heartfelt shout-out to Mick, our unwavering rugby club photographer extraordinaire!

For years, Mick has dedicated his lens and passion to capturing the essence of our club. His commitment goes beyond the try line, as he’s travelled to home games and away games, ensuring every pivotal moment is frozen in time.

Not only does Mick have an expert eye for the game, but his dedication runs in the family. His son is a proud member of our colts team, embodying the next generation of our rugby legacy. Mick, alongside being our trusted photographer, is a proud rugby parent too.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Mick for his voluntary commitment to freeze-frame the memories that make our club special.

His enthusiasm for rugby shines through every snapshot, and we’re truly fortunate to have him on our team. Thanks for being the visual storyteller of our rugby journey!

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LISA JUNIOR CHAIRWOMAN, JUNIOR SECTION

Nine years ago, my lad was given a leaflet for Mosborough Rugby Club in his schoolbook bag, and he was keen for his Dad to take him to a free session.

He absolutely loved it. After a while I decided to come and start watching him play and in 2018, I was asked if I could help manage the team. I felt my initial role as a parent, let me understand what I needed to do in my role as a manager.

After a while, I was invited to attend one or two committee meetings to see if they could put me and my skills to any use. These invites started to become regular until I was asked to take on the role of data administrator.

Getting more involved in the committee and seeing how much the junior section had grown it was discussed that more volunteers were needed to help support the junior section then in the summer of 2023 and after a social media appeal for volunteers, the Mosborough RUFC junior committee was born.

Mosborough is a small mining village in the South Yorkshire/North East Derbyshire border and to think that we have over 150 children training and playing from not only our own village, but those that surround the area is a dream come true. Our junior section begins from Ruggerbeez (U6) to Colts (U18) and all those ages in between. From 10am on a Sunday morning our Westfield and Club pitches are packed full of laughing and muddy children, and that’s even before the away teams arrive! For the parents, guardians, siblings

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and spectators braving the cold, we try to keep them as warm as possible by providing some hot drinks at the side of the pitch. Our mini section (Ruggerbeez to U12) has around 100 players and juniors (U13 to Colts) with an additional 50 children, from a variety of backgrounds and local schools. Not only do we see our pitches busy on a Sunday morning, but when you drive past or pop in on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, those same children, parents and volunteers are out there doing what they do best and love!

Our senior coaches and players even get involved by holding sessions regularly in local schools, not only does this help with recruiting players, it also helps bring the sport to those who may not have had the opportunity to play before.

The juniors who are involved now will hopefully not only feed the Mosborough first and second teams, but also teams all over the UK once they make their way to College, University or to make a life somewhere special, you never know, perhaps even across the globe, whether it be for the fun and love or the game, or maybe even professionally!

No matter how far each child goes or where their rugby career takes them, we hope that Mosborough RUFC will always be in their hearts.

Being a volunteer in the club brings daily rewards and challenges. Having the help from those around you that offer their precious time to ensure the club runs smoothly and seeing the smiles on the childrens faces are more than enough of a reward for accepting the few and far between challenges. Everyone at the

club works hard to try and ensure everyone who wants to get involved does so with a smile.

As a club, we must ensure that everyone involved in volunteering has all the necessary training and support. Our aim to provide all training requested as we would like our coaches, managers and first aiders to have the access to any England RFU training above and beyond anyone’s expectations as once you have the support of them who give up so much of their valuable time, that certainly feeds back to the players and parents and you can see those developments grow within the team.

Our ambition is to ensure that every child and parent who walks on to the pitches, whether to play or watch, does so with a smile, no matter what the weather or the score. Our duty is to provide a safe space for everyone who is part of our club and for them to feel included no matter how large or small a role they play or how well they perform in any match or training session. Each year our volunteer numbers grow to provide the vital support the club needs to achieve its goals.

Some of the values and objectives at Mosborough Rugby Club are: • Build a new financially selfsustainable clubhouse • A successful first team in their training • Consistently put out a 2nd development team • Run a junior section of U6 to U17 teams (where possible) • Every player and coach are encouraged and supported to meet their potential • Every team is equal in the club

• Full positive engagement with players, coaches, other volunteers, parents and members • Outstanding welcome to visitors The start of the season for the junior section has received mixed results, we have achieved some amazing wins, and not so good results, but the pictures that are shared by the spectators always show, happy, muddy faces. Every child who has stepped on the pitch since September has shown, hard work, determination, dedication, professionalism and wonderful sportsmanship, a word that is often associated with Mosborough Rugby Club. If we can carry that through to the end of the season, every player, parent and volunteer will have done the club proud.

Nine years ago, I never imagined I would be part of such a special club, when you join Mosborough Rugby Club you hear people talking about their rugby family but you cannot believe how quickly you become part of that family. You are welcomed with open arms and a warm embrace, the people around you provide so much support that you cannot imagine what it was like before joining the club.

COMMENTS FROM JUNIOR PARENTS -

“They have made my son feel really welcome and part of the team. The coach’s always make a point of giving the children feedback which I think is a great thing as this gives the kids things to work on to improve. This is always done in a positive way.”

“They are one big family and I love inclusiveness of the club, from my experience they give anyone a try.”

“All players are made to feel important and valued no matter what their ability”

CONTACT THE CLUB

Mosborough Sheffield

0114 247 9650 www.mosboroughrufc.com/

CHRIS HICKS SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: XTRA MILE TRANSPORT.

I live in Doncaster and my friend Mick Keen is a member of Mosborough Rugby Club so when they were looking to attract player sponsors, I decided to help out. This led me to visit the club where I had the opportunity to really appreciate what an important local asset they were. I was also able to help Micks son Jamie, who plays for the club, out with some fitness guidance as I have a home gym facility.

I can’t speak highly enough about the great service I have witnessed which the club provide to their community.

Any time I have been amongst the club members they have really demonstrated a great togetherness and hospitality to me personally which I appreciate.

Its great to see the senior team are doing so well in the league and the way that the local people have supported the club and become involved. Congratulations to everyone on being selected to be paid tribute to in Rugby Club Magazine and wish you all the very best of continued success for the remainder of the 2023/2024 campaign.

Keep going that Xtra Mile!

“Very proud supporters & sponsors of Mosborough RUFC!”

Delivery freight company

01302 272 601 admin@xtramiletransport.co.uk 59

Old Saltleians RFC “A story of survival and an attitude of total inclusion!”

MICK LEE CHAIRMAN

I first became involved with the club 32 years ago as the father of three sons looking for a club with M&J structure.

We found it at Old Salts! I got involved with coaching and was soon recruited into the vacant Chair of M&J role in 2000. I loved the role and enjoyed watching our junior teams improve in a strong support structure, stayed until 2011.

ASH BARDSLEY

M&J is critical to the growth of the rugby club, parents and their children enjoying the experience at Old Salts is key to a strong community rugby club.

We had a very strong M&J section prior to the Exile from our home clubhouse, we have always fielded more exM&J players than recruited players, so our long-term health is at stake, we must support and develop M&J as a bedrock of the club.

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My journey after that found me in Club Development and then Vice Chairman eventually Chairman in 2019 to date. I was the client lead during the negotiations for the HS2 relocation 2013 to 2021 and through the new build. 2021/22. I am currently maintaining the momentum off field that the players have created on field.

Exile during the relocation from our clubhouse to a school playing field nearly killed us as a club. No bar or kitchen and a small portacabin for the kids to stay dry in is all we had, but thankfully the changing rooms were good. We have a small group of loyal players and committee to thank for our survival. The fact that a promise of a turn-key move became a 4-year exile caused a lot of players to consider that rugby at Old Salts was a lost cause.

Sometimes 15 men travelling away for another drubbing included the coach on the

team sheet, those players and staff are the heroes.

On the field the club has a mission to be the best amateur rugby club in the midlands with target on RFU Level 6 as a base standard. There is no intention to pay players and we will reward the volunteers to deliver the fun and quality we need to survive there.

We are planning to create a community Fitness and Nature Trail around the club grounds and develop a small memorial area for reflection and wellbeing.

Our future developments will be as a community rugby club that has a prime objective of establishing and maintaining the best experience for our rugby teams whilst engaging with our community in all our social and wellbeing support activities.

Our philosophy is to perform well with strong communication between players on the park and coaches in training and a

strong team bond on and off the pitch.

We carry the same personnel, values and structure from the senior men’s to women’s and junior coaching. Fun foremost and individual development guiding the process.

We have cultivated the one club philosophy with rewards for the volunteers, most of whom are senior men players.

Our ambitions this season are promotion for 1st XV, a good run in the Papa Johns’ Cup, continuity in 2nd XV possibly promoted in the Reserve League, a monthly veterans’ game, women’s playing in touch rugby festivals and continual engagement of all levels of ability at social levels. Junior teams U7 to U12 fielding teams in competition locally.

We started mixed gender walking rugby at the end of last season during our first 3 months at our new facility and expect this to grow in the spring 2024.

Touch rugby is being played socially for all ages and abilities during the close season and for women and girls throughout the year.

Old Saltleians RFC are a community club, working with our community in many ways.

Social membership cards issued

with 400 local community members, with discounted drinks to encourage local public engagement.

We host a Thursday, 11am to 2pm, ‘Warm Hub’ with fitness exercises for the over 60’s, boosting mobility and flexibility by employing our Physiotherapist as the lead instructor and advisor for an hour after tea and biscuits.

Free admission, donations welcome.

Community Fitness and Nature Trail, as mentioned we are applying for a grant to develop this community facility.

When completed it will provide

a 1.2km pathway suitable for running, walking or relaxing with access for pushchairs and mobility vehicles. Free admission to games with a large community patio area and events lawn. Childrens play park built with club funds, a bequest and sponsorship.

Our sponsors are invaluable to our continued provision of a truly amateur rugby facility and public recreation.

It’s the people at Old Saltleians, and our attitude of total inclusion, that make our club such a great place to be part of!

CRAIG WATSON LONG TERM SUPPORTER, SPONSOR AND FRIEND OF OLD SALTS RFC: HATHAWAY & COPE

I`m from Middlesborough and got to meet Mick Lee and his family many years ago through an initial business relationship, so I know Old Salts RFC very well and have the clubs journey and its trials and tribulations over that time.

I have always been involved in sport myself having played semi-pro football at a high level for years so was able to appreciate the values of the club and the passion it takes to keep community clubs moving in the right direction.

I was on crutches when I first visited the club, a legacy of playing as a forceful defender all those years, and was taken aback by the tremendous courtesy, hospitality and

kindness of the people there.

Undoubtedly the HS2, and new club challenge, was the biggest the club have faced in their history but its great to see how they are now thriving and have lost none of the values that underpinned them.

Over the years my company Hathaway & Cope have enjoyed sponsoring and supporting the club in the great work they do.

From the members, players and junior coaches, who keep the kids interested and playing rugby, to the fans that support them, Old Salts Rugby Club have come a long way and provide outstanding opportunities for anyone who wants to play or just make friends in a fantastic local club!

Congratulations to everyone at Old Salts on being recognised in Rugby Club Mag, look forward to seeing you all soon!

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OLD SALTLEIANS RFC HISTORY

Located in Belchers Lane, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, Saltley Grammar School was built and established in 1928.

In 1929 Mr W H Lawrie was appointed Games Master and it was he who introduced Rugby Football to the School.

As the initial intake were of various ages 1932 saw the first school leavers. Some expupils went on to play briefly for Marston Green RFC. In September 1933 and after a season with Marston Green a few ex-pupils got together and decided to form the Saltley Old Boys RFC.. All games were played away.

The Club Motto of Spectum Agenda was adopted. The meaning is Let Us Be Judged

By Our Actions. So, it was then and so it remains.

The first game on 16th September 1933 was against Old Centrals. Saltley Old Boys were victorious winning 13 – 12 In 1934 at the first formal meeting of Saltley Old Boys it was proposed and agreed to hire a pitch in Sedgemere Road, Yardley. The rental costs for the season amounted to £5. 10 shillings.

The first home game for Saltley Old Boys was played on the 3rd November 1934 against Solihull. We lost 8 pts – 13.

At the Annual General Meeting in 1936 the name was changed to Old Saltleians RFC. The first of many moves of home ground took place in 1937 when the club moved to playing fields adjacent to Castle Bromwich Airfield.

With the outbreak of war in 1939 the playing fields and the ground of Old Saltleians was lost to airfield extensions Following the conclusion of the Second World War and with the 1945-46 season beckoning the club reformed and took stock. A pitch was established on what was part of Marston Green Golf Club.

Home fixtures were played

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here with the teams changing in the Marston Green Tavern.

We had survived.

For the 1950-51 season yet again, the club faced a major problem. The Golf Club at Marston Green decided to reopen the second nine holes. With the rugby club still in its infancy once again we lost our pitch and our second home. Undeterred we found our third home. This was located at the King George V playing fields, Fulford Grove in Sheldon.

It was during the 1954-55 season that a momentous decision was taken. A small parcel of land in Water Orton was obtained by the club.

The area was large enough to accommodate a full-size pitch, previously used for football, and a modest size car park. On the southern edge of what was to become the pitch stood a small wooden building that was subsequently to become known as “The Shack” – Clubhouse No.1 The colloquial story is that the original football pitch was in fact built and laid by Italian prisoners of war who were being held in a local detention camp.

In any event we inherited a wonderful pitch, “The Shack”, but not much else.

A new Clubhouse was proposed. This was to be an existing prefabricated concrete building that had been purchased from the Fire Department in Sutton Park. This building had to be disassembled and transported by club members.

Foundations were laid and the building reassembled. We now had our own pitch and a very basic Clubhouse – No.2.

In the 1959 – 60 season the momentum continued. The third team was re-established and christened the “All Stars XV”. In order to enable two teams to play “home” fixtures on the same Saturday a pitch was leased in Castle Bromwich.

The structure of what looked like an extremely good first XV was beginning to evolve.

Playing strength at second and third team level looked good, and the club was once more feeling very buoyant.

The club continued to thrive and prosper and by 1971 we were fielding three teams regularly with an occasional 4th XV. At the Annual General Meeting in 1971 the constitution was formally changed, and the Club went open.

We stood, at the start of the 1970s, in a comfortable position but totally oblivious of the enormous challenges that we were to face before that decade was out.

In 1971 the Department for Transport [DfT] announced the proposed route of a new motorway, the M42. This indicated that the planned route would cross our ground.

Our newly found home of less than two decades was under threat.. The plans initially announced showed a six-lane motorway, the M42, on our western boundary running through the clubhouse and part of the car park.

For the moment the pitch was safe. Initially, therefore, the urgent negotiations focussed on what would be required for the development of a new site for our clubhouse and car park with access from Gilson Road.

A suitable site was found for the clubhouse towards the southern boundary of the current land and close to the brook. As things unfolded with the negotiations it transpired that we were in a stronger position than originally thought. Plans for the “new” clubhouse were submitted for approval

by DfT. Amazingly the compensation package was agreed. Our negotiating team had done an absolutely magnificent job.

A full fixture list for a Fourth XV was established in 1972 and work on finalising compensation for relocation was started.

On 28th March 1982 our state-of-the-art Clubhouse, No.3, was officially opened by M. Steele-Bodger President of the RFU At the start of the 198283 season a fifth team was already well established, and a 6th XV was launched. Once again, we had survived.

Following several seasons in the newly introduced Merit Tables the formal league structure was launched in 1988. Old Saltleians were placed in North Midlands 2 which at that time was Level 8.

The ensuing seasons saw Old Saltleians fluctuate

between Level 7 and Level 8 with a number of relegations followed by promotions Then in 2009 came the bombshell. The proposed route of the new HS2 railway was announced. It was evident that the route ran straight through our clubhouse and grounds. Everything we had would be taken from us by compulsory purchase.

