Sports Club Magazine - July 2017

July 2017

Summer Special

Scarborough Athletic FC - Southam RUFC Melbourne RFC - Lochaber RFC - Nottingham CCC -Bury Town FC - Girvan FC - Essex CCC Ashford CC

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Scarborough Athletic FC Southam RUFC Lochaber RFC Nottingham CCC Bury Town FC Girvan FC Essex CCC Ashford CC Trearddur Bay UTD FC Birmingham & Solihull RFC Wolverhampton RUFC Penrith RUFC Cambridge RUFC Maidenhead United FC Takeley FC Luctonians RFC Thurrock RFC Brentham CC Redditch RFC Amport CC Phoenix RFC

Scarborough Athletic FC Scarborough Athletic Football Club was formed on 25th June 2007 following the liquidation of Scarborough FC. The new club was set up by the Seadog Trust, a group of supporters who originally started the trust with the aim of gaining fan representation on the board of Scarborough FC. However, as a result of the old club’s liquidation, the Seadog Trust moved quickly to ensure a football team continued to represent the town at the highest level possible. On 25th June 2007, Scarborough Athletic were accepted into the NCEL Division 1 for the 2007/08 season, and an agreement was reached for the club to use Bridlington’s Queensgate stadium as part of a ground share with no suitable stadium able to be used in Scarborough.

The Club appointed the experienced Brian France as manager. The former manager of North Ferriby United brought with him his son Darren as his assistant. Brian started to bring in players for the forthcoming season, favouring a mix of players from his former club, as well as some local players unearthed at an open trial held within days of the club’s formation.

The club kicked off with

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a game against local side Edgehill at Hunmanby’s Sands Lane Ground finished 0-0, before embarking in a friendly at Northallerton Town.

The match finished 2-2, with Shaun Chadburn taking the honour of the club’s first ever goal.

The team’s first ever League match came in the NCEL Division One at Teversal on August 11th, 2007.

Boro fans marked the occasion by dressing up in suits to show their status of Joint Owners of the club through their membership of the Seadog Trust. Dave Thompson entered himself into the history books as he netted the club’s first competitive goal, but a last-minute winner saw Teversal claim a 2-1 win.

The team’s first few weeks in existence saw its elimination from several cup competitions, coupled with inconsistent league form, highlights from the first season included an 8-0 thumping of Borrowash Victoria and the club winning through to the North Riding Senior Cup Semi Final.

The club

finished the season in a respectable fifth place.

The 2008/09 season saw the club claim its first promotion and championship, despite suffering a slow start to the league season.

Boro proceeded on a tremendous run of form.

As well as the league, the club also progressed in the FA Vase, with victories over Birtley, Esh Winning, Sunderland Nissan and Blackstones, before unluckily losing to Bideford in the fourth round.

Promotion was achieved with a 2-1 win at Teversal on March 21st, with the championship secured a week later at home against Brighouse Town.

Nearly 800 were in attendance to see the club lift the league trophy after the final home against Leeds Carnegie.

Promotion to the NCEL Premier Division

in such convincing fashion meant fans started the new season looking for the club to challenge for a second successive promotion.

The season started badly with two consecutive defeats. However, the team regrouped and produced a run of 9 successive wins, which saw the team and its fans dreaming of more silverware, but a 4-3 loss at Parkgate was the start of a collapse in the team’s away form. The highlight of that season was a 13-0 win against Brodsworth.

2010/11 began with much promise, but a huge blow was suffered when manager Brian France was struck in the face with the ball at Liversedge, and later suffered a brain haemorrhage from the injury sustained. As the weeks went on it was

clear Brian was going to be unable to continue, and Paul Olsson took over as manager in November 2010. Results were up and down, and in March Olsson left the club by mutual consent.

He was replaced by Rudy Funk.

Funk's first season in charge saw the team have a fairly successful season, but some inconsistent performances saw them always playing catch up to eventual champions Retford United and perennial rivals Bridlington Town, who finished ten and eleven points ahead respectively.

The 2012/13 season though will certainly live long in the memory of many Boro fans as they finally clinched the NCEL title and promotion to the Evo Stik Northern League, the majority of the squad remained, and alongside new additions Peter Davidson, Andy Milne, Jimmy Beadle and

Foot. Several favorite’s from the previous championship winning side departed the club.

The club was placed in the Southern Section and their opening fixture was an away game at Kidsgrove Athletic.

Despite having 3 players sent off they hung on for a creditable 1-1 draw. The new players took time to bed in and the team struggled in the early part of the season, but by October they had found their feet and slowly climbed Paddy Miller, the club the table with some enjoyed a terrific season impressive displays. The suffering only two defeats also enjoyed an excellent all season. run in the FA Trophy Despite this they were that ended at Conference pushed all the way by North side AFC Telford Brighouse Town, who United. In an up and matched them step for down sort of a season step, it all boiled down the club managed a to a promotion decider creditable 7th place. between the 2 clubs on a The following season rainy day in April when the club was moved to more than 800 Boro fans the Northern section travelled to the Dual of NPL, after a decent Seal Stadium, despite a start to the campaign nervous first half, Boro's the side became very experience finally paid inconsistent. dividends and a goal In November 2014 apiece from Ryan Blott Rudy Funk resigned as and Beadle saw them manager of the club. virtually over the line, Initially assistants promotion was achieved Paul Foot and Bryan the following week with Hughes were placed a home victory against in temporary charge Retford United. before being installed The Clubs first venture as Joint Managers on into the Evo-Stik a permanent basis Northern League meant in December 2014. an upheaval of the squad The players certainly with no fewer than eleven responded to the new new players signing on “gaffers” style of play at the start, including and with a couple of the major coup of Gary new players added went Bradshaw and Paul agonizingly close to a

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place off place.

The club has managed to keep the majority of last season’s squad, with the odd new signings giving the fans a lot of optimism for the 2015-16 season; this has been further enhanced by the news in early July 2015 that Scarborough Borough Council Planning and Development Committee have granted planning permission for the new leisure village at Weaponness.

Boro started the season in style with four straight wins, conceding no goals and sitting top of the table following a 6-0 thrashing of Harrogate Railway at Station View.

After losing to Consett in the FA Cup, the season unravelled slightly as Boro went nine league games without a win, finally ended with a 1-0 win against Trafford in mid-October.

Things went from bad to worse as Boro slipped down to 18th place in the league table just before Christmas, leading to joint managers Bryan Hughes and Paul Foot leaving the club by mutual consent on 23rd December 2015.

The search began for a new manager, with 59 applications received for the role. Early in 2016, former AFC Telford United and Guiseley manager Steve Kittrick was appointed manager, with Chris Bolder becoming assistant manager.

Flamingo Land wins sponsorship of Scarborough’s new football stadium

Flamingo Land is delighted to announce that it has become the first sponsor of the brand new community football stadium at Scarborough Sports Village.

The fantastic new facility will now be known as Flamingo Land Stadium, with the intention of changing the name to Flamingo Land Coast Stadium when the company opens its planned new attraction on Scarborough South Bay. Flamingo Land became the stadium’s new sponsor after a six figure sum and five years contract was accepted by the council following a bidding process, which also attracted significant interest from a large number of other local and regional organisations.

The stadium will become the new home of Scarborough Athletic Football Club (SAFC) and Scarborough Ladies Football Club and will also be used for community football at all levels.

The sponsorship funds will be directly ploughed into the operation of the stadium and potential future development.

Flamingo Land is pulling out all

the stops to get the Flamingo Land Stadium branding ready for the homecoming game of SAFC on Saturday 15 July, when the team will play in Scarborough for the first time in ten years.

Gordon Gibb, CEO at Flamingo Land Resort Yorkshire said: “Football has always been

intertwined with our history at Flamingo Land and we view SAFC’s return to Scarborough as being ‘a dream come true’ that we are delighted to support. We hope that our sponsorship reflects our commitment to the development of grassroots football and that we are passionate about the ongoing

regeneration of Scarborough; a town that is very much ‘on the up’.

“We look forward to working with the SAFC team in the coming years to help them realise their ambitions for the stadium, club and the local community.”

Trevor Bull, Chairman of Scarborough Athletic Football Club said: “The announcement is fantastic news and marks the start of another exciting chapter for football in Scarborough. We’re very much looking forward to working with Flamingo Land on our joint ambitions for the stadium, club and community and we can’t wait to see the

stadium’s new signage in place at our homecoming game later this month.”

Flamingo Land sponsored Scarborough Football Club in the 80s and 90s Flamingo Land sponsored both Hull FC and Middlesbrough FC when they were promoted to the Premier League in the 2015/16 season.

Flamingo Land has also sponsored Leeds United Academy.

Flamingo Land’s owner, Gordon Gibb, saved Bradford City FC from extinction in 2002 when the club was in administration owing £35m and became the country’s youngest Football League Chairman at 28.

The Gibb’s still own Valley Parade stadium, the home of Bradford

City FC, to this day Gordon Gibb’s father Robert was owner of Hamilton Academicals for 30 years until his death in a car crash in 1995 on his way to a Board Meeting.

Flamingo Land is at an advanced stage in planning a new ‘world class’ visitor attraction in Scarborough.

Southam RUFC In August 1962, an advert was inserted by Mr Bill Hughes the landlord of the Beeswing Vaults in the Leamington Courier asking for anyone interested in forming a rugby club in Southam to come to a meeting at the Beeswing Vaults (Now The Courtyard).

At this meeting (the minutes of which are displayed in the club) it was voted that a Southam Rugby Club be formed and A.Bowen was voted chairman and Barry Cox captain. This was a reform as the original Southam Rugby Club disbanded 43 years before.

The first two and half years were nomadic with all games being played away, but then we secured the use of the ridge and furrow field, Browns Meadow, along the Banbury Road (now the Total Garage) and after the game they went on to the back room of the Black Dog. For home games, the players changed in the Southam Football club garage and the baths were two old farm troughs. In the 1968/69 season the club wandered to Offchurch and secured 22 victories.

In 1969 the club purchased the field which is currently the bottom two pitches, work started on the clubhouse and as there was no money, all work was carried out

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by the members and it opened in 25/1/1973 A major point in the club’s future came in 1977 when it was decided to start a colts team. This lead to a new era in the club and 7 years later in 1984 when the first full team came through and at least half of them moved into the first team with Dave Hazelwood becoming our youngest ever captain at the ripe old age of 22.

