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.