Urgent negotiations began and initially everything looked to be under control.

An area of land was identified in Water Orton close to our existing ground. Proposals for the new clubhouse, pitches and associated amenities were made and were subject to protracted and difficult negotiations for compensation. Initially we were assured that we would not be compelled to give up our existing facilities until the new clubhouse and pitches were available, a straightforward turnkey operation.

Despite these earlier reassurances, in 2018, we were informed that we would

BETHAN HARRIS

The women’s and girls’ section has come back bigger and stronger. We offer touch and contact sessions to every female from the age of 12-99!

Since starting the team in March 2023 our numbers have been increasing. The women’s team are very much part of the club family and work alongside the men’s team to ensure events are provided for everyone. The girls’ team have also started to increase in numbers and have had opportunities for development days to increase knowledge and confidence in rugby.

The enthusiasm and determination of the women and girls are growing week by week. The is only the starting of us “growing the game together”.

Bethan Harris

be required to vacate our premises. The new pitches were not yet prepared, and work had not even begun on the clubhouse. We would be homeless once again.

An urgent search for temporary playing facilities began. We found a suitable location which had an existing pavilion, changing facilities and two pitches.

This Birmingham City Council owned land was located some five miles from our home in Water Orton and a lease was agreed. Immediate and urgent improvements were required, and these were completed just in time for the start of the 2018 – 19 season. The single biggest drawback to this solution was that there was no bar, no clubroom and little opportunity for sustaining an infrastructure. We began to lose players from our senior teams and most devastatingly the Mini and Youth Section, previously thriving with around 150 young players, virtually collapsed.

Subsequently in 2020

the Covid pandemic and lockdown proved a double hit during this very testing period.

Although we were reduced to a small senior squad, often struggling to field fifteen players and a replacement front row, amazingly we struggled on.

The start of the 2022/23 saw us still without a clubhouse and pitches and with the lease expired we were forced to play all of our league fixtures away.

Eventually on December 10th, 2022, we took possession of our new facility.

A fantastic new clubhouse and three pitches which are now recognised as probably the best junior rugby club facilities in the midlands.

Against all the odds once again we had survived.

The senior squad rapidly grew in both numbers and ability. Ex-players rejoined us and new players were recruited. We are now regularly fielding two teams. Most heartening is that the Mini and Youth

Section rapidly regrew and now boasts around eighty youngsters every week.

The dedication, commitment and hard work of those volunteers on the Management Committee and that small squad of senior players will be forever remembered.

We could not have expected such super success as far as results go as we are

still creating the game model we wish to grow with. Our recruitment in close season has been modest and of high quality, this has transformed our 1st XV into a rough diamond of a team with talent still coming together.

Most importantly the second XV are flourishing giving us a strong squad structure with talent in depth.

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ADAM LEE CLUB CAPTAIN (11YRS)

TOM LEE, CURRENT PLAYER AND SPONSOR: FRESH AC

I`ve always lived no more than 10 mins from Old Salts and started playing rugby around age 8 years old. I come from a large rugby family on both sides with my cousins Mitch, Adam, Paul ans Ryan all being formidable players who played or are still playing for our club. My own journey took me to The Rec, Bath Rugby where I had some outstanding experiences.

I also had an offer from Stourbridge RFU and then an invite to go and train with Birmingham Solihull. I had the honour of being selected for the elite player development scheme. That took me to Leicester academy for a training session and game against a Canadian touring

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team Ontario. I then got asked to go to Worcester academy for a few games where I played alongside ex England captain Dylon Hartley.

My wife Laura, a successful bodybuilder in her own right, and myself have two sons Johnny (8) and Olly(11} who are very much into their rugby, currently playing over at Berkswell & Balsall RFC. Laura`s dad Steven Parker is still involved there and amongst many roles did a spell as chairman too. Recently I asked my uncle, Mick Lee, if our lads over at Berkswell and Balsall RFC, who were struggling for pitch space at the time, could use their facilities at Old Salts and the answer was a resounding yes- a true measure of Mick and the open attitude of many great people at our club.

A tour to Amsterdam proved to really further cement our players together before this season and current campaign is gaining pace with our destiny in our own hands.

The company I work for Fresh AC have been a club sponsor for over 5 years now and as a company we enjoy giving something back to a club which is very community based and a hub for many local people.

Family is very important to me, and I could never have found a better club than Old Salts where I could spread my wings. I have gained friends from as young as aged 5 at the club that are like an extended family to me and having played rugby all my life, I also have great connections with many players I know from other clubs and who I competed against on the field.

Old Salts RFC has always been a special place for me having started there aged 5-year-old. My rugby career has taken me to captaincy at North Midlands and Great Birmingham level but like many players at our club, including my cousin Tom an outstanding player, who in more recent times was invited to also play at higher levels, we chose to wear the Old Salts colours as it was more important to us!

As an 18-year-old I coached my twelve-year-old brothers’ team and laterally was able to kick start the Saltasaurus for the 2-6 years micros where my two daughters Katie and Maggie attend each Sunday. The latest addition to our family Robbie is only 6 months old and obviously I won’t push him into the great sport of rugby but since both sides of his family are either involved or play rugby it may well be in his blood- I hope so!

This could well be my last captaincy at the club and having been at the losing end of 4 previous play-offs I would love for our squad to gain promotion this season. Whilst we have been on an incredible and difficult journey which we have survived as one club, in no small way down to the commitment of many great club stalwarts, we are now thriving across all levels both on and off the pitch!

Congratulations to everyone at Old Salts Rugby Club on everything that has been achieved and as or club motto says” Let us be judged by our actions!”

I can’t speak highly enough about the tremendous amount of good people at our club, our committee, including my uncle Mick, worked their socks of in making sure Old Salts Rugby Club will still be here for many more generations to love and enjoy as we still do!

am Lee ties by the Club Captain Ad Players are given their club ng with Gez Mandell next to Adam alo (back right to the picture, at the time as well as the coaches who was the M&J Chairman including Matt White).

MATT WHITE SUPPORTER, COACH AND SPONSOR OAKLANDS ENVIRONMENTAL

I played most of my rugby at school and then some senior matches before playing vets in my later years. When my son Charlie started in the clubs U7`s I became more involved and coached his team through to U14`s and became a fully qualified level 2 coach on route.

We had a very successful side then playing some

very special rugby and winning two competitions on the way, but sadly, even although we were the last team standing, we too eventually had to concede and disband under the compulsory purchase order and HS2 requirements that our club was under.

Rugby wise Charlies’ currently out with injury at the moment but expects to return soon and many of his friends are now heading towards senior rugby

themselves. This is always great to see when players who have emerged from the clubs old M&J ranks are still playing and enjoying rugby!

My daughter Ella, an out and out Old Salts girl, and my stepdaughter, Isla Casey, are huge rugby enthusiasts, supported by their enthusiastic sisters, who although they never played themselves, recognise the value in this great sport and the fun and enjoyment offered by the club to many. Isla plays county for Warwickshire, and for Barkers Butts, where I am also a coach and where I thoroughly enjoy contributing to the DPP pathway. The further development of Women’s and girls’ rugby is very much a big part of our plans at Old Salts.

I attend as many senior matches as I can these days and it’s wonderful to see the level of teamwork and skill that the guys are bringing to their games in what is a very competitive league. As our mini section grows its truly heartwarming to see 35-40 mini players enjoying their rugby and being the next generation of our juniors and senior players.

My company Oakland Environmental are very

proud sponsors and we thoroughly enjoy giving something back to a club that has given me and my family so much.

The work carried out by our committee, members, players, coaches, fans and volunteers, and how they are establishing Old Salts as a true community club in our region, can only be commended and described as outstanding!

For me our club is a family, I feel this every time I set foot in the place, there is an unavoidable experience of togetherness and a genuine open heartedness that makes our club such a special place to be!

CONTACT THE CLUB

Coleshill Rd Water Orton Birmingham B46 1QE

0121 748 3380 www.oldsaltleians.com

“Very proud of our long and positive association with Old Salts Rugby Club!”

Specialists in Rain & Waste Water Harvesting Our systems are at the forefront of Rain Harvesting and Waste Water Treatment Markets, manufactured in house and installed and specified by many major developers, leading designers, consultants and supplied across the UK and Europe!

Tel: +44 01675 432 199 Unit A, Lakeside Industrial Estate, Water Orton, Birmingham B46 1NS

www.oaklandsenvironmental.com

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Bognor RFC

LEIGHTON THOMAS CLUB PRESIDENT

I hail from Port Talbot where I began my career as a scrumhalf with Dyffryn Grammar School and later with the Steel Company of Wales (now Tata Steel). I joined Cardiff College of Education (now Cardiff Met) in 1969 to train to be a PE Teacher.

The standard of rugby was incredibly high – the 1st Team was way above my level- and there were twelve secondary schools internationals in my year group alone. When eight scrum-halves turned up for the first training session I realised that I wasn’t going to get too many opportunities

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so I travelled home to play for SCOW in my first year and enjoyed playing for the lower college teams in my second and third years. In the odd game I played for the 1st Team it was an honour to be alongside names such as Allan Martin, John Bevan and Roy Bergiers. John played for Wales and the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand whilst still at college and Roy toured South Africa with the Lions in 1974. I even managed to persuade John to play for Bognor in the Worthing Sevens just before he headed off to Warrington to pursue a very successful career in rugby league. Both are still good friends and regularly attend the frequent reunions in Cardiff.

I met my wife Madelaine during the first week in college and we got married in 1972 before moving to Bognor Regis. We intended staying for two years before returning to Wales but I fell in love with the rugby club and became more and more involved as the years went by. This, together with career opportunities, children and grandchildren, has meant that we are still here fifty-one years later!

I enjoyed four years as captain of the 1st Team

and, at various times, have assumed the roles of Coach, Chairman, Director of Rugby and now President, having taken over from my great friend Phil Mead who sadly passed away in 2021.

My competitive rugby ended at the age of forty but I hung around in the lower teams long enough to play in the same team as my three boys Morgan, who was a second row, Gareth who was a scrum-half, and David who was a winger. Any fathers who have played alongside their sons will appreciate what a joy it was, and I happily retired for good at the age of forty-six.

Having been promoted last year to Hampshire 1, Bognor’s young side is rising to the challenge of the increased physicality of the league and we currently sit in mid-table.

Hopefully we can consolidate this year before launching another promotion challenge over the next couple of seasons. Recently we unveiled our new changing rooms, an important development for the club as we continue to expand our junior and girls rugby.

In addition to the success of the 1st Team last season we celebrated some notable performances from our minis, juniors, Colts and especially our Girls U-16 Flamingos who clinched both league and cup titles. Training is well attended in every age group and takes place throughout

the week and over the weekend. Any player of any age, male or female, experienced or novice, will find a warm welcome at Bognor RFC where we pride ourselves in being a real community club.

Communication is the lifeblood of any club and, if embraced positively, can bind the club together for generations, helping to form friendships that will last a lifetime. I take particular pleasure in the way that our Head Coach Karl Flinn has taken his U-9s team, including his son Noah, right through to Colts level and now to our 1st Team where the average age is in the low twenties. Just as important is the fact that Karl, together with his wife Faye, have managed to re-generate such a positive culture in the club, a culture based very much on hard work and respect.

As for myself, whilst I enjoy the memories of over fifty years-worth of playing with and watching some outstanding players at Bognor, what I cherish the most are the connections forged with good people and the wonderful experiences that have given rise to genuine, lifelong friendships. In this busy world it’s impossible to stay in contact with everyone but the depth of these special relationships endures, reminding me of why I love rugby and our club so deeply.

KARL FLINN HEAD COACH

“Bringing back the pride in wearing the Bognor Badge!”

I was born and raised in St Helens, one of the Rugby League heartlands and played the game since the age of 9.

Representing my Town team and county on numerous occasions and even had the privilege to play at Wembley

before the 1986 Challenge Cup Final between Hull KR and Castleford.

In 1994 and at the age of 18 my dad passed away age 49 which had a massive effect on my rugby career, the following year I met my future wife at a rugby presentation in St Helens. My wife was from a village just outside of Bognor Regis and I then decided that perhaps it was time for a change, so I moved down to the South coast. Having spent a year away from rugby I soon realised that I needed rugby in my life, so I decided to look at local clubs and that’s when I found BRFC. From the moment I stepped foot in the door I knew that this was the club for me, a fantastic welcome and real down to earth feel from everyone I spoke to (27 years later and I’m still here).

I soon became a regular 1st team player and after a few years took on the 1st team captaincy for 3 years. At the back end of 2007 I took on the role as player/Head coach and in the season of 2008/9, we gained promotion from London South East 4 (full season unbeaten), we also won the Sussex cup for the first time in the clubs history.

The following few seasons we continued to win promotions and finally ended up playing in London 2, not bad for a little community club on the South Coast.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have the structure in place to maintain this level of rugby and we soon started to slip down the levels, it was time for someone with fresh ideas to take over. After a few more years my son Noah started to play for the U9s, I soon became interested in coaching again and put a strategy in place to stay with this team and see them through to senior rugby, I could finally put a muchneeded structure in place.

My junior team soon became one of the best teams within Sussex and Hampshire producing lots of County

players and London Irish and Quins development players.

We had over 45 players at one point, so we managed to run 2 teams within one age group which again was a massive achievement for the coaches and club. The senior section was having a few successes but not really in a healthy place on and off the field and in 2021/22 season I took over the head coach role again as well as remaining the head coach of the colt’s team (team I’d had from U9s).

We have managed to transition over 15 colts into senior rugby a first for the club.

Last season we managed to win promotion for the first time in several years of attempting, over 5 colts made 8 or more appearances in this promotion winning team. The new structure seems to be working!

Our main challenge was changing the culture of the club and players and getting them to believe in their ability whilst getting back to basics.

Bringing back the pride in wearing the Bognor Badge.

Now our ambition is to carry on developing the youngsters and keep the transitional structure in place to ensure we continue to build this very young senior squad (current average age of 21/22).

We also want to see 3 senior teams playing again at the club (we used to have 5 teams when I first joined in 96). Continue to make sure the club is fit for purpose and a great place for our mini and youth sections in years to come.

Our philosophy is simple: hard work, respect and real determination to be the best you can be. Mini and Junior rugby is what makes a club and that’s no different at BRFC, we are lucky to have some fantastic coaches, parents, volunteers and fans here.

There’s a real buzz about the place and a level of excitement to what’s developing. Over 35 training at every session and preseason went well so let’s see how we go in this new league (Hampshire 1).

We are looking to consolidate our place at this level with this young team and gain the relevant experience that will enable us to push for future promotions.

Bognor is definitely a community club with almost all our sponsors coming from local businesses, all players throughout the club are generally from the local area and surrounding villages.

We ensure that the club is accessible for anyone no matter what your background is and the support is available for those who may need the extra help.

The reason we have such a great club at Bognor is mainly down to the people, it’s a really inclusive club and all differences are left at the entrance door, everyone is an equal at this fantastic rugby club. Lots of fun is had both on and off the field across all age groups, never a dull moment at BRFC; A so called small club with a massive Heart!

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CLUB HISTORY

Bognor Rugby Football Club was originally formed in 1922. It was called Bognor and Chichester Rugby Club.

Games were played at Fish Lane, Pagham and at Felpham, near The George Inn. Fixtures ceased in 1939 because of the Second World War and recommenced in 1946. It was then in Chichester and was called Chichester Rugby club.

The energy to reform the rugby club in Bognor came from within the Bognor Cricket Club. In 1964 the Cricket Club realised they could use their facilities all year round, generate more income and offer another sport to the town. The Cricket Club had a Yorkshireman playing for them who was an enthusiastic rugby league man. His name was John Norris.