In November 1987, we celebrated our first 25 years with a dinner at Grange Hall and Presidents Invitation XC v Club Select XV. The highlight of the match was the brief appearance of Andy Ripley, who appeared in his slippers (long story). It was a fantastic day remembered by all who attended.

This team and future colts became the basis of the first team for many years to come, leading to some significant scalps of the main teams in Warkwickshire.

The club expanded both on and off the field during the 80's and early 90's and in two seasons we reached the heady heights of 6 teams and a colt. This expansion required more pitches and changing rooms and the club took out loans to finance the purchase of the two top pitches and to extend the clubroom and the changing rooms.

The loans did cause a few problems and in a very wet month we were told by our treasurer that we had to play the next weekend and get money over the bar or we could not pay the loan. The rain continued and every game in Warwickshire was cancelled. So Southam went for it and played 4 games at home, one at Bishops Itchington and the top pitch had two games as we loaned it to Harbury for an early fixture. The water was upto 6" deep on the 3rd pitch, but the bar was packed and the loan was paid off.

The club prospered in the 90's with good performances in club and

league and eventually in 1997 under the captaincy of Jim Frogley the Warwickshire Shield.

With the start of the leagues in Southam continued to prosper, becoming one of the leading junior clubs in Warwickshire and taking notable scalps including Leamington, Stratford, Kenilworth and Broadstreet.

But among those highlights, it was due to a lack of consistency throughout the seasons, that we have not been promoted on several occasions, this lack of consistency has shown in numerous seasons and is highlighted by Southams seemingly unique ability

to beat the top of the league and a few weeks later lose to the bottom.

A notable revival of the noughties has been the annual club tour, initiated by Jim Cross and Stuart Thomas and forged on

by Mark Harvey and Gary Gilkes, the tours are legendary within the club as a total 'shambles' from start to finish and drunken claims that Southam is one of world’s best touring clubs.

Over its history Southam has contributed to local charities including Myton Hospice, Galanos House and the Air Ambulance and in the last few it charitable works have been concentrated on MNDA in memoriam of one of our flamboyant former members Simon Adams.

In the last few years we have also forged strong links with Southam College, restarted the colts and been a mainstay of the Midlands West 3 (South) league.

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Lochaber RFC Our club was formed in 1969 by a group of rugby lovers/enthusiasts. Over the years they gradually managed to encourage some of the locals to give this magnificent game a try.

The clubs turning point was in 1984, with the local council commissioning an official rugby pitch. Over the next three years, the players and committee members put in a huge amount of hard work, with wives holding bakingstalls outside the Post Office, sponsored events and various other fundraisers with the aim of building a 'Pavillion' for the players to change and shower in.

The first clubhouse was erected by the club players/ members in what free time they had available and the official opening our first clubhouse took place in 1988, a very proud and memorable day.

This building was only ever thought of as 'temporary' and was replaced by this one in the picture above, with much improved facilities, which was officially opened in September 1997.

We are a small friendly club, with a reputation for good food and Highland Hospitality.

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Nottingham CCC William Clarke, the Father of Trent Bridge, and the present stand on the ground, named after him, could both qualify for the adjective ‘awkward’.

I can’t think of much else they have in common.

If I recall rightly, the sole reason for naming the stand (built in 1990) after William Clarke was its proximity to the Trent Bridge Inn. However the inn to which William moved during the winter of 1837-38, having married the landlady, was demolished in 1885!

Clarke himself lived there less than ten years before moving off to London and greater fame in 1846.

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Clarke effectively took control of Nottingham cricket in 1831, and made his pub, the Bell Inn in the Market Square, cricket’s Nottingham headquarters, presumably boosting trade at the Bell in consequence. His move to the Trent Bridge Inn, then little more than a ramshackle cottage, enabled him to turn the adjacent meadow into Nottingham’s first pay-to-enter cricket stadium. However he miscalculated the demeanor of his fellow townsfolk who fail to appreciate the idea

of paying to watch cricket, when since time immemorial they had viewed matches free of charge on The Forest.

So Clarke abandoned this loss-making venture and went to London where he signed up the best England cricketers of the time and created his privately run All England Eleven. With no rival team games to worry him – football, tennis, hockey and the rest were still to be organised – the population of the British Isles were attracted in their thousands to watch Clarke’s team of stars.

Within a few years he had a full list of three day matches from early May to late September and the pounds and pennies rolled in.

For six years he had a monopoly, but then several of his star players became disillusioned by Clarke’s meanness and dictatorial ways. They broke away, setting up a rival team called United All England. Public demand was such that both teams still had more than enough fixtures.

Clarke, still playing cricket for All England, took a wicket with the last ball he bowled in June 1856, aged 57. He died a few weeks later.

It is said that most of the

considerable fortune he made out of cricket, he gambled away, but this is mere rumour. Certainly his children don’t seem have inherited very much.

During the last thirty years, Trent Bridge has been completely rebuilt, save for the pavilion. The William Clarke Stand was the second phase of the rebuilding – the Larwood & Voce stand and Tavern being the first. The Clarke stand replaced the last vestiges of the Victorian covered stands which encircled two thirds of the playing area. The other third comprised the football stands used for Notts County matches.

The original plans for the stand showed a doubledecker, but with money short, only the lower

storey was built plus the new press box, to which the journalists took an instant dislike. The lower storey did increase the seating capacity of the ground by 500. The new building encroached a little on the grassed area and more on the TBI parking area. In doing so it did provide space for a club shop, as well as extra toilets and an office for Bowles Associates.

The building of the new Radcliffe Road stand in 1998, which took in several yards of the playing area, made the last two bays of the Clarke stand effectively unusable and made the stand itself incongruous.

Perhaps another adjective that might describe the Father of Nottingham Cricket himself!

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Bury Town FC Founded in 1872, Bury Town Football Club is one of the oldest Football Club’s in the country and has a proud history dating back over 130 years.

The club was founded

by Mr William Lake at a meeting in the Suffolk Hotel. The original name of the club was Bury St Edmunds FC and the first committee of the club elected to choose royal blue as the club’s colours, and therefore the club has been nicknamed the ‘Blues’ for its history.

The club took up residence at Kings Road, also know as the Cemetery Road ground, in 1888. Kings Road was the first football ground in East Anglia to operate floodlights when on Monday 12th January 1953, the Blues played their first ever floodlit game against Cambridge City in front of 2,105 spectators. A total of 14 bulbs of 1500 watts illuminated the Suffolk skyline for the first time and history was created.

The lights were financed by the Bury Town Supporters Club.

A notable player for the club in the early days was Reginald De Courtney Welch who appeared a defender for Bury St Edmunds in 1877. De Courtney Welch was a member of The Wanderers side that

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successful won the first ever FA Cup in 1872 and he also played in the first ever official international match for England, against Scotland in November 1872.

The club was one of 11 founder members of the Suffolk County Football Association in 1885 and had won the Suffolk Premier Cup on 9 occasions.

The clubs name was changed by a vote to Bury Town in September 1885, however 10 years later the members chose

in Bury St Edmunds, and decided to revert to Bury Town, which has remained to this day.

The club played in various local leagues until 1935 when it became a founder member of the Eastern Counties League. The club spent a total of 22 consecutive seasons in the Eastern Counties League, finishing as runners up in 1937-38.

The Blues claimed the ECL title in the 196364 season as part of an historic treble, as they

to adopt the full name of the Town back as the name, before changing to Bury United in 1908. In 1923 the club’s members decided that the name ‘United’ was no longer appropriate as there were a number of sides

also captured the ECL Knockout Cup and the Suffolk Premier Cup. This success saw the club move to the Metropolitan League and they kicked off their first ever game against Charlton Athletic ‘A’ at

Kings Road in front of 1,150 spectators, Bury running out 1-0 winners.

The club finished 4th in their first season and also retained the Suffolk Premier Cup. Season 1965-66 was another successful season and another treble haul of trophies as the club stormed to the Metropolitan League title, won the Metropolitan League Cup and the Suffolk Premier Cup again. By this time the club were averaging over 1,000 supporters at their home matches and interest in the club was at an alltime high.

Bury Town moved into their current Ram Meadow ground in 1978 and collected the Suffolk Premier Cup as a reward. The Blues spent a total of 11 seasons in the ECL and their greatest moment came in their final season when they reached the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup and were drawn away at Football Conference leaders Enfield. The sides drew 0-0 at Southbury Road and returned to Ram Meadow for the replay, however in front 2,500 supporters, the visitors sneaked home 1-0 to reach the First Round Proper.

The 1987-88 season saw ambition retuned to the Town and Bury

were promoted to the Southern League, leaving their ECL rivals Braintree Town and Sudbury Town behind.

Both clubs would later elect to follow in the Blues footsteps.

The club spent another 10 years in the ECL, and despite some early seasons of struggles, success coincided with the appointment of former Colchester United captain Richard Wilkins to the manager’s seat. The club reached the Quarter Final of the FA Vase in 2005 and then the Semi Final in 2006.

Crowds rose back up and after two consecutive runners up spots in the Premier Division of the ECL, the club were promoted to the Isthmian League for the first time in their history.

The stay lasted two seasons and after adjusting to a higher level in 2006-07 with a 17th place finish, the following season saw the Blues finish in 7th position.

The FA re-organisation in 2008 saw Bury moved into the Southern League for a third spell of membership.

A successful campaign saw Bury finish in 7th position in the Midland Division table, reach the First Round Proper of the FA Cup, losing 4-2 at Alfreton Town, and reach the Semi Final of the Southern League Cup, however in 2009-10, Bury Town clinched the Southern League Midland Division Championship on the final day of the season with a 3-0 home victory

over Marlow in front of 1,550 supporters. The Blues pipped Hitchin Town to the title, scoring 115 goals during the campaign and collecting 102 points to gain promotion. Another move across the pyramid saw the Blues re-join the Ryman League for the 2010-11 season, entering the Premier Division for the first time in the club’s history.

Bury's first season in the Premier Division saw them in contention for the championship right up until the final few weeks, when defeat at Sutton United saw the title go to the Surrey side.

