Bancroft RFC Colts reunion dinner at Chigwell Golf Club Essex 6th May 2017

Well I never played for the colts but did teach one or two of them. Later on I played with many (probably all) of them in the senior teams on Saturday afternoons.


Malcolm, Paul and Gabby. I can remember being a passenger in Gabby’s beautiful Mercedes sport car, with the concave roof (he still has it!), going to the many Old boys clubs that we played in the early days before the leagues destroyed the game we all loved. Some clubs had no tills and the money just went into buckets behind the bar.

For my money – their hero was Russ Tustin the coach. What an inspiring coach – a few of the player also turned into great coaches.

Did have a soft spot for the Welsh accent.

 

 Many old faces here – Russ Tustin, Carl Panday, Janine and Julian Swayne, Nick Yealds, Sean Hurley, Gabby Ayres, Joe Preston, Gary Edelman, Charlie Wallace, Bob Ayton, John Dadd, Colin Guite, Malcolm Fleet – apologies for the names I have not mentioned.

Well one thing is for sure – they have not changed, still the very special group of rugby players I had so much fun with for many years.