John went to the local school, then called the William Fletcher School. He found a group of schoolboys that were both enthusiastic to play for Bognor and not lacking in ability.

John set about organising fixtures for the 1965/66 season. If fixtures were not available on Saturdays, they were arranged for Sundays. As

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well as local teams, opposition teams from London were tempted down. In 1967 the club had enough players for a second side. In 1969 the club successfully introduced a third team. In 1975 a fourth team, known as the Buccaneers, was initiated. The quality of rugby, the enjoyment and the age range involved grew considerably. The mix of veterans, seniors and youth ensured the club went from strength to strength.

In 1976 Phil Mead led the formation of the Junior Section.

From modest beginnings this has grown and become the backbone of the club. It has produced players who have succeeded at national and international level. Justin Fitzpatrick started in the under 8’s, going on to play for London Irish, Dungannon, Ulster and Castre Olympique, and gain 26 caps for Ireland.

After playing he went on to make a career in coaching including coaching USA forwards, Seattle Saracens and Houston Sabrecats.

In 1973 Paul Curtis made his debut in senior rugby playing for our 3rd team at the age of 14. As a colt three years later, he commanded a place in our first team.

Unsurprisingly, he progressed

to play for England Colts, Rosslyn Park, Harlequins and England “B”. Sadly, in 2016, a mountain biking accident left him paralysed. Led by Bognor and Harlequins RFCs, the rugby community raised over £150,000 to adapt Paul’s home in Wales.

In 1992, the offer of a dilapidated Hampshire Avenue site gave the opportunity for the club to expand to allow for its growing numbers. The members converted old changing rooms and a public toilet into our clubhouse.

Three pitches could now accommodate our four teams and mini/youth sections.

Subsequent expansions of the clubhouse, including the changing facilities in 2023, enhanced the social areas and ensured we were able to provide for senior, junior and women’s rugby.

Bognor Rugby Club’s strength is that it has always been a ‘Community Club’.

It has developed thanks to the efforts and commitment of our members. Although proud of our history, together we continue to look for opportunities to add to the enjoyment of members and visitors both on and off the pitch.

LIAM BENNETT CLUB CHAIRMAN

will only get better and like many clubs we face challenges when it comes to new players becoming involved in our sport. Injury worries from parents is a factor that has contributed to dwindling numbers of youngsters taking up the sport and in many areas their can be a deficiency of schools now offering and promoting the sport.

Our facilities and new changing rooms mean a lot to our club, and we have a plethora of events throughout the year to keep everyone entertained. As a community club. Its great to see that Bognor RFC are receiving recognition for the contribution they are making to young and old within our region and the hope is that we continue to do the right thing whilst providing a safe place to meet, play, make friends and have fun.

MEAD Phil Mead set the culture of Bognor RFC. He epitomized the core values of rugby. Joining the club in 1968, he was involved in the club for over 50 years as player, Coach, Chairman, President (1987-21) and Club Trustee. Under his leadership, the club was transformed from a part time club with shared facilities to a vibrant, outstanding community club. A key contributory element was his introduction of mini rugby in 1976. Despite his full-time commitment to the club, he was also intimately involved in county rugby in Sussex as well as Twickenham’s Rugby Museum as a Tour Guide.

away in 2022. Paul’s son Oliver continues the family tradition, playing at county youth level and with a very bright future as he moves into senior rugby.

I was born in Bognor and around the age of 16-17 I fell in with a group of rugby lads and the rest is history as they say. My main position was Hooker playing for 2nds, 3rds and the odd 1st team game; I managed to keep playing into my mid-thirties.

When my 1st child came along, I drifted away from the sport and then reengaged after a few years and became more involved around 2013. After 2015 I was asked to step into more senior roles on the club committee. When Covid hit it gave the club a chance to take stock of its position and to look with clarity at what needed to happen to ensure our development and I suppose survival as a community rugby club. The preverbal broom was taken out with many needed changes taking place.

We fostered a relatively young side last season who

OPENING OF NEW CHANGING FACILITIES 2023

In September 2023 the new changing facilities were officially opened by Madelaine Cozens. The improved facilities are financed by contributions from club members together with a generous grant from the Sussex Community Foundation.

The changing rooms are named after club members in recognition of outstanding contributions to the club.

ELEY Martin Eley was an outstanding player as well as a coach, Club Chairman and Club Trustee. He also made exceptional contributions to the wider rugby family as a coach and Chairman of Sussex Youth Rugby. As a PE teacher, he was instrumental in introducing the game to many generations.

He also led the development and management of the Arena Sports Centre. In his retirement he shared his knowledge and passion for rugby as a Twickenham Tour Guide.

MITCHELL Generations of the Mitchell family have made outstanding contributions to the club since its formation in 1965.

Barry played in the inaugural match and continued to play for over 50 years. Barry’s twin brother Colin was also a very accomplished flanker who sadly passed away at a young age.

Barry’s and Jackie’s sons Nigel and Paul both represented the 1st team for many years. Nigel successfully captained the team whilst Paul went on to take on youth and senior coaching roles.

Integral to Nigel’s successful playing career and captaincy was the support of his wife Lynnette who sadly passed

MYHILL Richard (Dick) Myhill was a player, 4th team captain and youth coach for many years.

Throughout the club he was recognised for his dedication and leadership skills that went beyond the playing field. Highly respected by all, senior players whom he had coached continued to recognise him as a mentor. Following his playing retirement, Dick became an integral member of the ground staff team. As part of the club’s celebration of 50th Years Dick was awarded Clubman of the Year.

CONTACT THE CLUB

Hampshire Ave Bognor Regis PO21 5JH

01243 824000 www.pitchero.com/clubs/ bognorrfc

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Cambuslang RFC “Around a decade ago, we created an ambition to be recognised as a true Community club with no barriers to entry.”

I

T’S been at the heart of its local community for 120 years. And Cambuslang Rugby Club is certainly going the right way about celebrating that memorable milestone in style.

The club’s First XV sit top of the league and well on course to achieve the goal of promotion. The Junior Section is thriving with hundreds of boys and girls enjoying the facilities of their Coats Park home every week.

And off the field, two big projects are now underway to boost the club’s growth.

A new floodlighting system is being installed to improve training facilities - and allow nighttime fixtures to be played. While a new heating and ventilation system will greatly improve comfort within the clubhouse.

Little wonder then that the mood within the club is optimistic as they look forward to their next 120 years.

President John McLaughlin has witnessed some startling changes over the years.

He told us: “Over the last decade the Club has been transformed and rejuvenated, boasting well over 500 members today. As a past Player, Coach, House and Grounds Convenor and lifelong supporter of our

Club, it was an honour and a privilege to take on the role of President in May 2021, “Community and inclusion are fundamentally at the heart of Cambuslang Rugby, and recent national awards won by the club recognise the tireless hard work and dedication delivered by all our committee members, volunteer members, coaches, parents, sponsors and community partners.”

The importance of community involvement was also stressed by Stewart Barnett, the Director of Youth Rugby at Cambuslang.

He said: “Around a decade ago, we created an ambition to be recognised as a true Community club with no barriers to entry.

“We’re delighted to have been recognised as community Club of the year at the Glasgow North Scottish Rugby awards on two separate occasions in the past five years.

So how does that community involvement manifest itself?

Initiatives range from supporting local primary schools running rugby intro sessions, coaching at the local high schools, Community litter picks, Easter Egg appeals, Christmas gift

© Image taken by: Craig Watson. 07479748060 craigwatsonpix@icloud.com www.craigwatson.co.uk

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appeals with local community group Happy and Healthy, and Christmas selection box donations with the local Rutherglen and Cambuslang food bank.

The club also encourages the wider community regardless of ability or demographic to join in at Family Fun nights throughout the season.

The club is also keen to promote rugby to kids of every age. It recognises that the Junior Section is the life blood of the club, with more than 300 junior members, a coaching team of around 40 and a hard-

working committee who are involved in running many of the key activities at the club, the local school and the wider community across a number of different initiatives throughout the year.

It’s another big part of the sporting philosophy at Coats Park that rugby is a game for everyone.

The club introduced its first ever girls’ section in season 2020/21 in collaboration with the local Stonelaw High School - and starting with just six girls in the u14 group.

Since then, the section has grown to around 40 players across u12, u14, u16 and u18

age groups albeit the16s and 18s are collaborating with other clubs in the area to allow more game time for the players.

Other initiatives to attract youngsters to the game have seen Cambuslang an active participant of Scottish Rugby’s Tartan Touch scheme, acting as a host Hub over the past two years.

It’s all part of the desire to offer an experience which allows everyone to join in with no barriers to entry and give a taster for rugby for those who have never played to allow them to understand the benefits that the sport can bring to health and wellbeing!

While the growth of the club has been spearheaded by the officials and volunteers, it would not have been possible without the backing of sponsors - many of whom were past players and keen to show their support in any way they could.

Apart from the financial backing the sponsors provide, many of them help out with resources to allow major projects to get off the ground.

And the club is keen to acknowledge the sponsors’ support in practical terms, such as using a local butcher to source all match day catering requirements and hosting a number of sponsorship lunches every season.

It’s clear that community involvement and enjoyment are key to the Cambuslang ethos, and that translates

onto the pitch at every level.

The club’s coaching philosophy across the Junior section is underpinned by the values within Scottish Rugby of respect, leadership, achievement, engagement and enjoyment, with a real focus on enjoyment and fun!

The same values apply to the First XV - along with a determination to be as successful as possible on the field.

First Team coach Gavin Blackburn summed it up by saying: “Our firm focus at the start of the season was for our First XV to gain promotion as the first step on getting back to playing at the highest level we can achieve.

“Just past the halfway point in our season, we are on target to achieve that step - sitting top of league 2 - but there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Gavin has returned to Cambuslang as Coach after a number of years working at higher levels within the game.

And over the years, many players and others involved with the club have gone on to have success at the top levels of the game including Jim Stevenson – Past President of Scottish Rugby; international players Jonny Grey and

Duncan Weir; and Scott Forrest, former captain of the Scotland 7s team and current Scotland U21 Coach.

It’s fair to say that this has been a big year for Cambuslang Rugby Club, with a big finish to the season still ahead.

But regardless of the outcome, the club will continue to play its part in the local community... and in the game itself.

John McLaughlin summed it up by saying: “Rugby is a game for all. It teaches many sports (and life) skills to every individual involved, more than any other sport in my opinion.”

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OUR HISTORY

It was away back on August 7, 1903, that a meeting was held, and the decision taken to form a rugby club in Cambuslang.

The first games were played at Greenlees Farm, and by the time of the First World War, the club had progressed to running two teams and had raised funds to build a small Clubhouse.

In the early days, the club worked closely with Cambuslang Cricket Club, but owing to the difficulty of finding a field which the farmer did not require in the summertime, no permanent arrangement was made and indeed the Rugby Club itself had, latterly, to change its ground to a field at Eastfield.

From its earliest days, the club took a leading place in the sporting activities of the West of Scotland and resumed this position after the War. In 1921 a lease of the ground at Coats Park was arranged and the Club took

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up residence in what was to become its permanent home.

The club also joined up with the Cricket Club and was re-constituted as the “Cambuslang Athletic Club.”

In addition to Rugby and Cricket, there were sections for Hockey, and at one time, Association Football.

Success came early on the rugby field to Cambuslang, with the team being crowned Western District Champions in 1921–22 and 1922–23. This success resulted in them being offered a match against a West of Scotland Senior Select XV containing international players - but Cambuslang ran out 5-0 winners.

The club also had the distinction of being the first team to play at Old Anniesland against the High School FPs which honour they celebrated by being the first team to score on the School’s new pitch.

The next stage of the club’s development was the formation

of a large and influential committee chaired by Henry Noble, which raised enough funds to purchase Coats Park outright and erect a clubhouse in the present location - thus securing the club’s future.

In the years following, the Rugby Section continued as a leading team in the West of Scotland, running up to three XVs and at one period, a junior team.

The club trained during August 1939 but due to the outbreak of war they did not play a game again until 1946/47 when the club had a single XV playing on the public pitches at Nether Pollok.

By 1947–48 the club was back at Coats Park with two XVs again playing their traditional round of friendly games.

When the national leagues started in 1973 the club narrowly escaped being in the District rather than the National League. It slowly

improved from Division VI in 1975/76 to Division V in 1977/78, to Division IV in 1980/81, then in 1983/84 the giddy heights of finishing fourth in Division III which is the highest it has have ever managed.

The club’s greatest success up to this time was in the 1991–92 season when, in successive cup games, it disposed of Kilmarnock, West of Scotland, and, its best result ever, Stewarts Melville, who were well beaten despite fielding Douglas Wyllie a Scottish international and Finlay Calder a former Scottish and British Lions captain.

It took a Boroughmuir team full of district and international players to eventually knock Cambuslang RFC out.

The game in Scotland has seen several league reconstructions since those days and Cambuslang RFC’s First XV currently plays (and sits top of) West League Division 2.

"

Community and inclusion are fundamentally at the heart of Cambuslang Rugby.

"

CONTACT THE CLUB

Langlea Rd Cambuslang Rutherglen Glasgow G72 8FH

0141 647 3403 www.cambuslangrugby.club

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Reading Abbey RFC “rugby should always be enjoyable!”

TRAVIS SUTHERLAND HEAD COACH

”Abbey is just such an exciting prospect!”

In late 2021, I moved to the area local to Reading Abbey RFC and went down to watch their games later that season. At my first match spectating, I bumped into an old friend from Australia, who happened to be a former junior player at the club.

When Abbey needed a new coach a few months later, my friend, aware of my coaching background, introduced me.

It felt like fate, and I happily accepted the position.

To date, it has been a great experience and I have felt very much a part of the club from day one.

The primary hurdle was addressing entrenched habits within the team and rekindling the passion for the game among some disheartened players. Additionally, there was a significant shift in

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mindset regarding our playing philosophy.

Drawing from my experience with Southern Hemisphere rugby, I was determined to introduce a style characterised by possession-heavy, fast, and expansive play (A style I call “The Sutherland Method” for my own ego :) ). Despite skepticism about its feasibility due to differences in conditions between here and Australia and concerns over existing skill sets, I remained steadfast in my approach.

Today, the team averages over 50 points per game, with the majority coming from tries, many of which start from well outside the 22.

We have set our sights on clinching the league title and securing promotion this season, with both our men’s teams currently leading the table and showing great form. Additionally, we are aiming to make a strong push

for the Papa Johns Trophy later in the season, all while maintaining the distinctive ‘Abbey’ style of rugby. Off the pitch, we’re working hard on the establishment of the Abbey Academy U23s team.

This marks a pivotal moment in our commitment to player development, with plans for an U23s tournament, and potentially a tour later in the season.

At our club, the coaching philosophy revolves around the belief that rugby should always be enjoyable, and the fun is heightened when coupled with success on the field. This philosophy is reflected in the dynamic style we adopt in our gameplay—emphasising a fast, entertaining, and fitnessdriven approach. Whether coaching seniors or juniors, the core tenet remains the same: fostering a love for the game through an exhilarating and winning brand of rugby.

The club has a history of being a bit of a ‘working class’ club, which, as a workingclass boy, suits me just fine!

The original aim of Reading Abbey RFC was to provide a means of playing rugby to kids who weren’t at private schools. This inevitably evolved into seniors rugby, and those hardworking ethics still exist on and off the field amongst our members.

Over the recent years Abbey has been integral to the rise of womens rugby in the Reading/Berkshire area and is generally considered a pioneering club in this respect. The Female Senior & Junior teams really are inspiring and have been responsible for the majority of Abbey’s success in the recent past.

The atmosphere at the club is absolutely buzzing!