Bury finished 3rd in the table but exited the play offs at the Semi Final stage. There was however silverware for the trophy cabinet as Bury collected

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the Suffolk Premier Cup, defeating Needham Market 2-0 at Ipswich Town's Portman Road.

20011-12 saw the club lift the Ryman League Cup with a victory over East Thurrock United and again finished in the playoff places, but lost out to AFC Hornchurch in the Semi Final. 201415 saw our spell in the Premier Division come to an end after 5 years with relegation to Division One North.

Our first season back in Division One North ended in a 13th place finish.

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Girvan FC The History of Football in Girvan dates to 1874 and consists of some 8 teams of various names and having played out of 3 separate venues.

The first team was called Girvan F.C. and they were founded in 1874 but only lasted to 1882, they played at Stair Park in Girvan and they wore Navy Blue Shirts and White Long Shorts.

This team also entered the Scottish Cup for the first time in 1876 only two years after the competition started, they competed in the Cup up till 1881.

Records also show that the Town also had another Senior Club which was founded in 1875 – 76 by the name of Girvan Ailsa F.C. No team existed until 1884 when again Girvan F.C. was founded, but this team folded in 1887.

It would be another 5 years before Girvan Athletic F.C. was formed in 1892 and this team lasted until 1939.

Incredibly during this period Girvan had 3 teams playing in the town, the other two playing at Junior Level.

Girvan Athletic F.C. played in Light Blue Jerseys from 1892 – 1909 they then changed colours to Blue and Gold until 1912 when they changed colours again to Black and Gold through

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to 1917.

They wore Black and Red until 1921 and again changed colours to Blue and Gold right up to they were disbanded in 1939 presumably because of the Second World War, it seemed strange however that they played for most of the First World War. This team entered the Scottish Cup in 1892 – 1897 and again in 1923, indeed this was the most successful Scottish Cup team having managed to reach the 3rd Round.

Records show that they played in The Scottish Combination League between 1908 and 1911 and were crowned Joint League Champions with Nithsdale Wanderers F.C. in 1910.

The only other record shows that they entered the Scottish Alliance League in 1939 but the League was never completed that year.

One team was called Girvan

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Athletic Juniors F.C. and were founded in 1910 but only lasted one year till 1911 this team was Girvan’s first Junior Club.

The other team was called Girvan F.C. and was founded in 1922 – 1929 becoming Girvan’s second Junior side, they played in the South Ayrshire Junior Football League Division 2 in the 1926 – 1927 season and were promoted to the 1st Division playing in this League until 1929.

In 1944 the current team was formed again as Girvan Amateurs F.C. and once again as a

Senior Club, changing their name to Girvan F.C. in 1978.

Between 1944 – 1961 their colours were all white and then changing colours to all Royal Blue.

They played in the South of Scotland League between 1950 – 1962 and again between 1975 – 2004 when once again they joined the Junior set up for the third time.

Essex CCC Essex CCC was formed in 1876 as a result of a meeting held at the Shire Hall, Chelmsford on 14th January of that year.

A ground was acquired at Brentwood and a number of matches were played, some against First-Class opposition.

However, it was not until 1894 that Essex were accorded official FirstClass status and they competed in the County Championship for the first time in 1895.

In 1886, the Club moved from Brentwood to Leyton and this remained the headquarters until the 1933 season. During this impecunious time, Essex developed a policy of taking cricket around the County, venturing to Clacton, Southend, Chelmsford, Colchester, Westcliff and Romford as well as continuing to play at Brentwood and Leyton. Because of pressure on the Club’s finances and a need to serve the rapidly expanding centres away from London,

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the Club had to sell the Leyton ground in 1933 – offices were set up in Chelmsford and Ilford was added to the festival weeks.

Essex found a winning formula in limited overs cricket in the mid-2000s with the signings of David Masters, Chris Wright and Jason Gallian. They lifted the Totesport League trophy in fine style in 2005 and followed that up by retaining the crown in 2006. Essex continued their impressive Limited Overs form in 2008 with the Friends Provident Trophy and NatWest Pro40 Division Two titles.

In the Friends Provident Trophy Essex were runners up to Kent in the group stage, but comfortably qualified for the quarter-finals.

Essex inflicted a crushing defeat on Leicestershire in the quarter final with a margin of 118 runs.

Ravi Bopara scored a memorable 201 not out off just 138 balls to lead Essex into the

semi-finals much to the delight of the Essex fans.

The Eagles then beat Yorkshire at Chelmsford before winning the Battle of the Bridge contest at Lord’s against Kent in front of 30,000 people.

Essex clinched the Pro40 Division Two title and sealed the Limited Overs double in 2008 with a victory against arch rivals Kent again.

Needing a win away, the Essex fans turned out in force at Canterbury cheering The Eagles onto the victory target of 247. Mark Pettini was given out first ball of the innings before an unbeaten 68 from Grant Flower and fifties from Jason Gallian and Ravi Bopara helped Essex pick up the Pro40 Division 2 title.

Although Essex did not win the Twenty20 tournament in 2008, making the finals at The Rose Bowl with a young team was a success. The tournament also saw the emergence of club legend Graham Napier as a bighitting batsman (hitting

a world record 16 sixes in his 152 not out off just 58 balls against Sussex at Chelmsford).

Essex secured top flight cricket for the first time since 2003, beating Northamptonshire to promotion by a single point. Ryan ten Doeschate smashed a stunning 108 off just 59 balls as Essex snatched a shock five-wicket win at Derby to earn promotion back to Division One. Dutch international ten Doeschate hit eight sixes in an unbroken stand of 156 with Mark Pettini (85) as Essex won the match with five overs to spare.

All-rounder ten Doeschate spoke following promotion and said: “The belief in the camp is very strong and it was a must- win game, so there wasn’t really any other choice. Whatever Derby had set us we would have given it our best try.”

Although Essex would only stay in Division One for a season, some of the younger players gained

valuable experience of the highest level in the game which would only stand the club in good stead going forward.

Three consecutive third place finishes in the County Championship, plus two years of QuarterFinal appearances in both Limited Over competitions, saw Paul Grayson leave his position as Head Coach towards the end of the 2015 season. In December, Chris Silverwood was announced as his replacement and the County embarked on a fresh start. A considerable focus on youth ensued with players such as Jamie Porter, Dan Lawrence and Tom Westley

forming the backbone of the side for 2016.

Chris Silverwood was looking to claim the one promotion slot on offer in his first season in charge.. He did it and Essex were crowned Specsavers County Championship Division Two Champions.

Graham Napier and David Masters embarked on their final seasons in professional cricket looking to claim silverware and go out on a high. Napier went on to have his most successful season ever being the leader in all three formats, including 63 wickets in his final County Championship season. Jamie Porter backed up 50 wickets in a Championship season again, claiming

55 wickets to continue to show maturity beyond his years. Tom Westley and Nick Browne both scored 1000 runs again whilst captain Ryan ten Doeschate was to prove to be the leader Silverwood expected and score over 1100 runs with the bat in Championship cricket.

Essex clinched the title after the second day against Glamorgan at Chelmsford attaining the 5 bonus points required to be promoted.

Although Chris Silverwood’s team went on to lose the game, they claimed a draw against rivals Kent and lifted the trophy in front of jubilant fans at Canterbury.

Championship promotion was the

Think ARU anglia.ac.uk/sport Anglia Ruskin University in partnership with Cambridge University are proud to be one of 6 nationally recognised MCC Universities. The MCCU status allows our students to study and play cricket at the highest level, this year our team have played 2 first class games and faced England bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Both female and male cricketers can combine studies and train as a full time cricketer. The excellent facilities at Fenners ground, including the indoor school, are only 2 minutes’ walk form the Cambridge Campus.

Alumni from Anglia Ruskin University have gone on to represent the England Lions, Hampshire, and Sussex among other counties.

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number one aim at the start of the year but The Eagles also had some success in the shorter forms of the game. Essex reached the quarter-finals of both the NatWest T20 Blast and Royal London One-Day Cup before being knocked out

by Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire respectively.

With the return of Essex academy players’ Adam Wheater and Varun Chopra who have proven Division One credentials, and the influx of some exciting signings over the winter, Essex will look to maintain their position in Specsavers County Championship Division One in 2017.

Ashford CC The first record of Ashford Cricket Club is contained in the balance sheet of the Ashford and Littleton Cricket Club for Season 1855, found in "Ashford Charities Accounts" for 1856 published by the Vicar and Churchwardens.

The fact that there is no "balance brought forward from 1855" indicates the first season of a new club.

The next traces of the club, to the best of knowledge, were found in old score books of the Shepperton Cricket Club, which record matches played between the two clubs on the 19th August, 1884, and 4th August, 1885. Some Ashford players in these matches were:- Horsley Woods (later editor of the "West Middlesex Times"), E. H. Bennet (Clerk of the Parish Council), Cornelius Lockington (Schoolmaster) and his son, Stacey, and Harry ("Granfer") Holland, all well-known members of the community.

Although the date is unknown, it is understood that Ashford Cricket Club beat an "All England XI' during its early years in a match played at Iver.

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Season 1907 saw the Club on another new ground - Farmer Cook's field between the Royal Hart Hotel and the Railway, where Knapp

Road, the Post Office and the old Echelford School (now Clarendon Road School) now are.

Alexander had gone and the new groundsman, introduced by Ben Marriott, was Sammy Kendall, who proved to be a worker and quite a club character and was later elected a Life Member.

The wicket here was generally acknowledged to be one of the best in these parts and the table was fenced in after every match. The outfield was still used for cattle grazing and the generous sprinkling of "cowpads" was occasionally rather inconvenient!

It was at "Cooksfield" that Ashford gained one of their greatest victories, when they defeated a strong M.C.C. side. A visitor to the ground about 1908 in a Cricket Week match, playing for Marriott's XI was Tom Richardson, the onetime Surrey and England fast bowler, although he had retired from serious cricket then.

In 1916, the Cricket Club received notice that their tenancy of Cooksfield must cease at the end of the season.

Mr Cook required the meadow for his own use and therefore the Cricket Club were a club without a playing pitch. A special meeting was called to

discuss the matter and to decide what steps should be taken to obtain an alternative ground.