There’s a super positive vibe, and the level of ambition is aligning seamlessly with the reality on the ground.

Looking beyond the players, I am actively fostering connections with my former clubs in Australia and New Zealand. Having grown up playing rugby in Queensland and spent time across the Tasman in New Zealand, I am working

towards establishing meaningful player exchanges.

This initiative aims to not only strengthen ties between clubs but also provide enriching experiences for players on both sides of the exchange.

This season has exceeded all the expectations I set at the beginning of the year. Our performance on the pitch has been nothing short of outstanding—we consistently secure a bonus point for scoring 4 or more tries in every match, and our winning record speaks for itself, with only one loss so far. Currently sitting at the top of the league, we anticipate that lead to only widen as the season progresses.

Equally gratifying for me is witnessing the realisation among our players that commitment is the key to victory, and that playing for the 1st XV holds a special prestige within our club.

It’s heartening to see the development of a culture where dedication and effort translate directly into success on the field.

One aspect that stands out prominently is the intensity and demand that our players place on themselves and their teammates, emphasising a commitment to quality. This level of accountability and drive is not only commendable but is also a driving force behind our exceptional performance this season.

Our ambitions for the end of this season are resolute—we are aiming to secure three trophies. The primary focus is on both the 1st and 2nd XV clinching

victory in their respective leagues, additionally, we are eyeing up the Papa Johns Trophy for the 1st XV. Beyond the immediate goals, our vision extends to building a robust foundation for the upcoming season. The objective is to establish three highly competitive teams, ensuring sustained success and a strong presence across multiple leagues. This strategic approach aligns with our commitment to long-term excellence and growth within the club.

We have an incredibly strong girls & womens section at the club. Come down any night of the week and you will see a huge contingent of girls and women training with huge smiles on their faces. The women have two competitive teams playing at a very high level.

Both Mini & Junior rugby are super important for us as a club and to our future as well. We are always well represented at county level. We are definitely a community club, many local events, such as bonfire night, have been held at the club with great success.

Our sponsors are obviously very important, without sponsors we would struggle to keep some of the necessities we need to keep functioning such as our team kit.

For me personally, Abbey is just such an exciting prospect. It has all the right infrastructure to be a power club in this area and perform consistently at a high level.

Not only that, but it has such a great identity that really appeals to everyone. Its the easiest club in the world for new members to join.

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BECKY OFFICE MANAGER. LIGHTNING MOTORCYCLE TRAINING

“Delighted to be associated with the success of Reading Abbey Rugby Club!”

Lightning Motorcycle Training is the leading provider of motorcycle training in North West London (Wembley), Berkshire (Reading), Oxfordshire (Oxford & Abingdon) and Stourbridge (Birmingham). Our team of highly qualified instructors can safely get you on the road in no time. We have our own large off-road training sites and a full range of machines – from 50cc mopeds to 650cc motorcycles.

Check out our website for a wide range of courses

www.lightningpass.com

Call Oxford: Call Reading: Call Wembley: Call Abingdon: Call Stourbridge:

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01865777676 01189511782 02089009990 01865689232 01212968881

We first came to know the club through leasing land of them to use for our motorcycle training courses which the club were able to utilise themselves for parking mainly on weekends. As we got to know the club and its members, we were very impressed by how willing they were to go the extra mile and realised what lovely people they were.

It also became apparent that we had very similar values in how we treat our clients, taking care of them with respect, and guidance and addressing their needs in a caring and helpful manner.

We felt that both club and our business were a very good match.

It wasn’t long before we decided that we wanted to support the club through sponsorship and support the obvious contribution they were making in the local community to young and old alike.

Its fabulous to hear that they are being paid tribute to in Rugby Club Magazine for their great contribution to local sport. Myself and all our staff, across all our branches of Lightning, would like to wish everyone at Reading Abbey Rugby Club the very best of continued success for many more years to come!

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Abbey has a remarkable track record of nurturing talented players, and some notable success stories underscore the club’s commitment to player development. Jack and Tom Willis, who have both donned the England national team jersey, stand out as prime examples of players who honed their skills in Abbey’s junior ranks. Additionally, Ben Loader, currently with The Stormers, and Chunya Munga, representing Northampton Saints, further exemplify the club’s ability to cultivate toptier talent. However, these success stories only scratch the surface, as Abbey boasts numerous juniors, colts, and seniors with county honors, past and present. A standout figure is Reuben Norville, Abbey’s 1st XV Backs Player/ Coach, who has represented Scotland at the under-20 level.

On December 2nd, 2023, Reading Abbey RFC recorded their biggest ever win in the clubs history: 125-0, whilst maintaining a clean sheet!

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CONTACT THE CLUB

B481 Peppard Rd Reading RG4 8XA

0118 972 2881 www.readingabbeyrfc.rfu.club

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Lordswood Rugby Club CHRIS CALLAWAY CHAIRMAN

”I pride myself on creating a club that wants to grow and develop, I also wants us to become the best side in Medway!”

I first joined Lordswood in 2004; I was only 19 at the time and playing for a club based in nearby Gillingham, But I didn’t drive. I couldn’t get to training, and I knew I wanted to be able to walk home from the club house after a game, so I had one choice; join Lordswood.

At the time the club had three teams and a vet’s side; The ones were playing in the old London South East 2. I knew it was going to be a big ask to make it through to the first team – but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from trying.

6 months later I’d done it, my coach told me to play harder, train harder and work harder than the person occupying the shirt I wanted. The rest as they say is history.

Skipping forward some years I eventually became the Lordswood captain. A moment of pride that turned into six seasons of slog to keep the club moving forward, but it felt more like a passion bringing together my mates each week to show up for each other and pull on the famous black and amber jersey.

I knew the club needed to grow and I needed to step back to allow the younger development side to come through and in doing so, stepped up to become the club chair in 2021 a position I still hold.

Each team faces different challenges, which as the club

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chair I have to help navigate and work through with the individual reps and captains for each side.

The men’s side have faced many difficulties over the years, in Medway we have several clubs who play at higher levels, this can make retention a difficulty for a club like ours as people seek to realise their potential and move to other clubs locally.

Equally after Covid we struggled to bring back players who had found other sports to fill their weekends (I’ve never liked golf anyway) and getting them to commit

to twice weekly training and Saturday games was a challenge.

Lordswood could be described as a club of two halves; A team who were in London Southeast 2 during their prime, we then lost several players to clubs willing to pay for their services. This saw the club sink to one of the lowest competitive leagues in Kent. However, I saw this chance as one to help the club rise again, a journey we are still on today.

The ladies team began in 2017; However, we faced similar problems to the men’s

side, funding streams are hard to find as sponsors struggle to be attracted to the sport.

We hope this will change as culture and attitudes continue to move in the right direction.

We also have a challenge to recruit new players given that rugby for women is still a relatively new sport and we are fighting for a small pool of players against larger clubs with a longer established women’s team.

I pride myself on creating a club that wants to grow and develop, my competitive side also wants us to become the best side in Medway. To do this I have set some goals for our different divisions.

I want us to have three men’s sides by the time I hand over stewardship of the club, which will be a development side, the first team and our vet’s side. To be able to compete regularly in our Kent leagues and see players move between the sides as inter club ambitions.

With the ladies’ teams I want to assist them to deliver a ladies colts, a passion of Lucy Horgan, one of our minis coaches and a long standing member of our women’s team. I also support the ladies ambition to build on their success so far by growing their team and finishing top of the league.

I would also like to grow our mini’s section to deliver players through our various clubs, so we can have a home-grown captain who started in the club as a mini and grows with the club as they mature. Secretly I’d love to see my son Hunter achieve this.

• Chloe Cannon rising ranks of refereeing, reffing the Belgium touch tournament.

• Chris Callaway, Jamie Callaway, Michael Keohan and Barney Thompson cycled 239 miles from Rochester to Paris for Hips and Wooden spoon raising a staggering £14,000 for charity.

• During Covid losing people close to our hearts Craig Oram a ex player and a friend, Sue Gibson wife and mother to our teammate, Paul Stears Secretary at the time.

A LITTLE OF OUR HISTORY

• The men were founded in 1983, and this year we celebrated our 40th anniversary. To mark the occasion, we had former England captain; Chris Robshaw & Marlie Packer attend.

• The Men’s have had highs and lows over the year we were once playing in the London Southeast 2 league but due to players retiring and other commitments we sadly went down. We are currently in the Kent leagues and hope to push ourselves higher in the upcoming seasons.

• Ladies were founded in 2017 and finished 6TH they are now sitting in the top half of the table and pushing for promotion.

• Our vet’s side was founded in 2021 and we won the bowl in our first year, in the second year we come 2nd in the cup which was a great achievement for the old guard • Lordswood Touch team were founded in 2021 and won the Essex Cup winners in 2022/2023.

I am at the club Tuesday and Thursday nights for training.

I am bedding in our new coaches, and helping the transition between what feels like the last of the old players who came back after Covid and the new fresh younger talent. You can feel older players winding down, but more exciting is how many of the new players sit in our club house after training to socialise and share pizza and play cards.

There is a sense that the club is now forming bonds which go further than the 80 minutes we play on Saturday. With the new players comes a lack of expectancy and for the first time in many years it feels like we are not building a club on the ego of yesteryear but on

what strong friendship and loyalty of playing for the side.

The club WhatsApp feels like it is buzzing and training sessions have kept good numbers, this gives me confidence the club is moving in the right way.

Lee Evans is one of our successful player connections – our former first team captain and now vet’s player he played for Northampton Saints.

This season is off and running. Last season we had a season of two halves; in the first half of the season, we found ourselves struggling in the restructuring of the leagues, playing sides with private schools who feed their squads. However, after the leagues split, we went on to

win the plate. This has created a sense of progress for the newer players and helped the older players put a full stop to their playing careers.

If I said this season was about survival, I wouldn’t be a good chairman. But I know this will be a tough campaign, as we develop our younger men’s side, and transition from our older more experienced players.

But imagine at the end of the season if we finish in the top half, we have younger players picking up experience, confidence, and passion for the game. It inspires me to think what our future could be.

I know this will be a long journey, and each game will define how people feel about showing up in the darker winter months, But I’m prepared to put the leg work in to help our club move forward.

I would love to see our women’s side continue to develop and attract new players and establish themselves locally. I would love to see squad numbers go up for our women’s side and new sponsors attracted to what they can achieve with the women’s side.

Lordswood ladies were set up in 2017 after struggling to find a home locally. We wanted to make sure we continued to offer local ladies a chance to become part of our club and give them the same playing experience the men had.

The ladies’ side have progressed from bottom of

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the league to finishing 4th, this feeds into our one club philosophy I am trying so hard to achieve as chair. The current team coached by Al Cannon have through hard work and dedication fought their way up the table, this success and their enthusiasm has drawn members of the men’s team to join the coaching team and attend training session to continue to grow the team.

To help our ladies develop, we have seen international coaches join the club in the likes of Marlie Packer and Rosie Galligan. Being able to offer training sessions to our local ladies from players as skilled as this has paid dividends when it comes to retention and attracting new players.

Community is something which is at the heart of our club. I joined as a local lad, who wanted to avoid having to drive to his training. I believe working with our local community is the best way to attract new players, and help the club prosper.

Recently we undertook training sessions at our local schools, Swingate in Lordswood, and Bligh. They were hosting a fitness week and asked for coaches from Lordswood to put on rugby taster sessions.

During the covid lockdown we held our first outside PT

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sessions to keep players fit and encourage others to join in with us on the journey.

This is something which now kicks off our pre-season each year and a way for locals to engage with the club without committing to playing.

My predecessor Martin Hart is a trustee of a local charity called HIP’s which helps locally disadvantaged children and also works with the Wooden Spoon supporting raising money for children’s charities and schools across the UK. We have found being a part of our local community from litter picks to PT sessions is the best way to engage with local businesses; but also, for a way for locals to engage with players outside of what could feel intimidating, stepping over a rugby club threshold for the first time.

Sponsorship is an important part of what we offer; It keeps the yearly subs down; I recognise in our area and part of Kent; we are facing a costof-living crisis, and I would hate for players to be unable to play rugby because of our subs.

We rely on sponsors to help the club keep costs down for players; but equally allow us to compete in terms of hiring coaches, getting equipment that rivals other local clubs and gives players a chance to see that

Lordswood is a club you can grow with.

The value in our sponsors providing an after-game shirt allows our club to present as unified and plays into our core values as mentioned earlier.

WHAT MAKES LORDSWOOD A GREAT CLUB TO BE PART OF?

For 19-year-old me it was location; for 37-year-old me, it is camaraderie, seeing people regardless of privilege, sexuality, or gender be able to play a sport often seen as being for the privileged.

We are a grassroots club, who in some form train 6 days a week: be it our women’s

side training on Monday and Wednesday, our Men’s training Tuesday and Thursday, our touch side training on a Wednesday, or our Minis section training on a Thursday or Sunday.

Watching people access the sport, regardless of ability, making bonds that last for life and knowing we have the foundations to keep this ethos alive for the next generation is what makes this a great club to be part of.

I never want to be ashamed of my club, and I hope that developing players in our ethos as set out above will continue to make us the same club to the next generation as it has been to me, since I joined at 19.

We have something in our home changing room that spells out our philosophy it’s spelt.

L – Loyalty – Be loyal to

those to your left and right and put yourself out for them like they will you.

O – Orderly - Don’t back chat the ref, focus on your game and do your best for the badge.

R – Respect – Show respect to your opposition, and supporters who show up week in week out.

D – Discipline – Train each week as hard as you can, don’t quit and make sure you are punctual, so you don’t let your team mates down.

S – Satisfaction – Know

that doing your best, supporting your teammates and putting that shirt on is enough to make you a Lordswood legend.

At the club we like to make sure this mantra is instilled at an early age; We try to keep the same focus in juniors as well as our adults. I hope in turn this will make the children recognise that they can use this philosophy both on and off the pitch. I see the value of rugby more so than other sports, that the skills you pick up in the game can also set you up for life outside of the game.

CONTACT THE CLUB

Lordswood Rugby Club ME58YE lordswoodrfc@gmail.com

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Reigate RFC JOHN MCKEE CLUB PRESIDENT

“Without doubt the creation of our mini and youth section has underpinned almost everything we have achieved on and off the pitch!”

I first became involved with Reigate Rugby Club through an invitation from a school friend and others back in 1986.

I’d been playing for John Fisher OBs but the persuasive skills of my friends in Reigate and Redhill convinced me to pop down to Colley Lane.

I have enjoyed my time at our club very much, we are fortunate to own our own pitches in the most fantastic

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location (at the foot of the North Downs) and best of all almost all my old, and not so old friends, are still heavily involved.

Like almost every junior club we face challenges in competition for time, commitment, players, members and volunteers. And like almost every junior club we needed to evolve and understand what makes our club an attractive proposition over other (sports) clubs – why come to Reigate RFC? Without doubt the creation of our mini and youth section has underpinned almost everything we have achieved on and off the pitch. It’s

the growbag from which everything else including our seniors rely on.

Around 2016, and confident we had strong coaches in place with a thriving junior section, our focus turned to improving our facilities and offerings.

Grant applications were made and success with London Marathon Charitable Trust, Biffa via the Wildlife Trust, the Big Lottery Fund, the RFU and many fundraising activities meant we raised matching funds for a new training pitch, new overflow carpark, new changing and shower facilities to accommodate our growing female section. Add to this a club room refurb and we were fit-for-purpose to maximise our offering to a wider community.

Fast forward to 2023/24 and

our ambition - to install new drainage across 2 pitches, install solar panels and to refurb and segregate our showers has come to fruition.