It was agreed that an approach should be made to the Ashford Athletic Association and subsequently an offer was made to rent their Woodthorpe Road ground for the 1917 season. Eventually, after several meetings with the AAA, a rent of ÂŁ20 was agreed and matches were first played there during the 1917 season. After the 1914-18 War, the Club gave a wonderful "Welcome Home" to its ex-Service members by entertaining them to lunch and a cricket match on each of the two Bank Holidays and during the August Monday match every ex-Service member was presented with a bat by the President, Mr Leonard Mossop (later His Honour Judge Mossop).

At the close of the First World War the Club joined the London and Southern Counties Club Cricket Conference and have been in membership ever since (now the Club Cricket Conference). With a big influx of new members, it was found possible to run two Saturday teams and a regular Wednesday side, as well as to resume the Annual Cricket Week.

The Club celebrated 100 years of cricket in Ashford during the Centenary season in 1955. It could be argued that for a club founded in 1855, then 1954 was actually the 100th year but history cannot now be changed.

As part of the centenary celebrations, Ashford played a match against a very strong CCC In early 1970 a proposal for a two-division Middlesex League was considered and Ashford CC were invited to join Division 2. At around the same time, Horsell and Woking CC enquired if Ashford CC was interested in helping to promote a new Thames Valley League.

The proposed Middlesex League set-up was not going to incorporate promotion and relegation and there was doubt within the Ashford CC Committee if the 2nd Division would ever be formed.

In 1982, there was general concern at the start of the season that league wins would be hard to come by.

As it turned out, the season was one of the most successful in the Club's Championship history. The 1st XI finished fourth in the Surrey Championship a feat which had only previously been achieved

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once, in 1974, and it is still the highest position achieved by the 1st XI in the Championship.

In 1989, following several season struggling at the foot of the 1st division, the 1st XI were finally relegated to division two. This was a major eye opener for the Club a period of rebuilding was undertaken. In the end, promotion back to division 1 took a further five season a period which, in hindsight, was probably of benefit to the Club if not to the players involved.

In 1991 the Surrey Championship decided to form a "Super League" for the third XI clubs, there being such a vast difference in standard between third Xs.

This league would be formed from the 10 clubs finishing highest at the end of the 1992 season. Having been relegated to division 2 of the 3rd XI league in 1990, and promoted back to division 1 in 1991, Ashford attained a very creditable eighth place thus obtaining a place in the "Super League".

The standard of play in this division was such, however, that the lack of depth within the Club was exploited by the superior strength of the other 3rd XIs and despite the considerable efforts of all concerned, especially captain Trevor Allen, Ashford slipped back to division 2.

Unfortunately, in the

same season, the 2nd XI had a disastrous year. Problems of unavailability and the general lack of consistency from the few regular players meant the side was propping up the rest of the division from very early on. Despite an unexpected victory over local rivals Sunbury, no other victories were achieved and the resulting relegation was almost inevitable from July onwards.

After a very long programme, Ashford Sports Club eventually completed the development of a site in Short Lane enabling the Club to, finally, have a "home". The project was possible thanks to the time and

efforts of the Sport Club’s Development Sub-Committee and the financial grant support from the Sport Council’s Lottery Grant amounting to £790,620.

The new site at Short Lane in Stanwell finally opened on September 18, 1998 and it was officially opened by the Mayor of Spelthorne on November 11, 1998. The site included an Astro Hockey pitch, two cricket squares, an all weather cricket strip, 4 cricket nets and a clubhouse with 6 dressing rooms.

Although it had taken a long time, the wait was worth it.

Trearddur Bay UTD FC Trearddur Bay United have announced Chris Davies and Nathan Owen will jointly manage the first team this season.

Davies was in charge of Bay when they returned to Saturday football in 2008/09 and under his leadership they lifted 10 trophies in four seasons.

After Davies stepped down in 2012 to concentrate on junior football coaching, Mark Williams took over and led Trearddur to Gwynedd and Welsh Alliance league titles.

Owen has been building his experience and coaching qualifications at junior level through involvement with two local senior teams.

He is now working towards his B licence and, alongside Davies, moves into senior management.

Both Davies and Owen are committed towards driving Bay to play at a higher level. The club is in negotiation to purchase some land to develop into a ground which meets the promotion criteria for the Huws Gray Alliance.

Davies said: “When the position became available and Nathan Owen applied for it, the two of us came to the conclusion a joint management team could work for the pair

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of us and the club. We both bring something different to the position and have been friends for many years.

“Another reason is that over the last year or so the club have been working tirelessly off the field to put things in place that will enable us to move up if we were to win the league again.”

He added: “We have to be realistic with our ambitions in our first season. The team finished seventh last year after a really good start.

Read More “We want to bring in a few new faces and at the same time work with the players we have inherited from last year. The response from the people we’ve approached to sign has been great. We knew a few of our players had already decided to move on at the end of last year so we have been in contact with them explaining what we and the club want to achieve and we’ve also had a good response from them.

“If we had to be pinned down for where we want to be at the end of the season then we would obviously say champions, but the league will be very strong this season.”

Trearddur Bay United - Honours 2008/09 to present 2008/09

Dargie Cup winners Thomas & Williams Cup winners NWCFA Junior Cup winners 2009/10 Dargie Cup winners Elias Cup winners 2010/11 Anglesey League winners Dargie Cup winners Megan Cup winners Thomas & Williams Cup winners 2011/12 Cwpan Gwynedd winners Gwynedd League runners-up 2012/13 Trearddur Bay United - Gwynedd League champions 2012/13

www.sportip.biz

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Gwynedd League champions (undefeated) In 2010/11 Trearddur Bay striker Asa Thomas scored 112 goals for the club in just 47 games across all competitions.

It is believed to have been the highest goals return in a season in North Wales football for many decades and earned the Holyheadbased player national media exposure.

Sports Club Magazine

Birmingham & Solihull RFC Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club Limited was formed on the 30th October 2009 following the liquidation of Birmingham & Solihull RFC. Prior to that, Birmingham & Solihull RFC was founded in 1989 upon the merger of two clubs, Birmingham and Solihull RFCs. The merger ended for Birmingham 80 years as an independent club,with Solihull RFC dating back to 1933.

Today, Birmingham & Solihull Ruby Club based at Portway, just off Junction 3 of the M42, is one of the foremost rugby clubs in the West Midlands.

With the first team "the Bees" - playing in National League 3 Midlands (English rugby's fifth tier), the club also has a very strong mini & junior section with age groups from Under 7s upwards as well as a colts and development (2nds) squad.

A warm and hospitable welcome is extended to all who visit Portway!

As noted in the Overview, Birmingham & Solihull Rugby Club was the result on the merger of two clubs,Birmingham and Solihull RFCs,in 1989.

Birmingham RFC Founded in 1909, the

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Club was based at Portway which is now the home of the modern day club.

Birmingham RFC was seeded in Courage National Division Three with Exeter, Fylde, Maidstone, Met Police, Morley, Nuneaton, Plymouth Albion, Sheffield, Vale of Lune, Wakefield and West Hartlepool, when league rugby started in 1987/88.

At the end of the first season it was relegated, together with Morley.

A second successive relegation followed in 1988/89 after all ten games in Area League North were lost.

Solihull RFC Founded in 1933, Solihull, also an independent club found

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difficulty in adjusting to the demands of league rugby too. Seeded in Area League North the club lost all ten games in 1987/88 and having been relegated to Midlands Division One, finished ninth from twelve the following season.

In the first season after the merger Birmingham & Solihull gained promotion from Midlands Division One to the National Leagues only to go straight back down.

They returned to the National Leagues for the 1993/94 season in 1997/98 won the Jewson National League Two North title and promotion. “The Bees� as the Club was known took time to adjust to demands of rugby in Jewson National Division One, suffering six defeats in their last seven games they sat just above relegation by the end of the 1998/99 season.

Paul Williams and Dave Spencer formed a new coaching team in 1999/2000 and following a 0-18 home defeat by Harrogate on the opening Saturday of that season the Bees registered nine consecutive league victories. After a midterm stutter during which three games out of four were lost, including two to Otley, the Bees finished with eleven wins and a draw from the last twelve fixtures to secure

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the Jewson National League One runnersup spot and second promotion place, two points behind winners, Otley.

Again the step up proved difficult and the Bees needed to win one of their last two games of the 200/01 season to be sure of staying in the renamed National Division One. This they did and then consolidated their position by finishing mid-table in 2001/02.

In 2002/03 Phil Maynard was appointed Director of Rugby and the club was guided to another mid-table position and then improved on that when the club finished fourth in 2003/04 despite only winning one and drawing one of the last eight league games, no doubt having been distracted by reaching the semi-finals of the Powergen Cup, knocking out London Wasps along the way.

2004/05 followed a similar pattern to the previous season with the Bees the early pacesetters after taking maximum points from the first five league games, but, not helped by nine successive defeats before a victory came on the final day of the season, they eventually finished ninth, disappointingly.

Only the decision to increase the size of National Division One from fourteen to sixteen

clubs (and to suspend relegation) saved the Bees in 2005/06 after they finished bottom of the league having accrued just six wins.

The following year the Bees bounced back again however, this time finishing mid-table and ahead of Midland rivals, Coventry, Moseley and Nottingham - a forged relationship with Gloucester paying dividends: the likes of John Goodridge, Mark Cornwell and Will Matthews all contributing. Bees' top try scorer Akapusi Quera [with a fantastic 16 tries from the flank] exited stage left after a wonderful World Cup peaked the interest of Gloucester's Cherry and Whites.

2007/08 was the 'nearly year' in many respects, difficult to believe as Bees finished last but one, however it's commonly quipped that had the game been just sixty as opposed to eighty minutes long Bees would have been half way up the leader board by the end of the season.

A number of changes to the coaching staff - notably resignations form Ben Harvey and then Steve Williams saw the eventual arrival of Russell Earnshaw, initially as a forwards coach.

His leadership skills became quickly evident when he almost performed the miracle

of miracles in keeping Bees in National Division One (but for results elsewhere, on the final day of the season.) Controversy ensued following "SubGate" (after Cornish Pirates failed to field appropriate front row players and were docked points whilst Bees were awarded none). With the RFU and First Division Rugby involved and with Coventry's financial affairs in disarray Bees held out hope for a relegation appeal, but four months on hope was extinguished and Bees were confirmed as a National Division Two side.

Knowing where they stood ahead of 2008/09 Earnshaw, now promoted to Head Coach, went about assembling the right group of people for the task ahead. With an exciting brand of rugby adopted, Bees, despite early knocks from Redruth and Wharfedale, notched up the wins and club and division records along the way to fulfill the single promotion spot with a game to spare. That they scored 150 points more than any other team, taking twenty-one four-try bonus points from twenty-six league games, and ran National One's Leeds Carnegie close to a semi-final birth in the EDF Energy National Trophy made it a vintage rugby year for Birmingham & Solihull.

Sports Club Magazine

Wolverhampton RUFC Unsurprisingly, Wolverhampton RUFC was founded in a pub the old 'Star and Garter' in Victoria Street, Wolverhampton. Several of the founding fathers, including Charles Mander, were at Rugby School together in the 1820's. In 1875, they ran a 'rugger' school in the town and founded the club. Early matches were played near the 'Halfway House' on the Tettenhall Road and later played at West Park, Crowther Road and Danescourt before settling at Castlecroft in 1950.

Between the wars, the club welcomed such names as Norman Dickensen, Jim Timmis, Gwyn Bayliss, Teddie Iles, Alfred Baker and Tom and Gordon Rutherford. All these men served the club for many years as players and officials. In the mid 1930's, the fixture list included Handsworth, Pontypridd and Ebbw Vale as well as our old adversaries Stoke, Walsall, Burton and Stafford. How fortunes have changed! The Golden Jubilee was celebrated in 1926 and the Diamond Jubilee in 1937 with matches against teams raised by the President of the RFU. After the war the club bought from Ansells Brewery for £3000, the

ground we now call home. 3 Nissen huts were erected as changing rooms and clubhouse.

New faces such as John Thompson, Philip Page and Bobby Ireson started in the post war era. Towards the end of the fifties stalwarts such as Alan Walker, Brian Wordley, Ian Creed and Mike Parr started appearing in team sheets.

Mini rugby had begun in 1972 and during the late seventies, rugby began its evolution to the competitive world we know today. The Staffordshire Cup began as did the Midland Merit table which coincided with the development of a young, powerful side under the coaching of Mike Parr.

When the Courage league was born, the club found itself in the Midlands Division One. The Staffordshire Cup was finally won in 1988, but the following season, the team was relegated to Division Two of the Midlands. At the end of the 1991/92 season, the club was promoted into Midlands Division One again. Another entertaining side including yet another back row of note.

Thompson, Holland and Day provided the backbone to an exciting young side coached by Stuart Jardine. Since then the club has fallen

back somewhat due to financial pressures in the professional era.

In 1998/9 we were relegated to Midlands Division 2 and only avoided relegation last season through league re-organisation. We are currently in Midlands 3 West.

Whatever the form of the team, Wolverhampton has always played an enjoyable and exciting style of rugby which is reflected in the excellent social side of the club.

Here at Wolverhampton Rugby Club, we have a very active Mini and Junior Section running teams from Under 8's up to Colts.

Every weekend during the season, 150 plus youngsters are training or playing the game of rugby competitively.

Our coaches are always pleased to welcome new players at any time during the season.

We look forward to the future with pride in our past.

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Penrith RUFC In the autumn of 1882 a group of a dozen or so rugby enthusiasts gathered in Great Dockray and there the Penrith Football Club was founded.

As the twentieth century unfolded the Club entered into a brief and unsuccessful period of Northern League Rugby – a forerunner to Rugby League. However, following the Great War, it was decided to return to the Union game. In the early days, play took place on the Foundry Field and though excursions to other bases took place over the years, the Club settled there again following the Second World War. By 1954 our first ever Clubhouse had been built, largely through self-help and the expertise and generosity of the father of our then hooker, Robert (Bobby) Reay, who owned a local building business.

The club went from strength to strength and it became obvious that further development would be necessary.

However, since the ground belonged to the local Council it became apparent that if we wished to develop in the way we wanted then the solution was to buy our own ground.

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A development committee was set up under the inspired leadership of Treasurer Joe Jameson with Jim Nicholson as Secretary. 28 acres of land, including a twoacre concrete car park (formerly a tank park during the War) came up for sale by auction. On Tuesday 12th September 1961 the Club paid the princely sum of £7,500 for the whole 28 acres and our future was assured. An area sufficient to lay three pitches was levelled, drained and re-seeded over the next three years and following many fund-raising functions, plans were drawn up for a Clubhouse at what was to be our new home.

With the help of a low interest loan from the RFU and similar grant from a Brewery, the Clubhouse and ground were officially opened on 29th April 1967.

Penrith was the envy of Clubs in the NorthWest and many, though they were not on our Fixture List, would call in to

enjoy our Saturday night dances.

As we all know, good times don’t last forever and when our flat-roofed sectional building began to age on reaching its promised life-span of 25 years, we had to look at fund-raising for a new Clubhouse. By this time we were running three Senior sides, a Colts side and a fledging Mini-Rugby section.

We had four Squash Courts and the local Tennis Club had moved to Winters Park and laid four hard courts. We also became the home of Beacon Archers, Penrith Amateur Rugby League Club and we are still the home today of Eden Runners. Obviously we were beginning to serve

a local community not only as a Rugby Club but also as a base for other sporting pursuits.

It was about this time that the National Lottery came on the scene and a team was assembled to draw up an application for a Lottery Grant.

Keith Davis (Secretary), Chris Ryder (Solicitor) and Richard Dryell (Architect) were the key players. It took almost two years to prepare the application documents and move through the various stages towards grant approval. However it was all worthwhile as we were eventually awarded £410,000 towards the cost of our new development. The Club itself had to raise the rest of the £660,000 total cost through the

sale of land not suitable for sporting purposes behind our grandstand.

Such was the quality of our bid that our Secretary was invited to the House of Commons to appear before the All Party National Heritage Committee who were then taking evidence on the impact of lottery grants to various sections of the community.

In 1997 Peter Brook, President of the Rugby Football Union opened our splendid new Clubhouse and we were ready to move into the 21st Century.

Since then we have experienced considerable change in the way the Club is managed and utilised. With our new complex came all the responsibilities of upkeep and general maintenance. New staff had to be employed and core income streams had to be generated and nurtured.

On the Rugby front the new century has brought about mixed fortunes.

In April 2000 our senior XV won the Cumbria Cup for only the second time in the Club’s history.

However, less than a year later the entire County suffered from the ravages of Foot and Mouth and none more so than in the Eden Valley of Cumbria.

Our strong farming connections (and indeed RFU guidelines) forced

us to cancel all our of matches from the end of February 2001 with the net result that the RFU contrived a formula that relegated us from level six to level seven by a margin of less than one point! In 2003 our senior XV played magnificent rugby to progress through the rounds of the Powergen Intermediate Cup playing away from home on most occasions. The semi-finals saw us once again drawn away to the favourites Hertford only to lose by the dreaded one point margin in the dying seconds of the game. Despite this disappointment the team soldiered on and secured promotion back to level six.

Season 2004-05 saw us finish third in North Two west and once again lift the Cumbria Cup. Our ‘A’ XV won the Cumbria Shield for the first time in the Club’s history and completed a unique double.

The following season we were level transferred to North 2 East and rose to the challenge magnificently by taking the league title in the very last game at Durham City in a thoroughly epic match enjoyed by an army of Penrith supporters the like of which had never been seen before. A week later we retained the Cumbria Cup beating

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our old rivals Aspatria.

17 down to the minis.

Season 2007/08 saw our senior XV relegated after two years in North 1 following a disastrous start to our league campaign from which we were never able to recover despite herculean efforts from February to April. Away wins at Middlesbrough and Hull together with a truly magnificent effort at eventual unbeaten league winners Kendal were the high points and demonstrated our true potential.

We have learned many lessons over the past years and have built up an efficient and competent administration at all levels of the Club’s operation. Our common aim is to build a business which will sustain quality Rugby Union in Penrith not just now or the next few seasons but for the foreseeable future. The considerable progress spanning three centuries of this Club’s existence did not just happen – many far-sighted Rugby men (and yes, women) made it happen. Let us hope that the game continues to throw up those Rugby enthusiasts who are prepared to put something back.

The Youth structure continues to be well run and without exception each of our Junior teams had a highly successful season last year. We have teams at age groups from

Cambridge RUFC Rob Conquest has given Cambridge Rugby Club a boost ahead of the new National League One campaign.

The 26-year-old second row has returned to the club he left in 2014, when he joined Darlington Mowden Park.

He has moved Cambridge from Darlington, having had a six-month spell with Coventry last season.

Conquest will bring valuable experience to the squad, and add to their options in the pack as he is also able to cover at blind-side flanker.

“I knew he was leaving Coventry last year and I had a conversation with him to see if we could get him back,” said Cambridge director of rugby Ross Stewart.

“I think he’s quite keen to continue his coaching work and develop his career as I think he is quite interested to get into teaching as a longterm thing.

“He has been eager to get back playing again as he has certainly not played as much rugby in the last year as he would have liked to.

“The sort of player he

is will suit the style that Cambridge play. I have heard a lot about him from when he was here before from some of the players.

“I’ve been really pleased with his first two weeks back in training.”

Conquest, who has represented England Counties, had an athletic and dynamic style around the pitch during his first spell at Cambridge, and was a dominant figure at the set piece, particularly the line-out.

“Rob has a good work ethic, not just physically but mentally as well,”

said Stewart. “He brings an air of experience and something we were keen to progress was players with that on-field experience.

“He is another line-out operator to work alongside George (Bretag-Norris) and Gareth (Baxter) and will alleviate some of the work on those two.

“He is very mobile and although his preferred position is in the second row, he can play in the back row at No 6.

Rob’s ability to read the game and make decisions will be key for us as a squad.”

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Maidenhead United FC The origins of senior football in Maidenhead can be traced back to October 1870 with the formation of Maidenhead Football Club, who subsequently played their first ever fixture on December 17th, 1870 against Windsor Home Park at Bond’s Meadow near Maidenhead bridge.

On Thursday, February 16th 1871 the club played their first game on the York Road site against Marlow. This ground, which was then shared with the cricket club, is now officially acknowledged as the oldest continually used football ground in the world by the same club, eclipsing Northwich Victoria’s old claim by five years. Maidenhead were one of the original 15 entrants for the first ever FA Cup competition in 1871-72 and the following season reached the last four before losing to Oxford University.