We have been successful in our applications and are immensely grateful to Reigate & Banstead Council via their CIL fund (council infrastructure levy) and to Surrey County Council and the Your Fund Surrey grant.

The installation of drainage has been an ambition of the clubs for years, we maintain what we have by spending between 15-20k p.a. but still we lose 8-12 weeks per season through waterlogged or flooding – common in the area. This c.160k investment in drainage will go a long way to allow us to claim back much of this time and to continue

to offer our pitch facilities to other local clubs.

We have welcomed Reigate Women’s Lacrosse to our ground – they now have a permanent home here at Colley Lane and we have also opened our club to Reigate Priory Football Club - the oldest club in surrey, who use our facilities throughout the week. Another exciting recruitment initiative is our partnership with Community Workers employed by the council in every Ward. We tend to focus on areas in Reigate & Banstead where rugby might not be the first sport of choice but where there is an appetite to engage. We take rugby to these schools or communities through our volunteer coaches, offering boys and girls the opportunity to have fun and potentially try something new.

Certainly at junior level, our aim is towards a fun, family friendly, community orientated and inclusive philosophy which underpins whatever we do.

Inevitably as we progress from youth to colts and senior rugby you blend all the above with a competitive streak. We want to progress; we want to do our best to compete and win games through the age-groups.

The mood down at the club at the moment Is Lively!

Buoyed by our recent grant success, another great fireworks event last month and a strong start to the season for all age groups, 2023 and especially 2024 – our 90th is looking like a game-changer!

Successful player connections that have come through, or played for the club over the years would include Max Coyle, England U17s,U18s, England 7s and Harlequins, he started his rugby career in our minis section, although lord knows where that talent came from – I played rugby with his dad for 30 years!

We have strong links with

Dorking (too strong sometimes!) and our committee can often tap into their experience. We also have a really positive relationship with Chipstead with whom we combine a colt’s team – testament to a lot of hard work and enthusiastic colts for game time.

The junior section is playing at a 60% win ratio and the 1st XV are 7/7. There is a long way to go and whilst promotion is our ambition keeping our feet firmly in the mud means winning next week’s game is more important. The club totally believe in senior rugbySuccessful completion of some mammoth capital projects is also on the horizon.

Girls are integral to our minis section and play an active role in developing the game from micros to minis and youth. Beyond those age groups we are developing plans for women’s rugby but aren’t there yet.

Mini and junior rugby is crucial, up there with Oxygen, if the car park is full, every square meter of pitch space is being used on a Sunday and midweek, there is no better sight.

Clearly clubs do thrive without a mini and junior section but for us it represents everything we stand for, openness, inclusivity, active, a growbag.

Our sponsors are very important and valuable to us

and we are tremendously grateful in particular to FXD Capital and Regenerus Labs and PJS Builders for supporting the club in so many tangible ways.

Sponsors allow us to do the nice to haves as well as the must haves.

“The people, our members, the good things we do, the difference 60+ volunteers make each week, the shared past memories, the shared future goals, our location and a fine pint of stout are just a few of the things that make Reigate Rugby Club a special place to be!”

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OUR HISTORY

Formed in 1934 Reigate RFC played its first game against the RNVR (Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve) on almost the same site as our ground is today.

Post-war the land we occupy was bequeathed in perpetuity to the Club by the Hodgkins family of Reigate in honour of Eric Hodgkins, RAF, who lost is life in the Battle of Britain.

Fast forward 70 years and we lay foundations for the next part of our journey. Our ambition represents the next steps from a traditional all male, grass roots rugby club to a multi-sport facility equipped to benefit the local community through support for a wide range of sports & social use.

The journey started in 2002 when Reigate RFC launched the Minis section for the first intake of under 5s, offering a social, family friendly environment for kids to enjoy exercise, fresh air and a healthy dollop of Surrey mud.

The club wanted the Minis section to stand out from the crowd from the outset.

The impact of the Minis section on the club was enormous. The kids, their mums and dads, brothers and sisters brought with them a wave of new ideas and opinions as to the purpose and future of Reigate. It was

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COMMUNITY

great to see the club getting so much more use as the number of active members benefiting from the superb facilities nestled under the North Downs increased.

Consultation and input from these new stakeholders, reinforced the core values to be a fun, family friendly, community orientated and inclusive club. Input from our new extended membership was actively sought and then acted on. In 2006, the gym and fitness facility was opened to provide a female friendly environment offering a wide range of courses ranging from pilates and spinning to weight training. A bonus was the ability to utilise our 8 acres of

land outside the pavilion too!

In addition, kitchen facilities were renovated so we could better cater for spectating mums and dads on wet winter days, by offering hot drinks and snacks.

For the next 6 years, the club developed organically, growing the Minis section by adding a new age group every year. The manageable, steady growth enabled the club to retain the friendliness and social cohesion of a small club. During this phase, we continued to look for new ways to develop a healthy mindset that “sport is fun” and “everyone gets to play” adding exciting activities and outings to our annual schedule.

We are 100% a community club at Reigate. Over the last 20+ years the club has developed its links in the community in particular with local schools. This pro-active school’s outreach provided dual benefits of helping schools introduce new kids to the opportunity of taking part in a fun, outdoor, team sport.

The club has strong community association and business links too aided by our membership of the local business guild. Our facilities, space and parking lend themselves to summer work parties, and festivals. RRFC was always proactive not reactive, keen to get involved, support wider community projects or work with other sports clubs. As the club grew, the ethos and mission transitioned from being a family friendly, inclusive rugby club to wanting to be an active part of and force for good in our local community. Outreach and engagement resulted in identifying new ways to put Reigate RFC facilities or energy to use in support of the wider community: • Reigate Festival. A volunteer run, free to all event in Reigate Priory Park. Our club provided support for several years; set-up assistance,

marshalling and running a free kids activity area.

• Reigate Women’s Lacrosse Club. When RWLC found themselves without a venue to host their kid’s festival, Reigate RFC was happy to make our pitches available, including taking down all the rugby posts to enable sufficient lacrosse pitches to be accommodated.

• Reigate and Banstead Festival of Sports & YMCA Fun Run. Reigate RFC have been long term supporters of this event co-organised by the Reigate & Banstead District Sports Council and the YMCA, running a stall to give kids the chance to experience rugby, organising demonstrations and encouraging all our players to participate in the charity Fun Run. We recognise the value of owning outright 8 acres of safe, green fields at the foot of the North Downs; it enables us to take the longterm view. We recognise the benefit of this stability and predictability for small volunteer-run organisations and look to form longterm relationships that

underpin their future. This can be seen in the relationships with Reigate Priory Football Club and Reigate Women’s Lacrosse Club.

The direction, development, and use of the facilities at Reigate has been shaped by a combination of inputs from the evolving stakeholder base and from community outreach.

We have strong relations with the Borough’s community link partner and community development workers. Over 20+ years, Reigate Rugby Club has transitioned from an adult only, all male sports club to a thriving mixed sex, mixed sport, community focussed sports and social club supporting: • Male and female membership ranging from under 5s to over 60s • Mixed gym membership offering something for everyone • Ladies and junior lacrosse • Adult, youth and junior rugby – 3 adult teams, 4 youth teams and 6 junior teams • Junior 7-aside football – the latest new addition since January 2023

CONTACT THE CLUB

Colley Ln Reigate RH2 9JB

07721 008840 www.reigaterugby.com

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EMBRACING COMMUNITY, FOSTERING GROWTH: CHRIS HUDDLESTON: FXD CAPITAL’S JOURNEY WITH REIGATE RFC

As a parent, coach, and sponsor, my journey with Reigate RFC began on the sidelines, cheering for my sons Flynn and Devin in their respective U12s & U11s teams and current U10`s coach.

My commitment to the club naturally deepened when I took on the role of coach for teams that were brimming with youthful energy and potential.

In tandem, my wife Lisa, serving as a team manager and sponsor through her business, The Surrey Circle, has added another layer of familial support to our involvement.

In 2018, I founded FXD Capital, and upon relocating to the area, I felt a strong

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desire to give back to the community that had already become an integral part of our lives. Having experienced the myriad benefits and enduring friendships forged through grassroots sports, I recognized the vital role they play in shaping communities and enriching the lives of young individuals.

My personal rugby journey, spanning university and my time with Battersea Ironsides RFC while employed at Investec, laid the groundwork for a lasting affinity with the sport. Upon my move to London and the South West, my eagerness to connect with local clubs led me to Reigate Rugby Club. Conversations with John McKee and the club’s members revealed an organization characterized by openness, friendliness, and

a commitment to community well beyond the rugby field.

The inclusivity extended beyond rugby, embracing other sports like football, creating a holistic sports community in Reigate.

Our decision to sponsor Reigate RFC, now entering its third year, was a natural progression of our commitment. Our sponsorship model is designed to evolve in tandem with the club’s development on and off the pitch. With a firm foundation in place and everything progressing as planned, we anticipate a long and fruitful relationship as a principal sponsor over the next five years. Adding to our team’s strength is Mike Tindall MBE, a globally recognized figure, former England rugby union player, and a member of the

2003 World Cup-winning England squad. Mike joined FXD Capital in 2019, bringing his expertise to help foster business growth through relationship-building and community engagement.

This season has witnessed a remarkable surge in senior rugby momentum, and the camaraderie among all teams is truly heartening.

Whether enjoying a bacon sandwich with a pint of Guinness or revelling in the sense of belonging among a community that feels like one big family, there’s no better place to spend time than at Reigate Rugby Club. As we continue to support and grow alongside this vibrant community, I am excited about the promising future that lies ahead for Reigate RFC and FXD Capital alike.

Specialising in cash deposits and money markets We work with corporates, institutions, government agencies and notfor-profit organisations helping clients to enhance liquidity, diversify counterparty risk and maximise yield.

www.fxdcapital.com The Surrey Circle is a thriving community of businesses & customers, connected via a suite of print, digital and in-person marketing platforms.

“Very proud sponsors of Reigate RFC” Proud Sponsor

Are you a Surrey Business? This is the place to promote your products and services directly to your most immediate customers and beyond. We would love to chat with you about how we could work together and support your marketing needs.

We welcome everyone to take a browse on our website and delve into the SHOPPING HUB where you can shop from our sumptuous selection of products, discover more about Surrey Businesses in the BUSINESS HUB, find everyday trades and services at your fingertips in our A-Z or why not be part of or visit us at one of our many 2024 EVENTS.

SHOPPING

LOCAL BLACK

BUSINESS

HUB

BOOK

HUB

SOCIAL

A-Z

EVENTS

CONTACTS

R

&

GET IN TOUCH & JOIN THE CIRCLE www.thesurreycircle.co.uk

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The TSC Community:

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19/12/2023 14:34

Wath Upon Dearne RUFC

A Club Rooted in Family Values

MIKE SCHERDEL CLUB CHAIRMAN

I practically grew up in the club! My late father, a player, committee member, president, and honorary life member, ingrained the club into my daily life. Like many, it became a second home, an extension of my family.

My rugby journey began at age 9, progressing through mini rugby, colts, county representation, and eventually captaining the first team from 1991-94. Becoming chairman felt like destiny.

Over the years, the club faced challenges, documented in its history.

The recent struggle is player attraction and retention. I firmly believe paying players does more harm than good, fostering disloyalty. We

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are committed to retaining players through well-being and community-focused opportunities.

Off the pitch, I led a recent clubhouse refurbishment, well-documented in our history notes. Upgrading changing room facilities is on our agenda, although we don’t own our pitches. Our investment mantra echoes Whitney Houston – “children are our future.” We prioritize the junior and colts’ section, encouraging senior players to mentor younger ones.

A rugby academy at Wath Academy further strengthens our ties with young players.

With a rich history of developing successful teams, our philosophy centers on encouraging well-being and community connection. We foster inclusivity and passion for the game, aiming to unlock each player’s potential.

The club’s atmosphere has never been better, both on and off the pitch. The clubhouse refurbishment revitalized our spirit, creating a hub in the heart of the community. The vision exceeded expectations, drawing people in for various activities.

This season, our first XV had an outstanding start, winning the first seven league fixtures.

Challenges arose, which was inevitable in Yorkshire’s strong rugby landscape. Our development/second team faced fixture frustrations, and

our junior section’s explosive growth created pitch space challenges.

Wath RFC is a yearround hub, with continuous events and training. We’ve transitioned from closing doors in the summer to a bustling clubhouse, hosting various activities. Our big dinner dance, once at a local hotel, now happens in the best space in South Yorkshire,

complete with our own currency – the Wath Wad! Girls play in our junior section, and although not at the senior level yet, we believe it’s a possibility.

Walking rugby, introduced post-COVID, supported by ‘Dearne Active,’ has thrived, welcoming players of all ages and genders, often outnumbering senior players at Saturday morning training.

Considering ourselves a 100% community club, we engage with local groups through an adult learning group, business networking events, and open invitations to social members.

Sponsors contribute financially, and we aim to integrate them into the club, encouraging their presence on Saturdays. Our relationship with sponsors is

reciprocal, often involving a pint and a pork pie.

With family values embedded in Wath and its broader community, our rugby club offers a warm, sociable, and fun environment, welcoming everyone to share our home – members, friends, visitors, volunteer groups, clubs, and opposing teams alike.

STEVE CORNS CLUB PRESIDENT

As I look back on the past season, I find it challenging to surpass my previous remarks.

The 1st XV concluded the season with an unbeaten run, significantly influencing the league competition. While promotion remained out of reach, I extend congratulations to Wensleydale and Harrogate Pythons for securing Yorkshire One spots in the 2023-24 season.

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SIMON LINES DIRECTOR OF RUGBY

Our unbeaten home record extends over 18 months, marked by notable victories against top league teams like Baildon, Harrogate Pythons, and Wensleydale throughout the 22/23 campaign. Despite missing promotion by three points, we concluded the season as the form team.

The Papa Johns Cup, initially disorganized, brought unexpected success. After impressive wins, we reached the final, securing victory against Ripon. The youth showcased in our club, especially the second team, bodes well for the future. A strong second team finished 4th in their Merit table, contributing to our depth.

Financially robust amid challenges off the field, we aim to capitalize on last season’s momentum for on-

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field success. With a large player pool, we’re poised for success. The addition of a colts team in September will strengthen our senior section.

Appreciation goes to those who stepped in last minute, all players, and dedicated supporters. Special thanks to Sean Hopper, a fantastic leader, and to coaching stalwarts Titch and Alan for their invaluable contributions.

Ian Evans, departing due to relocation, leaves a legacy of passion and success.

Looking ahead, success requires commitment and unity. Thanks to everyone for their contributions, and let’s make this our year.

JIM WEST 2ND XV CAPTAIN

The 2XV had a mixed season last time out, showcasing depth with over 60 players.

Slow starts proved costly in losses to Hallamshire, Hemsworth, Wheatley Hills, and Mosborough. However, strong performances against Wortley, Dinnington, and others displayed our potential.

Narrow losses to tough teams like Doncaster Phoenix 2’s and Scunthorpe 2XV were notable.

Finishing 4th in the Merit Table, we faced challenges in the Uniplex Plate, narrowly losing to Mosborough in the final.

Personally, captaining and playing for the 2nd team has been a pleasure. The camaraderie and support, especially from home crowds, have made it enjoyable. Thanks to everyone who played, adapting to various roles without complaints. Looking ahead, with a promising squad, we aim to excel in both 1st and 2nd teams, eyeing Merit Table and Uniplex Plate victories.

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CLIVE JONES JUNIOR RUGBY

I would like to express gratitude to all the coaches and supporting volunteers for their dedication to running the junior section. Thanks also to the kitchen and bar staff, and the cleaners for their contributions.

Last season was fabulous for all age groups, with everyone growing in confidence and skills.