Maidenhead reached the quarter-finals in the next two seasons, but in 1876 did not enter, although this was the only season they failed to participate.

They also entered the first ever Berks & Bucks Cup competition in 1878 - winning the competition for the first time in 1895 - and the first FA Amateur Cup in 1893. The adopted club colours were Red

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& Black, initially worn as halved shirts, but changed to stripes in 1904.

The early years Maidenhead FC merged with three sides before the Great War. Maidenhead Excelsior were founded in 1877 and joined forces with the Red & Blacks in 1885. Maidenhead Temperance – originally known as Maidenhead Band of Hope amalgamated with the club in 1891 and Boyne Hill FC did likewise later that year. After many seasons of playing friendlies and Cup matches, Maidenhead FC were founder members of the Southern League in 1894 but competing in Division 2 with the likes of Watford, Brentford, Fulham and Brighton proved too demanding and the club consistently struggled. Eventually in 1902, after eight years of membership, they resigned and joined both the West Berkshire League and the Berks & Bucks League. In 1904 Maidenhead became members of the Great Western Suburban League where they remained until the outbreak of the Great War. Spartans and Corinthians After the Great War the two remaining town clubs – Maidenhead and

Maidenhead Norfolkians (founded 1884) - decided to join forces. The conflict had meant that is was unrealistic to run two senior clubs, so after a meeting in April 1919, the Norfolkians were incorporated into the Maidenhead club, and soon afterwards a kit of black and white was adopted as club colours.

There was immediate success in the first season of structured league football as Maidenhead FC won the Great Western Suburban League. In August 1920 the suffix “United” was added but, more importantly, the freehold of York Road was purchased for £1,450 from William Grenfell, later to become Lord Desborough. Two years later the club joined the Spartan League and the 500 seater grandstand – at the time considered one of the best of its kind - was opened by Club President, Ernest Dunkels.

Maidenhead United won the Spartan League title three times during their nineteen year stay. In 1929-30 season the club’s goal-scoring record for a season was set when Jack Palethorpe notched 65 goals in 39 games, including an individual post 1919 record of seven in one game against Wood Green Town.

Jack went on to play for

Sheffield Wednesday and scored in the Owls FA Cup win in 1935.

In 1936, Maidenhead reached the semi-final of the FA Amateur Cup losing 4-1 to Ilford at West Ham in front of 18,000 spectators. It was during that season that the record attendance for a Maidenhead home match of 7,989 was set when Southall visited York Road in the quarter-final. During the Second World War, the club competed in the Great Western Combination.

In 1963, United joined the Athenian League finishing a best placed 3rd in 1965-66. In 1973, the Magpies were elected into the newly created second division of the Isthmian League. They made a concerted effort to achieve promotion to the Premier Division in 1979 and 1980 when managed by Geoff Anthony (finishing 3rd on both occasions), and then again in 1985 under Brian Caterer and Colin Lippiatt, when they finished 4th. They remained in this division until 1987 when the Club suffered relegation for the first time in its history, and the dark days were made worse with the destruction of the main grandstand by an arson attack in December 1986. It took four seasons to get out of

Division Two South, and this was achieved under the guidance of Martyn Spong in 1991. An Isthmian League record of 13 straight wins at the start of 1990-91 season was the springboard to success, but the club lost out on the title to Abingdon Town on the last day of the season.

During this season, however, the team established a club record of 19 league games without defeat. Following the unexpected departure of Spong to Enfield in the summer of 1991, Gary Goodwin, John Clements and then John Watt took on the manager’s job with generally moderate results and the club regularly finished in or around mid-table.

The Alan Devonshire years Following John Watt’s dismissal in the summer of 1996, the Club appointed a new management team of Martyn Busby, the former QPR and Notts County midfielder, and Alan Devonshire the former West Ham and England midfielder.

Although Busby left midway through the first season, Devonshire guided United to their first Cup success since 1970 by winning the Isthmian League Full

Members Cup, and this was to herald the beginning of the club’s second “purplepatch”. In each season between 1996 and 2003 Maidenhead reached a cup final, winning five and losing two. After coming agonisingly close to promotion in 1997-98 season, two years later in 1999-2000 United made another concerted effort to reach the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Despite the odd hiccup, on Thursday, 4th May, a 1-0 home win against Champions Croydon guaranteed promotion.

A new 700 capacity covered enclosure at the Canal end of the ground was completed in May 2000 together with new terracing on the railway side. In the summer of 2002 Chairman Roger Coombs announced that he would step down at the end of 2002-03 season and, in April 2003, Manager Alan Devonshire followed suit by announcing intention to leave the club at the season’s end.

Maidenhead finished a best ever 10th in the league and Devonshire’s final game in charge (his 349th) saw the Magpies regain the County Cup by thrashing Aylesbury United 4-1 at Chesham.

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Takeley FC Takeley Football Club was affiliated within the Bishop's Stortford, Stansted and District Football League (BSS&DFL) following upon the end of the First World War. The original grounds were in Hatfield Forest and on Station Road opposite the present home of the club. Now situated, still on Station Road, volunteer groundstaff ensure a superb playing surface through all kinds of climatic conditions.

In 2001 following a fire, volunteers and supporters rebuilt a first class pavillion, with excellent facilities. In 2008 the club installed a state of the art floodlighting system and are in the process of adding a new150 seater stand.

The club is presided over by the highly regarded local businessman Mr Gordon Sylvester who is ably supported by a first class chairman in Mr Pat Curran and secretary Mrs Kath Cohen.

The First Team is managed

by Don Watters, who is assisted by Lol Williams and Paul Wildman.

The Reserve Team is managed by Tony Crook, who is assisted by Lee Borham.

The club runs three youth sides. The under 18's who play in the Eastern Junior Alliance Suffolk Division who are managed by Gary

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Buckland. The Under 15's who play in the Chelmsford Youth League who are managed by Michael Cohen and the Under 11's who also play in the Chelmford Youth league managed by Dave Hayward.

Season 2006-7 saw the club achieve its finest honour to date when the First Team lifted the Essex Premier Cup beating Ongar Town 1-0 at Thurrock Football Club.

At the end of the 2007-8 season the First team were promoted to the Essex Senior League and the Reserves promoted to the Senior Divisions of the Essex Olympian League.

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Sports Club Magazine

Luctonians RFC Rugby – a game for all shapes and sizes!

Have you ever fancied giving rugby a TRY? Maybe you played years ago and are looking to play again? Not sure if it’s for you? The only way to find out is to come on down to Mortimer Park and have a go!

Details When? – Tuesdays – 7:30pm – 9pm Where? – Meet us by the kids play area behind the clubhouse What do you need?

Rugby / football boots, sportswear and a sense of

humour! (Mouth guard optional) This is open to all ages, fitness levels and abilities, so don’t be shy, if you want to try rugby for the first time or get back into it, come and join the #LucsFamily On a Tuesday night you’ll find a good mix of lads, some youngsters looking to gain experience, some vets reluctant to say goodbye to the game so spearhead our team and social players (of all abilities and fitness levels) – for those unable to commit

Hereford Sixth Form College Folly Lane, Hereford HR1 1LU T: 01432 355166 E: sixth-form@hereford.ac.uk www.hereford.ac.uk

Maximising your potential on and off the field

SPORT Rugby Academy home games are played at Luctonians RFC

Come and find out more at one of our Open Events: Wednesday, 18th October 2017 5.00pm - 8.00pm Saturday, 10th February 2018 9.30am - 12.30pm Tuesday, 8th May 2018 5.30pm - 7.30pm

to a team playing on a regular basis but are able to play once or twice a month against other social and veteran sides that we arrange fixtures with.

Our Return To Rugby sessions are relaxed, fun and anyone is welcome.

You won’t be training with or holding tackle pads for our 3rds, 2nds, 1sts or Colts – instead we’ll ease you gently back into the game and

the opportunity is there to progress should you want to.

Keen? If you’ve no further questions then simply turn up! Give the Foxhounds lads a heads up so they know you’re coming over on Facebook and we’ll look out for you but don’t be afraid to ask somebody.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Thurrock RFC A STATEMENT from Thurrock Rugby Club after the decision was made not to allow them into the Women’s Premier League.

“It is with extreme disappointment that we received the result of our appeal on Friday 28th April 2017.

We thank the panel for the time they have taken to review all the paper and oral presentations heard from both Lichfield and Thurrock RFC. The appeal was about the process, and as we were constantly informed, not about the quality of our application.

The Club believe that our application was of greater quality and substance than we were given credit for during the initial review process and interview stage.

Our geographical position was not given the same consideration as was the case with Darlington and Mowlem Park.

During our appeal and up until receiving the decision of the panel we have remained dignified and resolute.

The Club held the end

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of season dinner and dance and it is now we believe we should voice our concerns about the process of selection and the bias that Thurrock Rugby Club believe has been shown against

put out a press release requesting sponsorship upon being successful in gaining a place in the competition.

The experience and expertise to deliver a step change to a

them.

We received a letter, dated 27th February 2017, from Nigel Melville advising Thurrock that we had been unsuccessful in gaining a place in the new competition for the following three reasons.

Financial model to deliver the programme.

According to the scoring sheets provided by the RFU during the appeal process Thurrock came out 9th on the funding front, with no additional funding shown from sponsors, (agreed or potential), as has already been seen one of the successful clubs has

high performance programme.

Thurrock Rugby Club had, upon being successful, secured the services of David Mobbs-Smith to be the head coach. David is currently the Sweden Women’s 7’s coach, having taken them to the top-tier of women’s rugby ahead of schedule.

He was the Thurrock men’s head-coach and has just left Thurrock to become the headcoach for Richmond Ladies. On our score sheets from a number of the panel members we received a score of 1 – Requirements not met

or a 2 – Requirements fulfilled to some extent.

David Mobbs-Smith is an International Coach having developed an International Women’s side to the top tier of Women’s rugby.

Our strength and conditioning lead was to be a gentleman by the name of Ross Hanbury.

For those in Rugby they will know that Ross was the S & C lead for the England Women’s side and also for England Saxons. He is at the forefront of S & C in our sport.