The players exhibited fantastic attitudes, listening, learning, encouraging each other, and working as a team. The skill levels of all the juniors and Minis have significantly improved.

Wath Rugby Club hosted our first Junior (under 12s) Festival in collaboration with Burleigh Travel, a great success that garnered positive

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feedback from visiting clubs. Special thanks to Debs Bailey, John Beckett, and Claire Burrows for their crucial support. The juniors and Minis have finished training for a short summer break, celebrating successful presentation nights.

Looking forward to next season, we will have a colts team, providing a bright future for the club. The lower age groups are creating a further team due to growing numbers. Our success as a junior section presents its challenges, and we welcome discussions with anyone interested in helping or sponsoring the junior section.

Please contact myself, John Beckett, or Claire Burrows.

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SARAH HILL, SPONSOR AND SUPPORTER: CONSTANT SECURITY

I work for a local business and was approached by a player whom I used to go to school with to see if we would sponsor him. He got more than he bargained for because we are now married!

As a company we feel that we have very similar ethics to the rugby club. We are a family business with wholesome values and directives. The rugby club also reflects this very much both on and off the pitch particularly in the way they engage with each other and their local community.

Our sponsorship and association with Wath Rugby Club has definitely supported

our seasonal recruitment campaigns. We have attracted enthusiastic individuals who are seeking flexible working patterns to fit around their other commitments – this is often both ends of the spectrum, students at the beginning of their working life and also really importantly retired individuals who want something to keep the grey matter going and keep them active.

What makes Wath such a great club to be involved with is that It is a family club.

Everyone is incredibly friendly and welcoming. In recent years it has become quite forward thinking and evolved a lot but it absolutely hasn’t lost the charm of the traditional rugby club.

“Very proud of our association with Wath Upon Dearne RFC!”

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HISTORY OF WATHUPON-DEARNE RUFC

Wath-upon Dearne Grammar School was opened in 1927 under the auspices of West Riding County Council to accommodate pupils of South Yorkshire who passed their eleven plus scholarship. The headmaster was Reverend A.T.L. Greer who came from a public school background. He brought this background to introduce rugby union to the school, contrary to all other local schools, who played football (soccer). The school also had the benefit of a rugby playing maths teacher called Harry Cooper. Harry played rugby for Dublin University plus the fact he reached the final trial for Ireland.

In 1930, boys were leaving school at 15/16 years old.

Harry Cooper realised many of these boys needed to enjoy after school activities so he established Old Wathonians RUFC in 1931.

There is evidence of the first Old Wathonians RUFC team in a photograph on display, dated 1932; on the left of this photograph is Harry Cooper in a smart suit. In centre stage, with his Yorkshire RFU cap, is Arthur Parkin who captained the team from 1930 – 1936.

Reverend Greer was elected Club President in 1930 and held this position until 1940, being succeeded

by J.T. Ritchie. (Both were headmasters at Wath Grammar School.)

Games were played on the school field and changing facilities were enjoyed with the school. During this decade, games were played against such old boys’ teams from Barnsley Grammar School, Goole Grammar School, Thorne Grammar School, Sheffield King Edwards School and Pontefract. Games against these teams continue today.

During the Second World War, 1940 – 1945, Old Wathonians continued to organise and play rugby; this

situation was helped by the fact that many of the players worked in the local collieries, a reserved occupation. During this time, a stalwart of the club was Owen Willis who was the local chemist; again a reserved occupation.

After the war, for the next decade, Wath continued to play at the Grammar School and used “The Oak Tree” as the place after the game for socialising (drinking) with the opposition.

Then in 1961 came the first major trophy win – The Yorkshire Shield. Wath battled through the four preliminary rounds and beat Selby in the semi final and eventually York R.I. in the final 18 – 9 This success increased support and membership which meant that in 1963, Wath could field a second team for the first time. In addition to this expansion, the Local Authority, Wathupon-Dearne U.D.C., landscaped the local dumpit site, adjacent to Moor Road and Station Road, thus creating two level rugby pitches. Following this, the Council, in 1965, offered Wath the use of the disused A.T.C. headquarters behind the Wath Public Swimming Baths so in the space of two years, two new pitches, a clubhouse and the use of the Public Baths for showering and changing were enjoyed by the club.

Then disaster struck twice in the space of a week.

After a home game against Pontefract, our visitors decided to use the Public Baths to enjoy an after game dip without trunks or costumes – they claimed they didn’t realise it was a public swimming session! Wath were banned from the Baths at the end of the season. The second disaster – the Local Authority condemned our clubhouse as being structurally unsafe – no club house and no changing rooms for the 1971 season.

However, as luck would have it, in 1971, The British Rail Sports Association had just put their clubhouse on Moor Road up for sale for £12,000.

Wath had a bank balance of £800! A white knight in the shape of Derek Cook of D.C. Cook Motors emerged. Derek was persuaded by Phil Ardron, who taught him at Park Road School, to help financially.

Derek bought the club house and leased it to Wath for £1 per annum.

With grants from Wards Brewery and a fund raising effort by members, the club house was renovated and the essential bar was created; still one problem – no changing rooms. Fortunately, salvation came from Wath Main Pithead Baths – problem solved. From the club house, access to our new pitches was via Moor Road and Recreation Road, plus along a 3ft diameter sewer pipe to cross Brook Dyke.

In 1972 another financial disaster occurred. An official letter from Companies House informed the Club that Derek Cook had no legal authority to use D.C. Cook Motors Ltd money to buy the club house.

We were potentially homeless.

With trepidation and much lobbying, approach was made to the English R.F.U. and they agreed a £10,000 loan and Moor Road became the legal home of Wath RUFC. The 1980s and 1990s saw Wath prosper and establish three teams and also create a Junior Section, which still acts as a seed corn for the senior teams we can call on today.

During this period, regular success has come to the club

on the field, with County and England representatives.

In 1983 at a Special General Meeting, after a lengthy discussion, it was resolved that Old Wathonians should adopt the name Wath-upon-Dearne RUFC and become an open membership club. In 1987 the Rugby Union adopted a league system throughout England and Wath were granted Yorkshire League 2 status.

Improvements to the clubhouse in 1993 – 1998 meant we no longer used Wath Pithead Baths and the sewer pipe has been replaced by a bridge. Grants from Sport England and the Coal Board Regeneration Trust, amounting to £200,000 have been spent to secure what are today a thriving rugby club and a community centre and facility for the village of Wath-uponDearne.

Wath entered the 21st century with high hopes and expectations; these being met in 2012 when Wath reached the final of the RFU Senior Vase played at Twickenham.

Wath 23 against Wells 32.

Disappointment but over 1,000 supporters sang, danced and drank all weekend!

This success spurred Wath on. Opposite our club house is Wath Sports Arena, housing a cricket field in summer and a football field in winter. In 2012 we had played at Twickenham and were promoted to Yorkshire One in 2013. To this end, we approached the Local Authority with the caption “A First Division Club deserves a First Division Pitch”. This proposal was put

to “The Friends of Wath Park”, whose chairman was a Wath Committee member. The Cricket Club and Wath Bowls Club supported this item and after many meetings, the Local Authority acquiesced; a football pitch was sacrificed to provide an immaculate rugby pitch as part of the Wath Sports Area.

Then added to this achievement and to everyone’s surprise, Wath was successful in winning another trip to Twickenham to play for the RFU Senior Vase in the final against Saltash (Cornwall). Wath 22, Saltash 18. This was perhaps the pinnacle of almost a century of rugby at Wath-uponDearne. Added to this, in June 2018 Wath Rugby Club won the accolade of Rotherham Community Sports Award 2018 – Winning Team of the Year, organised and presented by the Rotherham Advertiser Community Sports Trust.

Unlike many clubs and businesses the coronavirus pandemic was a catalyst for change for the club spearheaded in 2019 by new Chairman and life-long member Mike Scherdel who, as an Architect and businessman saw an opportunity to re-furbish the club while the doors for rugby were closed. The vision was to create a more contemporary rugby club and community / private event space fit for the next 20 years and to generate more income and financial stability for the club. Thanks to financial support from Rotherham Council, Sport England, local sponsors and members the

work commenced in January 2020 and by the end of the pandemic we opened our doors to kick start the new rugby season and embark on a new journey with facilities fit to host events for parties of all shapes and sizes as well as our core purpose as a rugby club.

The ambitions were realised quicker than expected and the clubs revenue quadrupled within the first year. This gave the club a solid financial standing and the club invested further in the facilities with a new beer garden, astroturf children’s play area and members gym. The playing and training equipment was all be renewed and free meals are offered for every player alongside training kit, beer tokens and a fabulous club atmosphere.

In the 2022/23 season the club added further silverware to their trophy cabinet with a trip to Mowden Park Darlington as winners of the Papa John’s trophy beating Yorkshire league 2 Rivals Ripon 25-23 with a dramatic last minute touchline penalty kicked by Jack Whitlam, our own Wath born and bred Johnny Wilkinson!

It is interesting to note, with pride, that the playing squads of 23 on each of the games played at Twickenham and Mowden Park have consisted of 30 players who developed through our Junior ranks.

Our Core Values still remain strong and we will always strive to play quality inclusive amateur rugby embedded within the community in a happy, sociable and family environment.

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SAM LEEDER, SUPPORTER AND SPONSOR: ACTUS INSURANCE.

I’m originally from Doncaster and settled in the area around 10 years ago. Having played rugby over many years I am naturally a big supporter of the sport and the opportunities and positive environment it provides for many local people.

I played against Wath back in the day but my 1st non rugby encounter was while attending my wife’s uncle’s funeral.

Although a pleasant welcome isn’t unusual at rugby clubs I was particularly impressed by the excellent venue, the hospitality that I received and their friendliness which really went above and beyond any expectations I had.

Having a local business, I was quite keen to support some community initiatives that were family focused and Wath Upon Dearne RFC ticked all the boxes. The club has become a bit of a watering hole and local pub for many of us at Actus. Our company works within the business insurance market and we are able to get some very positive local exposure in and through the club.

I have to say that the members, volunteers, coaches and supporters do a great job both on and off the field at Wath Upon Dearne Rugby Club and I would like to encourage them all to maintain that really inclusive and local feel which make their club such a great place to spend time!

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“Delighted to be associated with the success of Wath Upon Dearne RFC!” Supporting businesses across the Sheffield City Region with high quality insurance and risk management solutions including Property & Liability Motor Fleet Cyber / Crime Directors Liability Credit Insurance Private Client Health & Safety

w: actusinsurance.co.uk e: info@actusinsurance.co.uk

Qualified broking team of 30 staff Increased buying power Dedicated claims support

CONTACT THE CLUB

Moor Rd, Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham S63 7RS

01709 872399 www.wathupondearnerufc.com

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Charlton Park Rugby Club `his love of rugby had been ignited`

Doug Hursey, the current CEO of Charlton Park RFC, has dedicated a significant portion of his lifetime to the game of Rugby Football.

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hroughout his tenure, Doug has actively participated in various clubs and regional organizations, contributing significantly to the sport’s growth. His impressive resume includes roles with Blackheath FC, Kent County RFU, London Division, where he played a pivotal part in shaping rugby’s landscape.

Furthermore, Doug served as the Kent Chairman of Selectors and ultimately held the prestigious position of Kent County RFU President.

His extensive involvement underscores his unwavering commitment to the sport he holds dear.

As an East End lad, born

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and raised in Leytonstone, London E11 he did not see a rugby ball until he was 17. The arrival at his state school of a Welsh Head of PE gave him a brief grounding in the game in his last year of six form before going to University of Kent at Canterbury.

He played a number of Sports at University Basketball/ Volleyball/Rugby gaining blues in all three, but his love of rugby had been ignited.

On graduating he took a position as a maths teacher at Eltham Green School, and subsequently moved to live in Eltham.

It was there he met and became long term friends

with Pete Apperley, who introduced him to Charlton Park in the autumn of 1974.

In the early days it was a steep learning curve in mastering the basics of the game and coming to terms with being a marked man at 6’8”. He developed quickly and by the start of the 1975 was a fixture in the first team.

By 1977 he had been noticed by the Kent County. His first match was against Sussex in a County Championship game. He faced a certain Maurice Colclough who went on to play several times for England.

For a while he was content playing for Charlton Park, captaining the club in 1978, and gradually racked up games for the Kent Clubs team made up of players not playing first class rugby. So, basically, those that didn’t play for Blackheath.

His reputation continued to grow with some stand out performances in Kent Clubs games. In 1984, he was once again picked to play for

the County side. This time against Gloucestershire in the top division of the County Championship. A Gloucester side that contained five internationals.

The game went well for him with Kent losing narrowly and Doug being mentioned in all the national newspapers reporting on the game.

Indeed, the Sunday Times wrote “Charlton Park where is that?” now they know! The press cutting of the match is still displayed in a cabinet at the club.

After the game, Doug realised that he was capable of playing at a much higher level and immediately joined Blackheath. He was fast tracked straight in to the first team playing in games against clubs such as Saracens, Harlequins, Sale, Gloucester, Bristol, Bath, Leicester, Swansea, Neath, Newcastle, London Irish, London Scottish, Richmond and Northampton to name a few.

By the time the 1985-86 season arrived he was being talked about as a possible England player and was selected in the squad for the London Division games that

Maintaining our first XV at this level, typically involves overcoming several challenges. Two main challenges are player retention and competition for new players with other clubs.

Player retention is crucial for the long-term success of the club. It can be challenging to keep talented players engaged and committed, especially when they receive offers from other clubs or face personal commitments outside of rugby. Maintaining a positive team culture,

sports for a share of the spoils from the bar take.

On the field, we know our limitations so until we have the right quality of player to take us to the next level, we are happy to maintain our current position in the RFU Pyramid. Counties 1 Kent is a very competitive league with some strong sides. This is evidenced by the number of clubs from this league reaching the final of the RFU Intermediate Cup / Papa John’s trophy over the last few years, including ourselves. This coming season is likely to be just as competitive where on any given day, teams at the bottom of the league can beat the top teams.

Of course, we have ambitions to improve on the pitch in terms of the quality of player we attract. We have had a player recruitment campaign running throughout the summer which has attracted in excess of eighty enquiries. Obviously, not all of those enquiries will bear fruit, but we are hopeful that a good number will allow us to increase the number of teams that we put out on a Saturday afternoon.

We have a new coaching set-up including a Director of Rugby and specialist back

© Verity McGuire

season. He also played for London v Paris in the warmup to the England France game in Paris in March 1986 and then in the County Final for Kent v Warwickshire.

He was then appointed captain of Blackheath first team for 1986-87 and 1987-88.

A knee ligament injury curtailed the second year of his captaincy. However, his lineout presence proved essential, and he continued to play for Blackheath until the 1993-94 season finally retiring from senior rugby at the age of 42.

He was persuaded to keep playing by his friends at Charlton Park and on his return to the club they gained promotion two years on the trot rising to National League Division 4 South – Level 4 in the pyramid – the highest the club has ever attained and during this period still turned out for Kent in the County Championship.

Finally retiring at the age of 48 he then turned his attention to the administration of the club.

He was instrumental in the drive for a new ground and the purchase of the freehold Broad Walk in 1999. Without doubt a huge turning point for the club.

Since then, he has been involved in driving the development of Broad Walk and the financial wellbeing of the club. He has been CEO of the club for 15 years now.

His status within the County and his commitment to the game meant he was appointed Kent President in 2021 for a three-year term. He is now starting his final year.

His business acumen has meant that the club is in a very healthy financial state – owning the freehold of Broad Walk with no debts and is thriving.

We play our rugby at level 7 in the RFU pyramid.

offering competitive benefits, providing opportunities for growth and development, and fostering a sense of belonging are some strategies used to address this challenge.

Competition for players is a significant challenge.

We have to compete for players with at least twelve other rugby clubs within a ten-mile radius. We need to offer attractive benefits, have a strong coaching staff, and provide a supportive environment to attract and retain the best players.

Additionally, the club need to stay competitive on the field, constantly improving their performance and results to stand out from other clubs.

Successful teams navigate these challenges by having strong management and leadership, fostering a positive team culture, building strong relationships with players, and continuously adapting strategies to stay ahead of the competition. That’s what we are trying to re-establish at Charlton Park.

We are strictly amateur and uphold traditional values and the spirit of rugby. We don’t pay our players. We own our own ground so don’t have to compete with other

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They mix it up and offer something different. No training session is the same and they make it interesting.

It’s a cliché but the coaches have worked on strengths and developed weaknesses.

There have been two warm up matches for the coming season, both won against strong opposition.

The first match was a little disjointed. Although there were many positive passages of play, there were times when we switched off and conceded either scores or penalties. By the time we got to the second warm-up, the errors had mostly been eradicated and the play was more organised.

Yes, as a team, we appear to be better organised.

THE PHILOSOPHY FOR MINI RUGBY IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT

and forwards coaches. Some of our more experienced players are also chipping in.

In the short space of time, they have been on the scene, the players seem to be more committed, focused and invigorated so there is much to look forward to.

Off the field, the new committee members have brought new and fresh ideas to the business side of the club. In conjunction with the player recruitment campaign, we are running a venue and facilities advertising campaign which is showcasing our hall and bars as a venue for conferences, parties and sports clubs. We also offer affordable gym and social memberships because we are a hub for the community or an asset of community value. The income we receive from lettings and bar takings supports the onfield rugby activities.

We have ambitious plans to enhance our facilities.

We have had plans drawn up and have submitted outline planning permission to the local authority to add an additional storey to the existing clubhouse. This includes new changing rooms where we can accommodate women and youth in specifically designated areas.

The senior coaching team has only been in place for a few weeks but already you can see a change in the philosophy. Moving from a place where players had started to lose interest, with the numbers training dropping off towards the end of last season. We are now in a position where the players are more committed, engaged and enthusiastic and above all want to train.

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The numbers are and have been increasing week on week. And this isn’t just the first XV. It’s players from across the spectrum. There appears to have been a cultural shift in a short space of time.

The coaching team seem to be more caring. They care about improving the skills of the players. They care about how they can make the players better. They care

about the welfare of the players. They talk to them away from the training pitch and given them a sense of belonging and reassurance.

These are actions that haven’t happened at Charlton Park for a very long time.

The coaching sessions have been more meaningful.

The coaches work on technique, skills and game plans. But it’s not the same old, same old each week.

Mini rugby at Charlton Park RFC is a fantastic opportunity for children aged between 3 and 11 to develop their skills, make lifelong friends, and enjoy the thrill of being part of a team. Our aim is to provide a safe and inclusive environment where children can learn the fundamentals of rugby, while having heaps of FUN along the way.

At Charlton Park RFC, we understand the importance of nurturing young talent and fostering a love for the game.

Our experienced, dedicated coaches and volunteers are passionate about rugby and are committed to helping each child reach their full potential, both on and off the field. They focus on teaching the core values of rugby, such as teamwork, respect, discipline, and sportsmanship, instilling these values in our young players from the very beginning.

Our mini rugby programme is designed to cater for young players of all abilities, shapes, and sizes. We offer a structured and progressive training programme that covers various aspects of the game, including two-handed catching, passing, balance coordination and agility.

Through a combination of drills and games, children will develop their physical abilities, improve their decision-making skills, and gain confidence on the pitch.

Charlton Park RFC is proud to be part of a vibrant rugby community, and we encourage parents to get involved and support their children’s rugby journey. We believe that rugby is not just for the children, but for the whole family to enjoy.

Our club organises various social events throughout the

season, allowing parents to connect with other families and build lasting friendships.

We have quite a history: 130 years and counting.

Throughout our 130 years, our many grounds and ‘clubhouses’ have been a happy home for rugby players living in South-East London and beyond. Our peaks and troughs have reflected the times - We are hardly the archetypical rugby club.

Formed initially as the Old Charltonians in 1893, old boys of a Preparatory School for prospective officers at Woolwich Barracks - we have always had strong links with the army, and this is still reflected in our membership today. The Boer War and the two World Wars nearly ended the club completely; our changing rooms, then in Charlton Park, were hit by a bomb in 1943 and it took several years to restart after 1945. In 1957 we had 16 paying members and were still trying to run a second team. But each time we have risen like a phoenix from the ashes from 1906 to 1914, Bedford and Saracens were on the fixture cards, 1920 to 1933 we regularly featured in the Kent team, and 1970 to 1997 when we reached the giddy heights of the National Leagues, we had times of extraordinary success driven by influxes of new players.

These came from every corner of the globe, but particularly Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and France. They came and stayed, welcomed into our ready-made meltingpot by a culture of play-hard, party-hard and sing the club songs. And we have settled – finally moving to Broad Walk in 1999.

We have had our heroes: Harald Turpin, designer of the Sten gun; Jack Rose, was a Hurricane pilot and later Governor-General of the Cayman Islands, Professor Tom Adrian. Our celebrities; Hale & Pace, Andy Lovell (Shovel of M People) and Giles Thomas (Lipstick on your collar).

And we have had the honour of playing in a final at Twickenham – the Intermediate Cup in 2017 against West Leeds. We lost a great game - but that’s our problem with finals; we lose: five Kent Cups as well. But one day The general mood at the club is one of buoyancy.

We’re Buoyant. Everyone is looking forward to the new season. The committee has been reinvigorated with new volunteers. We have a new coaching set-up in the shape of Bob Hussey, Bill Sandison

and Keiron Martin. All three are experienced former players – not with Charlton Park, mind. Bob played for Gravesend, Bill played for Medway and Keiron played for Rockford Hundred - who have a wealth of knowledge and a philosophy on how the should be played. Our player recruitment campaign has seen us receive in excess of eighty enquiries from all corners of the globe including South Africa, Argentina, France, Georgia and central Africa.

We have a club been a club in transformation/ transition during this close season and preparations for 2023-24 have been a little fragmented. We parted

company with a head coach and his assistant late into the summer and brought in a new coaching team that is better equipped to take the club forward on the pitch.

Like many clubs in our area, community rugby is suffering a decline in the playing membership, so we have to be more pro-active in attracting new players. We can’t just rely on players joining us because of our history or reputation.

We have benchmarked ourselves with other clubs that play at a similar level and gone out to the market with a structured advertising campaign. The key objective for the new coaching team is to gel the existing squad members with the new guys to

put out a team that is capable of competing.

Despite having only a few weeks with the players, you can see that the fresh ideas are starting to have an impact. We scheduled three pre-season matches.

Unfortunately, we had to cancel our late august match due to player unavailability, holidays etc. However, the final two matches have gone well with two victories against strong opposition of a similar standard. In those matches we played some good rugby and scored some good, well worked tries.

We currently don’t have a women’s team, but we have ambitions to develop one. We are attracting more

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girls through our mini rugby programme, so this is always going to be organic growth.

Not that we haven’t seen women’s rugby at Charlton Park. For several years Blackheath Women used our facilities for training and matches and were welcomed into our club in everything but name.

We have always considered ourselves to be a traditional rugby club. We own our ground outright and don’t have to compete with other sports - cricket, tennis, bowls etc. for a share of the

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bar take. We have generally had colts’ teams with the players being drawn from local schools. Indeed, our most successful colts’ team from the early 1980’s reached the final of the Kent cup in 1982 drawing an enthralling match with Westcombe Park.

In that season we would compete against, and beat the likes of Blackheath, London Welsh and Saracens.

Probably unlikely to happen in this day and age! Many of those players formed the backbone of the team that saw us rise through the leagues from Kent 1 to the National Leagues in 1996.

Since our move to Broad Walk in 1999, we have become more of a community club. We have the facilities to be able to offer social memberships to the local community where people can come and have a drink to relax or enjoy a workout in our fully equipped gym.

Up until the pandemic, we had a rugby liaison officer working with a number of schools and those schools used our facilities to offer its pupils Rugby as part of the PE curriculum.

We have always had youth rugby at Charlton Park as it’s important to the organic growth of the club. We’ve never really ventured into the world of mini rugby largely because there is so much completion with clubs in our catchment area - Blackheath, Old Colfeians, Sidcup, Old Elthamians. That is until now!

In the summer of 2022, we started a partnership with Rugby taggers to Introduce mini rugby into the club. Although the numbers are relatively

small as compared to other clubs, the first cohort have maintained attendance, and the programme continues to grow. Rugby Taggers have now pulled back to allow us to run the programme on our own. We are in the process of re-engaging with our local community and schools and in this respect have a community open day on Saturday 30 September where sessions will be held for children to join in the fun through tag rugby and parents encouraged to have

a go by taking part in touch rugby, walking rugby. We have a bouncy castle and BBQ and are hoping that many will stay to watch the first team play against Deal and Betteshanger RFC. We are in a cost-of-living crisis, so we want to make our mini rugby programme as affordable as possible. We have ‘try’ before you buy did you see what I did there - first month is free. And then it’s an inclusive, affordable £50 per year subscription.

Nothing else to pay, no

centres, the CAMRA beer and Cider festival, resident association meetings, line dancing and judo.

Oh, and rugby is free to watch at Charlton Park. We don’t charge an entrance fee to watch our matches.

Sponsorship is essential to the sustainability of the club.

We are not just a rugby club; we have to run ourselves as a business and have a duty of care to the membership to at least break-even or make a small profit. We no longer can rely on membership subscriptions and bar take to achieve that goal. We can no longer rely on volunteers to run the bar or mow the pitches or put out the post protectors and flags. We have to have paid members of staff to take on those duties.

Our number of main sponsors is small in comparison to other clubs who rely on sponsorship income to help them progress up the leagues or to maintain their position in the playing pyramid.

We also have a pool of individuals that provide funds to pay for the players stash – polo shirts, leisure shorts etc. Most of our sponsorship comes from within the Charlton Park family. We do not rely on any external income.

everywhere. Our players have come from Canary Wharf, Woolwich Barracks, Avery Hill College, Belmarsh Prison, from Thames lightermen, scrap-metal dealers, the print and building trades; hodcarriers played alongside Oxford Firsts. They met each other at Charlton Park, there was no conveyer belt because there were few rugby playing schools. So, we taught rugby from the beginning to wrestlers and prison officers who went on to play for the county.

Good rugby clubs reflect their locality. People moved into the area – it was near Docklands and the City, it was cheaper than West London. They came to Charlton Park, we made them welcome. When we had a really good side it was often bolstered by New Zealander scrum-halves, Australian and South African centres, Welsh back-rows and whole contingents of Irish who came for the craic.

Many have come ‘down’ from Blackheath and recently we have benefited from French, but also Yorkshire and West Countrymen. Now, for the time being, it’s Fijian soldiers.

Good rugby clubs have individual traditions that make them special – we learnt to keep fixtures by

staying afterwards, buying beer and singing properly; we try to respect and remember our past and our shirts are exactly the same as they were in 1893. Learning the words to the club song is an essential – although you are permitted to sing the French version if you want. We are ambitious, but for some that means selling your soul – we continue to improve what we have. We only owned a ground in 1974 – before that we hired pitches, changed in wooden sheds and went to local pubs. Then we built our clubhouse on it. Then we sold that ground to Charlton Athletic and moved to Broad Walk; pragmatic, often hardfaced planning and decision making alongside the fun and games. Now we have some of the best facilities in the county, often used for Kent tournaments and fixtures as well as our local Greenwich neighbours.

Charlton Park is different and very special and needs to be looked after and not taken for granted. We are proud of it – after all, we did it.

(The above narrative has been kindly supplied

by Andy Potts, Doug Hursey and Richard Cox. All images supplied by club photographer: Verity McGuire.

ANDY POTTS, `INDEPENDENT, MULTICULTURAL, DIVERSE.`

subscriptions. We know that this compares favourably with the membership fees that other clubs are charging.

In addition, all the income derived from our mini rugby programme is earmarked for the minis and youth and none of it is used to subsidise the activities of the rest of the club.

There is also significant engagement with local business, the local authority and sports clubs who use our facilities to host conferences, training days, community day

If we take the usual clichés as read – all grassroots rugby clubs, and by that, I mean those where business and over -ambition haven’t destroyed their roots, are ‘families’ – then Charlton Park’s ‘specialness’ lies in what makes it different. Independent, multicultural, diverse.

Despite being 130 years old we have not been part of the traditional School – Old Boys continuum (we changed our name from the Old Charltonians after the First World War). When the ‘fixture exchange’ still decided, which Old Boys would deign to play us (none of them would steep so low), we developed a healthy scepticism of rugby elites.

So, we have forged our own way, taking advantage of the introduction of the league system to determine our own destiny; often up (reaching a highpoint with one year in the national leagues), but accepting that going up also meant going down.

Our ‘family’ or community comes from where we are; on the south-east fringes of inner London, leafy Charlton, less leafy Woolwich, and

CONTACT THE CLUB

60A Broad Walk London SE3 8NB

020 8856 1025 www.charltonpark.org.uk

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Abertillery continued to produce outstanding teams through the last thirty years of the 20th century including future internationals such as Robert Norster, Rupert Moon, Byron Hayward, Kingsley Jones (another Wales Captain) and one of the greatest dual-code players of all time, Keith Jarrett.

Haydn Morgan

Abertillery B.G. Rugby Football Club Famous Welsh Club On Road To Redemption

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By Ralph Henderson, MBE he death knell of Welsh Rugby has rung around the World so frequently that it has become more of a funeral march than “hymns and arias”!

All too often the status of Welsh Rugby has been a barometer for the health of the country. But talk about transmogrification!

Wales’ seismic destruction of Australia at the World Cup has brought renewed optimism to the country.

Even when Warren

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Gatland was brought back to replace Wayne Pivac, his team suffered four defeats in the Six Nations with Welsh Captain Ken Owens calling the Union a ‘laughing stock’ amidst threats of a players’ strike. Suddenly long serving Welsh legends Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric retired from the test scene.

The crises continued with Board resignations at the highest level and claims of mysogyny. Welsh rugby was at such a low point that even Gatland revealed that he might not have returned if he had been fully aware of the country’s problems.

Whatever his shortcomings, Gatland has always prepared his teams well for major competitions. The tales of spartan conditions in Spaala, Poland and the regenerative

powers of Cryotherapy chambers are legendary and, once again, he seems to have worked the oracle. Supreme fitness generates confidence, belief and espirit de corps.

In spite of the quarter final defeat by Argentina, the welsh team provided a necessary “shot in the arm “during this unrelenting economic climate.

In many ways, the story of Abertillery is a cameo for the narrative of Wales. There are several common factors: the first, the closure of the railways in the Valleys by Dr Beeching, followed by the demise of industry and the loss of jobs.

The constant reformation of the education system which deprived Wales of player pathways through the schools and youth teams that brought

loyalty and not inconsiderable talent to the town teams.

This was followed by the controversial appointment of Australian David Moffett as CEO of the WRU. Although the regionalisation of the game in Wales might have been an economic imperative in his opinion, the fallout was immense.

For many this was an attack on the fabric and culture of Welsh society. The people of the Valley towns supported their teams with a rabid fanaticism which meant that supporters of Ebbw Vale, Newbridge, Cross Keys, Pontypool and Abertillery were never going to align themselves to the city slickers of Newport any more than the Sardis Road faithful would contemplate throwing in their lot with Cardiff.

Regional rugby has not been a success in Wales, and the cost to Valley towns is immeasurable.