The individuals on the panel are supposed to be Rugby people, who know about our sport. They have either failed in their job to know who these two individuals were, or were biased against our bid. We provided copies of CV’s for the selection panel.

Uncertainty and lack of an appropriate governance structure.

Thurrock Rugby Club is an RFU accredited club. That means that we have an appropriate governance structure, we are also a registered charity. Our constitution is there for all to see on

our website, and we have just been reviewed to retain our Accredited Club status. A number of successful clubs are not Accredited by the RFU. How can Thurrock receive a 1 – Requirements not met by some of the panel, and others get 100% score across the board when they are not?

During our appeal it came to light that as a club we did not even meet the minimum standard. Part of the Application Process means that we are unable to share the criteria set in the Request For Proposals

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document, all I can say is that having submitted over 90 pages in our application we fully met the minimum standards as requested. We did not promise to meet them or have conditions set to gain access to the competition. We met the majority and would have met all the conditions in the application pack as required. We needed to change bulbs in our floodlights and employ the services of a medical company for match day ‘Doctor’ cover.

As with Lichfield we raised the question of inaccuracies in the score sheets. The fact that

some score sheets were dated after the closing date for appeals, the fact that some score sheets had been shredded and the fact that the writing on a number of score sheets looked remarkably similar.

We requested that the score sheets be sent to us in a non-redacted form to allow us to see the comparison of others against us. This was refused completely stating commercial sensitivity. We had agreed to confidentiality, in fact we were not even allowed to talk to our fellow appellants, Lichfield RFC, during

the process.

We raised serious concerns about the impartiality of some of the original panel members, at the appeal it was decided that this would have had no impact on the decision but we disagree with this. At least one of the panel members had previous issues with our club and has in the past refused to keep us updated on the process.

This was documented to the appeals panel. This member of the panel also sent emails stating that he would not disclose aspects of the process that he had already been

discussing with other clubs.

The Club held a meeting with Nicky Ponsford and Malcolm Caird before this process started, both of these panel members stressed that past history in women’s rugby would be taken into account, this was not the case in the final decisions that has been made. In fact we now have a team in the new league that has never held a league position before in the history of women’s rugby, this is one of the areas where we raised concerns before the process commenced.

The new competition is

without two of the top three sides from this seasons Premiership and the addition of two University sides and Harlequins Ladies. The process was not fair and to use the reference of Porter and Magill [2002] 2 AC 357 as the benchmark is unfair. This was the finding and basis of selling council houses in Westminster to gain more votes and is hardly relevant to fairness in a sporting sense.

We are asking for our application to be reviewed again by Mr. Melville and Mr. Ritchie.

It is obvious to Thurrock that our application was

massively underscored during the initial paper sift and then during the interview.

The funding to be invested by the RFU is substantial. The ability of at least two of the successful sides is questionable. The step to the top-level is huge from the Championship.

Thurrock know, we have done it. We did not need to advertise for Directors of Rugby or Coaches or funding; we had it all in place.

This is a huge challenge for both Lichfield and Thurrock Rugby Clubs going forward and we believe the decision is

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to the detriment of the Women’s game. The option to make this a twelve team competition still remains. East London, Essex and the Eastern Counties players are without access to an Elite Women’s Team. If you live within a 10 mile radius of Twickenham you have access to 3.

The RFU wanted a fair process, a transparent process. As for scoring the process it has to be a 1 – Requirement not met.

Brentham CC 1964 – The Beatles pick up their first US Number One single, Nelson Mandela begins his 27year prison sentence on Robben Island, BBC 2 goes live, and a young Ivor Chaplin walks through the gates of Brentham CC, pencil in hand, to score his first game for the The Trees.

On Saturday 15 July 2017, Ivor walked through the gates, for the game away at Winchmore Hill, this time with an array of coloured pens for strikerate, balls faced, and overs bowled, to score his 2,000th consecutive game for Brentham CC. The occasion will be marked with a trophy presentation, to commemorate

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this incredible feat of longevity, at the innings break during our home game against South Hampstead on Saturday 29 July.

After a three-year apprenticeship in the second-team, Ivor made his first-team scoring debut in 1967 and thus celebrates his half-century with the 1s this season as well.

Since the formation of the Middlesex County Cricket League in 1972, Ivor has scored all 758 1st team league matches to date.

In 2014 he completed 700 consecutive League matches at which point the Score Box was named after him at a ceremony attended by former Brentham member and

Ashes winning captain Michael Brearley.

Brearley compared Ivor’s scoring feat with the leading wicket takers in International Cricket. Only Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally of 807 now stands ahead in front of Ivor but the gap is closing fast with Ivor set to reach 765 by the end of the season, just 42 shy of Murali’s record.

Ivor's astonishing achievements over the years has been recognised by one award after another. He is an Honorary Vice President of both the Middlesex County Cricket League and Brentham Club. In 2014 he was awarded the Middlesex Outstanding Service Cricket Award as well as the UK

Outstanding Sports Official prize. He was nominated in 2005 and 2014 for a cricketing OSCA, presented at Lord’s, finishing runner up on the latter occasion.

Perhaps the most prized opportunity was being invited to score at Lord’s for a MCC v CCC match in 2015 to add to his appearance at Lord’s with Brentham in 1972.

Club President David Bloomfield said: “Ivor’s achievement is an unbelievable one and something that is unlikely ever to be equalled. Club Cricket is full of people who volunteer their time The Cricket Club has already recognised his unparalleled service to the Club by appointing

him as a Life Vice President.

Brentham Cricket Club has a long and proud tradition dating back to 1908, and is a founding member of the Middlesex County League.

Our picturesque ground is hidden away a short distance from Pitshanger Lane at the Brentham Club on Meadvale Road, W5 1NP. Brentham Cricket Club offers four competitive Saturday XI's playing league cricket in Middlesex, and two Sunday teams playing Cup, friendly and Sunday League cricket.

Our thriving Junior section is run by fully qualified, DBS accredited, ECB coaches and welcomes children from the age of eight upwards. We run five sides in the Middlesex

South Area Colts League as well as organising friendlies across the age groups throughout the summer.

We pride ourselves on our friendly approach to serious cricket and our club loyalty is strong; over half our players are ex-colts.

Notice anything different at the club? No, the grass is still the same shade of green! That’s right - the £90,000 refurbishment of the cricket pavilion is off the mark. After three years and seven months of filling in forms and sitting at big tables, the works have finally started.

Thanks to funding from Sports England’s inspired facilities fund, Suez and other funds, cricketers at The Brentham Club will have a facility they can be proud of. The upgraded building allows us to add

a disabled/ladies toilet, an umpires changing room, a kitchenette and extra room for storing

colts equipment while keeping some of the largest changing rooms in Middlesex.

Redditch RFC The idea of a history of Redditch Rugby Football Club was first mooted by former club chairman Archie Moore, who thought it might be a good idea to produce a book, with deep research, lavish prints and superior bindings, which would grace the coffee tables of Redditch and beyond.

Archie wanted a lasting memorial to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the re-founding of the club after its dissolution for the 2nd world war.

The enormity of such a task was soon realised as Archie’s ideas were thrown about by interested parties, and it came to pass that a page

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or two on the web site might be something that players and supporters, past and present, could read, enjoy, criticise and add to over the years, so that we had a living history rather than a onetime snap shot, limited by space, time and cost.

The task is still enormous but can be broken down and added to as the years go by. Just like Wikipedia there will be mistakes, omissions and memory failures.

Just like Wikipedia these can be rectified provided

that people with the correct information come forward and allow it to be published.

The club is fortunate in having Brian Carr who has a bulging attic full of club memorabilia. Brian is a compulsive collector

and has never been known to throw anything of the remotest interest away. He is also a keen photographer and has a myriad of memories and photographs to share.

Brian has also collected Committee Minutes

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covering many years and these tell the story of the club from another perspective.

Archie himself takes pride in having every fixture book since the clubs re-founding and these have provided an invaluable source of information.

Mike Lewis was treasurer on the first committee of the club and he has kindly agreed to provide us with his recollections of those early days. With Liam Kirwan and David Eley, Mike is one of the few survivors who can give us information, because he was there.

This record will not list huge playing triumphs nor vast numbers of playing honours as Redditch is not a club that has ever reached the dizzy heights or set the world on fire. We hope though that it will bring back memories for those who survive, honour those who have passed through the club and inspire the youth of club to keep it going for another 50 years.

However in researching for this history we came across an article in the Birmingham Sports Argus bemoaning the fact that Redditch RFC, founded in 1873, had not reformed after the 1914-18 War! The implication here is that Rugby was played in Redditch in the period from 1873 through to 1914. Unfortunately, unless someone out there

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can send photos, stories etc this will go down as legend.

Not quite! The history of Moseley Rugby Club reveals that they beat Redditch by 4 tries to nil on the 4th March 1876.

The following season (17th February 1877) the score line had increased to 8 tries although it is recorded that Redditch disputed 2 of these. Back then each team provided an umpire, and you could appeal to your umpire if you thought something was wrong.

If he agreed he would refer it to the referee who would make a decision. If there was no agreement the score was recorded as disputed. A treasured photo in the club house of the team circa 1885 demonstrates that we were still playing at that time.

This places Redditch a year after Bromsgrove in starting, the same year as Moseley and a year before Coventry, though three years behind Handsworth which predates the formation of the RFU. There are also photos from the 1929-30 season.

There is no doubt that Rugby was being played in Redditch during the seasons 1936-37, 37-38, and 38-39 as Brian Carr’s attic produced fixture cards for those three seasons. Listed among the office bearers is a young Frank Cardy who had been “transported” from the depths of Wales

up to Redditch in 1934.

History shows that it didn’t take Frank long to get involved in sport in his adopted town.

However, for the second time greater things were to interrupt our pleasure, as the world went to war.

Frank spent the war as an ambulance driver for Redditch District Council and gave greatly of himself to this town.

As a long standing councillor Frank was involved in everything to do with Redditch, fighting hard to make this place a better place to live for young people.

(My first memory of Frank was back in 1975, when, playing my first ever game for Redditch I suffered a split above the eye. As I wandered off Terry’s field feeling pretty sorry for myself, Frank opened his box of tricks, sewed up the gash and sent me back on! The following week he removed the stitches before the game. Skippy).