Moreover it seemed as if irreparable damage had been inflicted upon the calon of Welsh society.

On returning from a long period of exile, I was dismayed at the comments made in the ‘Rough Guide to Wales’ - ‘The Ebbw Valley divides in two just before Abertillery (Abertyleri) a classic Valleys town of scruffy vertiginous streets rising up from the Ebbw Fach River... You might consider continuing through to the sprawling upland settlement of Nantyglo...’

Such views have become all too common and perhaps it is time to think a little higher. When looking at the past perhaps we should follow the lead of the Andrews Sisters who sang “To extenuate the positive, eliminate the negative”. More realistic and ingenuous are the words of Peter Stead in the book ‘Heart and Soul, the character of Welsh Rugby’ ‘There have been afternoons at Abertillery when the Valleys have never looked so

lovely, and during games at Bonymaen one has looked up at the familiar, ancient and snow-capped moors and realised yet again that it is from those hills that we will derive our strength’.

There is no doubt that Abertillery Park is one of the most iconic venues in World Rugby, an amphitheatre that has witnessed great matches against the All Blacks, South Africa, Japan, a drawn game against Fiji and a famous victory over Australia by 6 points to 5 in 1958.

Abertillery is one of the oldest clubs in Wales with a rich and diverse history. It would appear that Rugby Union originally arrived in Wales during the 1860s, probably through the Public Schools and Oxbridge. The original impression was that it was a game for academics but in Wales it soon became a means of harmonising the classes. Team-mates often consisted of coalminers, steelworkers, stevedores, doctors, teachers and accountants. By the 1880s, there were several local clubs in the area including Blaenau Gwent, Abertillery Harequins, Hearts of Oak as well as Abertillery Wednesdays and Rovers. Abertillery Rugby Football Club was founded in 1883 at a meeting held in the ‘Prince of Wales’.

As was common, landowners provided recreation fields for employees and the teams played at the Old Barn Field and Gas Works Field. By 1898, the Council had bought the former and renamed it Abertillery Park, and it is at this beautiful venue that Abertillery BG still play.

Welsh Champions in the 1930s during a period of invincibility, they came close to beating South Africa in a game described in South Africa’s Rugby Museum in Cape Town as “the toughest of the whole tour”.

In the 60s, Abertillery was represented by three British Lions in one team, Haydn Morgan, an amazing flanker and surely one of the greatest Welsh open-sides. Haydn represented Wales on 27 occasions, played 34 times for the British and Irish Lions, including tests against all three of the major southern hemisphere teams as well as being Vice Captain of the Lions and Barbarians.

Alun Pask, captain of Wales, played in 8 Lions’ tests and holds the record for the highest number of consecutive appearances in matches (22), a record that will never be been beaten.

Allan Lewis was a Welsh

International and Test Player for the Lions in 1966. On that tour he learned ‘the spinpass’ from All Black, Chris Laidlaw, and became the first ‘spin-passer’ in the Northern Hemisphere.

Famously, the greatest ever Lion, Willie John McBride also played for Abertillery!

Whilst playing Ballymena, the unlucky John Lewis broke his leg and, in his own inimitable way, Willie John stayed on in Abertillery and played against Newbridge on the Tuesday.

Abertillery continued to produce outstanding teams through the 70s and 80s and more internationals represented the club such as Robert Norster, Rupert Moon and one of the greatest dual code players of all time, Keith Jarrett.

Other outstanding players of the era were John Dixon, Dawson Jones, Roger Lane, Nigel Paul, Alan Thomas, School boy International Robert Harris, Adrian Rees, Brian Wilkins, Gary Cooper,

Ray Gladwyn, Paul Clarke and the longest serving players of all, Michael ‘Shifter’ Cairns and Malcolm Lewis.

Martin Brickell, son of forties cap Alfie and father of top M.O.T. And current fixture secretary, Sean. Brickell and Nigel Paul were all time top points scorers alongside Trevor Hoskins and Roy Howell.

Robert Harris, a Welsh triallist was all time top try scorer, with the likes of Adrian Rees not far behind.

The great thing about this generation was that

many of the players became coaches such as Mike Cairns, Malcolm Lewis and Martin Brickell while some even coached at international level including Leigh and Wayne Jones, Byron Hayward, Shaun Connor (Man of the Match in the Ospreys victory over Australia) and Kingsley Jones. (whose father was Jonah Lomu’s manager).

Former fifties star Ernie Lewis became an international referee. He was a touch judge in the Barbarians versus New Zealand match of1973, when Gareth Edwards scored “The world’s greatest try”. He was a school master who, as well as teaching dozens of future Abertillery players, produced a son, Steve Lewis who, as well as becoming a Barbarian and England Triallist, reached the pinnacle of w Welsh sport

ABERTILLERY 1968/69

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Willie John McBride when he became the Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union.

Abertillery got to the final of the Welsh Sevens and played Llanelli in the quarter final of the Welsh Cup. In season 196869 Abertillery came third in the Welsh Merit Table.

Like many elite Welsh teams, however, Abertillery fell on hard times with the advent of professionalism and ‘fell through the leagues’. For many, the only way back was a merger with another local team, Blaenau Gwent.

Strangely the Covid epidemic brought good will and co-operative endeavour.

A magnificent team effort led to the resurrection of a beautiful new club house through unstinting efforts of members of the rugby fraternity who gave their time and expertise to restore the fortunes of the club.

The current team under the Chairmanship of Chris Wilkins, the Management of Aled Griffiths and inspirational guidance from Coaches Matthew Penny and Nick Meredith has had two sensational seasons, gaining promotion and winning the Division 3 Welsh Cup at the Principality Stadium. The Coaches have instilled their own unique style of playing that provides high quality drama and entertainment.

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The Cup Final victory was a bittersweet occasion because of the devastating loss of former Captain and Chairman Roger Clark, who had passed away on the night of the semifinal victory over Lampeter at Bonymaen. In tribute to Clark, Abertillery had ‘Clarky’ embroidered on their shorts at the Principality Stadium whilst wearing black armbands.

Roger Clark had played over 200 games for the club and afterwards, Abertillery fly-half Dan Haile, paid tribute to the man who embodied the club. Haile, who had scored 19 points in a ‘man of the match’ performance, dedicated the victory to to Roger Clark. ‘He was at our semi-final and on the bus with us coming home. But unfortunately he died that evening. I think the character we have shown in the final was typical of that of the man in all his games for the club and what he did for it. This win was a tribute to him’.

Although Mathew Catlin played for Crawshays against Oxford University last season, there are no superstars in the side. It is very much a family affair, with ex-players and family members on Committees, all epitomised

by Captain Joel Wright, whose father, Darren and grandfather, Dennis, also Captained Abertillery. This

club has a real sense of community. and as Margaret J once said ‘There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about’. This team care about each other. it is ‘a band of brothers’ who never say die!’. This was clearly demonstrated in the Welsh Cup Final against Vardre when they held out against all the odds to win by 34 to 27.

It is a wonderful culture and the way to rebuild rugby in this famous old town. Abertillery no longer has the bandstand, but the crowds are coming back to watch this exciting group of local players.

RALPH HENDERSON: THE ORIGINS OF MY PASSION FOR RUGBY

“Heb Casineb,Heb Ofn” “Scotland Fly-Half, Gordon Waddell, received the ball on the half way line before being hit by the most devastating tackle to the midriff. As Waddell lay in a crestfallen heap, the first person to check on his welfare was the perpetrator of the Scotsman’s denouement, the Welsh open-side, Haydn Morgan”.

This was one of my first memories, watching an International on the new sepia television at Gelli Grug Club!

Abertillery’s motto , translated as “Without hatred, without fear” is more of a battle cry and perfectly describes the philosophy of this famous club’s greatest player.

I first heard of Haydn Morgan as a young child from my uncle, Arthur

Trapnell who had played alongside Haydn and John Lewis at Cwmtillery Youth.

It was my uncle who took me to my first match, a Welsh trial at Pontypool and, having seen the great man in action, I was hooked. Thereafter, began a lifetime obsession with the game!

What a privilege to be born and brought up in this wonderful valley town in the fifties and sixties! We had the beauty and the freedom of the mountains; decent, modest, hard working families with the strongest of values.

We had the Sunday schools, the opportunity of a solid education and, above all else, we had the Rugby.

We had a famous club, that had beaten Australia, drawn with Fiji, played the mighty All Blacks with Colin Meads, Don Clarke et al and pushed South Africa all the way in a 3-0 loss described by the Springboks in the Capetown Rugby Museum as “The toughest game of the 1960 tour!”

Our socialisation process meant that most young people would be involved in rugby in some shape or form.

Every young man’s Christmas present was a green and white shirt (unless your dad played for Cwmtillery, in which case you had the red and white hoops).

Abertillery Park was the hub of the Universe. On a Saturday afternoon we were drawn down Glandwr Street or the railway track by the booming sounds emanating from the Bandstand; the

conductor like the “Pied Piper” enticing us ever closer to kick-off time.

In our hearts we knew that our heroes were local boys nurtured and developed in local schools. You knew their families and they knew you and wanted you to follow in their footsteps.

How we loved our Saturdays in those idyllic surroundings, we played rugby in the morning for the school team and we watched our beloved ‘Green and Whites’ in the afternoon!

In these halcyon days, it was inevitable that you would find a role model, a mentor on whom to base your dreams.

I was lucky enough to live in Adam Street about a 25 drop-out away from the Richardson family.

Horace Richardson had been an Abertillery captain in the invincible team of the early thirties and one of the first people to be capped

by Wales from a Secondary Modern School (Gelli Grug).

His picture hung on the wall.

Furthermore his sons , Peter and Roger were wonderful players and friends. Alongside David Liddington, they were my earliest role models.

So it was quite surprising as a young fly-half that I would be drawn to an open side flanker as a paragon.

However, once you had watched this man perform so brilliantly, with so much passion, loyalty and commitment to his club , you realised that this was how you hoped to lead your life.

Haydn Morgan had served as a paratrooper in the Army and became known as the “Red Devil” on account of his flame red hair.

After completing his National Service he returned to Abertillery where he was equally at home in the Centre or as a Flanker.

It was his weight of tackle and all round game which caught the eye as Abertillery paraded what was generally regarded as the best back row in Wales with Morgan being complemented by John Lewis

and Alun Pask.

Haydn Morgan was described as “Ex paratrooper turned piranha fish!”

In 1957, Grammar School teacher, Mervyn Davies had been selected as a Welsh reserve, but no Abertillery player had made the Welsh team since W. Trevor Thomas in 1929/30!

In 1958, Haydn Morgan and Alun Pask were selected for the combined Abertillery/ Ebbw Vale team to play Australia at the Park.

Neither had been selected for Wales which prompted Abertillery “Oracle”, Brinley Evans (“Arael” of the Gazette to write: “If Pask and Haydn Morgan Are really on the ball, They’ll show the Welsh selectors That they didn’t know it all.”

The Australians were beaten by 6 points to 5, with Haydn Morgan outstanding as Brian Lewis kicked two penalties. Ten thousand people had watched as the two Abertillery men stated their cases.

When the Welsh team was announced there was some disappointment that Pask and Lewis had missed out, but jubilation that Haydn Morgan would be the first Abertillery player to get a cap for thirty years.

Haydn Morgan was such a success that he was immediately selected for the British and Irish Lions’ Tour of Australia and New Zealand.

Such was the mettle of the man that two days after returning from the tour in October he turned out forAbertillery against rivals Ebbw Vale!

Now he was to embark on a stellar career which was to encompass 27 caps, 34 Lions ‘appearances, including tests against all three Southern hemisphere giants. He was Vice captain of both the Lions and Barbarians, but nothing pleased him more than playing for his beloved Abertillery.

He played every game he possibly could, even turning out for Six Bells in the

“Miners’ Sevens” and facing future Wales team- mate, the impossibly talented Dai Watkins!

Even when Abertillery struggled with injuries, he would be the first one selected, always available with a voracious work ethic and example to us all.

I first spoke to the great man as a youngster with autograph book in hand after a game against Neath and was amazed when he remembered me as I passed him in Gladstone Street a couple of days later.

He always had time for young people and was well aware of his influence.

In 1964 a young Grammar school Seven went training with Abertillery who were preparing for that season’s Snelling Sevens. I found myself facing the great man and with the arrogance of youth decided to throw a dummy. As he gently put me to ground; he ruffled my hair and said “Well done;” a story repeated by Cardiff College flanker, Clive Beynon in 1968.

I guess Haydn was like that with all young players!

One of my greatest regrets was that when I started playing for Abertillery, Haydn had emigrated to South Africa and Alun Pask had retired after the passing of his brother, David.

Haydn returned and in the late sixties I saw his name in the programme to play against Tredegar. I was so excited that, at last, I would be able to play alongside my hero.

Alas, it was not to be.

At the last moment, Haydn was pulled out after a minor

dispute and sat in the stand to watch. Even after the game, he had the good grace of generosity to congratulate us on our performance.

It is vogue to compile lists and compare players of different generations. I always find this invidious as it is impossible to compare physical features, although skills are more interesting as anybody who has watched footage of Allan Lewis or Gareth Edwards handling the old leather balls in monsoon conditions would agree!

Notwithstanding, there is no doubt that Haydn Morgan was certainly one of the greatest Rugby Union players Wales has ever known, certainly one of the greatest gentlemen.

A true legend of bertillery; “ Appetitio sequitur inspiratio!”- Aspiration is the sequel to inspiration!”

Haydn Morgan taught us that, regardless of our background, we can aspire to the greatest heights with dignity. “Heb Casineb, Heb Ofn.”

CONTACT THE CLUB

Abertillery NP13 1TU

www.pitchero.com/clubs/ abertillerybgrfc2

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PHIL CROZIER FORMER PLAYER AND SUPPORTER

Pathways To Rugby - My late father Arthur Robert Crozier, was born in the Abertillery area in 1927. In 1938 he entered Abertillery Grammar School. He was one of the youngest members of the famous 1940/1941 Invincible Team, captained by Ernie Lewis. Another member of the team was his best friend, George Parsons. Four years later he captained the team.

He played a few games for Abertillery RFC whilst he was in the Grammar School. After school, he went to college, in the midlands, to train as a PE teacher. In the college holidays, he also played the odd game for Abertillery RFC. After college he did his national service. After basic training he worked as a PT instructor. Most of his time, in

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the Army, was spent in post war Germany. Here he played rugby for the BAOR and won the Open Middleweight Boxing championship, beating a professional boxer, in the final.

After National service he returned to the Abertillery area and took up a PE teaching position. He played for Abertillery for a while, before joining Llanhilleth RFC, then playing for them for quite some time, captaining them, three seasons running.

Three years after captaining the Grammar school, his younger brother John captained the school. Then seven years after that, their younger brother, Eric, captained, the Grammar school. The South Wales Argus ran a story, ‘Captains Three‘ with a picture of the three brothers, in the grounds of a school, where my father was teaching.

In 1980, a very well known, former Abertillery player, Trevor John, asked my father to stand as Chairman of Abertillery RFC. Without any canvassing, he stood and was elected Chairman, in August 1980. He held this position, until he had a massive heart attack in January 1991 and passed away, aged 63.

I, Philip Arthur Crozier, went to Abertillery Grammar Technical school, in September 1965. My PE teacher was Ernie Lewis, who played a large part in making my 6 years, in that school amongst the best, in my life. I am proud to say that during the last 2 years of Abertillery GTS, I played all my rugby for the schools first team,

in seasons 1969/1970 and 1970/1971.

I was a member of Abertillery RFC, from the time I was 11, right up until I was taken ill, with bone cancer, when I was 62.

During the time my father was Chairman of the Club, I occasionally provided some financial advice, as I am a Chartered Management Accountant.

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