First Treasurer, Mike Lewis takes up the story: “The memory is not what it used to be and 48 years is a long, long time ago, but here goes.

Ian Johnson, Tony Carr and myself had been playing for Bromsgrove Rugby Club for a while and on and off chatted about a club in Redditch as there had been one before the war.

Don’t know who was in contact with Frank Cardy but the upshot was that a Public meeting

was arranged. This could have been in 65 or 66.

We were surprised at the number of people who turned up. About 35 or 40ish from all walks of life from the Redditch area. Teachers, police, doctors, solicitors and ex Redditch players. Note that in those days the interest in playing rugby was mainly was mainly professional people.

That’s how it was in England then.

The meeting lasted about three hours and a vote was firstly taken to see if there were enough people interested in reforming Redditch.

Discussion then ensued as to how we were to progress. This included where we would play initially whereby local landowners offered as fields especially Noel Green who owned a farm at Mappleborough Green and the possibility of playing at local schools.

Frank Cardy was voted in as Chairman, Ian Johnson as Secretary, and Tony Carr as committee member and myself as Treasurer.

Someone suggested that a collection be made then and there so there would be an initial fund to start the club off. As treasurer I collected in the money which poured in and I had to borrow a plastic bag to carry it home in. I can recall that we gathered in 48pounds which for such a meeting was a lot of money. In those days, to put it into

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context, I, as a teacher was earning £520 per year and a driving lesson was £1 an hour. I know this as I was a teacher and also a driving instructor to supplement my meagre salary, I remember that as I was walking home along the path behind the old Laundry that I had more than a month’s wages sitting in an old bag.

That night I had a very expensive plastic bag under my bed and slept very little”.

That was the beginning of the rebirth of Redditch Rugby Club.

Mike continues by reminiscing on a matter that rears its head every decade or so as the debate roars on: “Dickinson’s Field. This is the field next door to Bordesley Garage. We played quite a few games there and it became the

first bit of contention in the early days.

A few of us thought that this would be an ideal ground and also ideal situation to help take the club forward.

We thought that there would be too many restrictions if we stayed at Bromsgrove Road where there was quite a bit of opposition to us being there, especially from the Hockey Club.

Roger Westwood, Frank Cardy, myself and one or two others thought that the best way forward would be to stand on our own two feet.

At that time money was readily available from banks and other sources so it was decided to go into it further. So Roger and myself started approaching various Breweries and had a couple of informal chats with one or two Banks.

The Breweries showed definite interest and we met one or two Reps at the field. We would have had definite help with building a club house and there would have been no problem with planning as the New Town hadn’t started.

Now the Rugby Club could stand on its own two feet.

It wasn’t to be, too many members thought that the risk was too great so the whole thing was shelved and the club stayed where it was.

Bromsgrove Road.

In later years Roger Westwood and myself came to the conclusion that if the Club had moved then it would be much more of a force than it is. Despite all the improvements and additions to the Club House the fact that we stayed where we were

greatly held us back as a forward looking Rugby Club. If one looks at some of the clubs which we used to play against and where they are now proves this point somewhat. E.g. Old Patesians, Cheltenham and dare I mention Bromsgrove.”

This topic came up in later years when Birmingham RFC’s old ground and club house at the Portway became available. However there was little enthusiasm for the hard work and effort which would have been needed to make a move from Bromsgrove Road happen and be successful. The Portway is a long way from Redditch but, who knows, Dickinson’s Field may have been a great option. Cows graze peacefully on it now!

Amport CC Well what a difference a week makes.

Last week more wickets lost in one over than the whole of this game as the Amport top order set up a dominant victory against Twyford.

Skipper Tom West lost the toss and was asked to bat, but that was the only down side of the game as young Tom Stephens and Will Gent opened the inning against Twyford. From almost ball one they scored freely, ran well and were gifted a few from wides and the score board quickly moved on to 50 in the 7th over. Tom eventually fell for a fine 40 - with 5 fours and a six. Returning from injury Will Moon then provided great impetus and the scoring rate increased as Amport speed past 150.

Will Gent then retired for a wonderful 54 not out, 6*4 and a six to earn him a extremely rare

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Junior batting Red Cap . That brought Ed Hall to the crease and he and Will continued to hit the ball freely and take the Amport total to an improbable 205 for 1 from 20 overs.

That always looked a total likely to be beyond the Twyford boys and so it proved. A great opening spell from Tom West and Harry Smith saw Twyford lose 4 wickets inside the first six overs for just 27 runs with two wicket a piece for the lads. Ed Hall and Seb Duff then shared four more overs but just one wicket to Seb, a smart catch by Ed at gully.

Fred Bell picked up a wicket in his first over, another great grab by Tom Stephens and then it was time for Emma Goacher to follow in Da'd footsteps, spot an opportunity to finish off the tail, and cash in.

Her first over brought

two wickets, another catch by Ed and then clean bowling the new man second ball. Fred bowled another tight over with out a breakthrough and then Emma kept things simple by bowling straight and at the stumps ( remarkable lads - watch and learn!).

The last two Twyford boys had no answer, or perhaps they wanted to get home, but no matter, 9 deliveries, 1 run and 4 wickets to earn Emma the second Red cap of the game. Not bad given the coach had decided to drop her the night before and she was only playing because Harry Duffy was a late withdrawal. I guess she will stop telling me what a mistake that was sometime.........

All in all a great all round performance in the field to finish off a match that was won with the batting display, even

though Twyford donate 60 runs to the cause ( but we donated 30 back in 13 overs boys - bowl straight!). So onward's to the plate final scheduled to be played on Friday 21st July - so no running off to early Summer Holidays please.

Man of the match to Will Gent for his maiden 50 and the first ever for the club in a junior cup game.

Many thanks to Simon Gent for scoring, all the club supporters who came along ( the President, Chairman and Secretary were all sighted watching on) and thanks to Twyford who took the defeat in good spirits and simply came and enjoyed a game of cricket. But next time maybe don't zip your skipper in to a kit bag?

Sports Club Magazine

Phoenix RFC

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Unsurprisingly, Wolverhampton RUFC was founded in a pub the old 'Star and Garter' in Victoria Street, Wolverhampton. Several of the founding fathers, including Charles Mander, were at Rugby School together in the 1820's. In 1875, they ran a 'rugger' school in the town and founded the club. Early matches were played near the 'Halfway House' on the Tettenhall Road and later played at West Park, Crowther Road and Danescourt before settling at Castlecroft in 1950.

Between the wars, the club welcomed such names as Norman Dickensen, Jim Timmis, Gwyn Bayliss, Teddie Iles, Alfred Baker and Tom and Gordon Rutherford. All these men served the club for many years as players and officials. In the mid 1930's, the fixture list included Handsworth, Pontypridd and Ebbw Vale as well as our old adversaries Stoke, Walsall, Burton and Stafford. How fortunes have changed! The Golden Jubilee was celebrated in 1926 and the Diamond Jubilee in 1937 with matches against teams raised by the President of the RFU. After the war the club bought from Ansells Brewery for circa;ÂŁ3000, the ground we now call

home. 3 Nissen huts were erected as changing rooms and clubhouse.

New faces such as John Thompson, Philip Page and Bobby Ireson started in the post war era. Towards the end of the fifties stalwarts such as Alan Walker, Brian Wordley, Ian Creed and Mike Parr started appearing in team sheets.

Mini rugby had begun in 1972 and during the late seventies, rugby began its evolution to the competitive world we know today. The Staffordshire Cup began as did the Midland Merit table which coincided with the development of a young, powerful side under the coaching of Mike Parr.

When the Courage league was born, the club found itself in the Midlands Division One. The Staffordshire Cup was finally won in 1988, but the following season, the team was relegated to Division Two of the Midlands. At the end of the 1991/92 season, the club was promoted into Midlands Division One again. Another entertaining side including yet another back row of note.

Thompson, Holland and Day provided the backbone to an exciting young side coached by Stuart Jardine. Since then the club has fallen back somewhat due to

financial pressures in the professional era.

In 1998/9 we were relegated to Midlands Division 2 and only avoided relegation last season through league re-organisation. We are currently in Midlands 3 West.

Whatever the form of the team, Wolverhampton has always played an enjoyable and exciting style of rugby which is reflected in the excellent social side of the club.

Here at Wolverhampton Rugby Club, we have a very active Mini and Junior Section running teams from Under 8's up to Colts.

Every weekend during the season, 150 plus youngsters are training or playing the game of rugby competitively.

Our coaches are always pleased to welcome new players at any time during the season.

We look forward to the future with pride in our past.

The Club Headquarters moved to The George Hotel in Burnham High Street in 1967 and by this time, the club fielded two teams regularly. The Landlord Ray Thuilliez played on at least one occasion and his son Steve played for many years taking over as captain of the Second XV in the late 90's. A third XV was soon born with the initial enthusiasm

coming from Noel Harford. The first third XV result was 64 points to nil victory.

The search for a permanent home started seriously in 1970 and continued for 14 years, until appropriately in the Club's 21st year, the lease of the present ground at Taplow was signed in conjunction with Claires Court School. The people who worked to make this possible included Geoff Mould, Simon Porter and Alistaire Crawford.

The clubhouse was built shortly after the lease was signed and was largely due to the initiative of Ron Jones (the second).

It was during 1977 that Steve Turner an "Old Boy" of the school came on the scene, to take up the position of prop on the field and in various positions as prop off the field. The club stabilised in its new premises, developing the capacity to run its own bar and generally to provide all that a modern Rugby Club required before securing its second significant title, the League Championship in 1993 under the captaincy of Danny Shaw. During the late 90's, Phoenix struck up a link with youngsters from Desborough School that has provided many excellent players including the Wardle brothers Duncan and

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FURTHER LAND REQUIRED EMAIL: NEWHOMES@CAREYSPLC.CO.UK OR TEL: 0800 023 4101 John. The club drivers during this period included Steve Turner, Steve Marsden, Al Smiter, Ron and Alan Jones, Billy Duncan and the committee in general.

As Rugby has moved towards and into the professional era, Phoenix have retained their ethos and continue to field three sides on a regular basis. As the new millennium has begun Phoenix has evolved into one of the most successful sides in the area. With three sides competing in respective leagues, the club finds itself playing some of the most competitive rugby to date.

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