News Of Buzzards’ Hilarious Escapades And Drinking Stories Issue 6 - August 2016 [email protected] [email protected]@gmail.com

Leighton Buzzard RFC Normal service resumed … almost Wright’s Meadow Leighton Road A kind of pre-season rallying cry for this edition. The summer break has brought Stanbridge its problems for newsletter compilers everywhere as regular face-to-face contact , LU7 9HR is lost for a few months whilst people go on holiday, laugh at the football team, burst with pride over a 3-0 series win in Australia, laugh at the England President: Mr M. Hardy football team, marvel at the effort of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s Chairman: Mr G. Fletcher magnificent Olympians and laugh at the England football team. Steward: Mr D. Pearson Can I put out a call for you to dig out those old photos. Youngy did us proud at Tel: 01525-371322 the end of last season, but it doesn’t take long for the well to run dry, so your co- www.buzzardrugby.co.uk operation is much appreciated.

The views offered in this publication do Cheers not necessarily reflect official LBRFC opinion or policy. Tools

Former Players Lunch

29th October 2016

A gentle reminder of this event which prior to the home fixture with .

Tables of 10 or 12 are available and if you wish to take and fill one please contact Dave Pearson a.s.a.p. at the

club on 01525-371322 or contact him via email at [email protected]. Alternatively you can bag an individual spot, same routine applies. Cost is £13.00 per head.

As mentioned in the last one page edition, if you don’t get on a table then please don’t write the day off. Come down for the match and a couple of sherbets after.

Midlands Division 1 East 2016/2017– LBRFC fixtures 3rd Sep (A) 7th Jan Old Scouts (H) 10th Sep Newbold on Avon (H) 14th Jan Old Northamptonians (A) th st 17 Sep Northampton Old Scouts (A) 21 Jan Paviors (H) 24th Sep Old Northamptonians (H) 28th Jan Bugbrooke (A)

st th 1 Oct Paviors (A) 11 Feb Dronfield (H) 8th Oct Bugbrooke (H) 18th Feb Huntingdon (A) 22nd Oct Dronfield (A) 29th Oct Huntingdon (H) 4th Mar Ilkeston (H) 11th Mar (A) 5th Nov Ilkeston (A) 25th Mar (H)

19th Nov Kettering (H) th st 26 Nov Wellingborough (A) 1 Apr (H) 8th Apr Market Rasen & Louth (A) rd nd 3 Dec Lutterworth (A) 22 Apr Melton Mowbray (H) 10th Dec Market Rasen & Louth (H) 17th Dec Newbold on Avon (A) Kick off times typically 3pm Sep, Oct, Mar and Apr. 2.30 others ______Old Buzzards Newsletter - January 2016 P a g e | 1

Old Buzzards Newsletter August 2016 [email protected]

Johnny Wray’s birthday extravaganza!!! If you’re reading this the day it popped into your inbox then there are 7 or 8 days to go before the big man clips one wide of

square leg to reach his half century.

He has chosen Wright’s Meadow as the venue. If you need directions, you are a moron. Saturday 27th August the date from 7.30 pm onwards.

Season rewind – 1994/1995

This was the season which will always be fondly remembered by all those that watched it or played in it from 1st XV down to the 5ths and across to the Colts. Even the Vets, who would classify a match on the fourth pitch as an away game seemed to enjoy themselves though you’d never have guessed from looking at Ted Holmes and Terry Clancy.

Following a dispiriting 1993-94 when we were relegated from Division 1, the board was swept as Midlands Division 2 was won and the Bedfordshire and East Midlands Cups were both regained, and both against our keenest rivals Stockwood Park who inflicted our only League defeat.

On a pulsating last Saturday of the season ourselves and Broadstreet were locked together at the top of the table and as fate would have it, met each other at Wright’s Meadow. Broadstreet kindly gave up the 2nd XV home fixture to bring their three teams to Leighton. Kicking off before the main event, our 3rds and 2nds ran up handsome victories.

The match itself was unbearably tense. Before the match it was felt Buzzards mat be handicapped by the absence of Nick

Watkins who in the East Midlands Cup Final the previous Sunday had suffered a splosh of mud on his cheek. The specialists worked on him all week, but it was a race against time they were never going to win, so Mark Webster stepped forward to fill the number 10 jersey. His goal-kicking was eccentric to say the least but somehow the ball seemed to squirt its way over from the various trajectories in which Mark launched them. A late-ish penalty try awarded when Frippy seemed destined to score finally put enough daylight between the two sides and the title, promotion and the treble was won. A heady day indeed.

P W D L F A Pts Where are they this season? 12 11 - 1 210 131 22 - Level 6 Broadstreet 12 10 - 2 291 129 20 National 3 Midlands – Level 5 Stockwood Park 12 9 - 3 208 153 18 London 2 North West - Level 7 Hinckley 12 8 1 2 286 134 17 National 3 Midlands – Level 5

Belgrave 12 7 - 5 125 163 14 (South) – Level 7 Paviors 12 6 - 6 153 134 12 Midlands 1 East - Level 6 Matlock 12 5 1 6 170 176 11 Midlands 2 East (North) – Level 7 Athletic 12 5 - 7 177 204 10 National 3 Midlands – Level 5 Keresley 12 4 1 7 125 198 9 Midlands 4 West (South) – Level 9 12 5 - 7 162 177 8* - Level 6 12 3 - 9 149 242 6 Midlands 2 East (South) – Level 7

Newark 12 1 1 10 109 249 3 Midlands 2 East (North) – Level 7 Willenhall 12 2 - 10 98 273 2* (North) – Level 8

(Sutton Coldfield and Willenhall each had two points deducted)

Now in the midst of their inexorable rise, Worcester won the league above. One league below in Midlands East 1, Ampthill

finished 5th and Biggleswade 8th whilst Wellingborough were relegated. One level further down, were relegated from Midlands East 2 and three levels below us, Dunstablians finished 6th in East Midlands/ 1.

At the top of the tree Leicester won National Division 1 with Northampton relegated. The others in the top flight were: Bath, Wasps, Sale, Orrell, Bristol. Gloucester, Harlequins and West Hartlepool. Saracens won National 2 and Bedford emerged as winners of National 3. Perhaps the most spectacular fall since then has been suffered by Askeans from south east London. They were relegated from National 4 and now languish in Kent Division 2 at Level 10 of the League structure.

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Old Buzzards Newsletter August 2016 [email protected]

New subscribers A fairly small list this month. We now have Andy Walton on board, and if he answers my Facebook message, Liam Tiddy. That’s if he’s not too busy with his Harry Potter looky-likey work

Kind of sums the guy up ... Prior to calling for your memories of Dave Reeves that appeared in the last full edition I had contacted Meg to check she would be OK with me running with your stories. In replying to say she would be more than happy she provided a tale that merited a box of its own.

“When Dave had his first heart attack his heart stopped so the medics got it going again with jump leads. All of the doctors and nurses were trying to get Dave to respond to know his brain was OK, but without luck. I asked if I could speak to him which I duly did. I said “Dave, Dave, come on quick. The game is over and the boys are on their way in”. It bought an immediate response and we had Dave back for another 14 years. Thus I have a lot to thank the boys for (it quite amused the staff!)”

Rod & David Keating Family Club? Steve & Peter Mann A photo Mario & Simon Marrone One for the coaching CV eh Andy? You bet! Pete & Any Mason Following on from Pete Andy, Jack & George Micans Arthur’s LBRFC brothers list, Andy & Stuart Middleton he also produced a father Dave, Paul & Andy Miller and sons and in one case Dave, Jon & Jo Newton ,daughter: Hugh & Damian O’Kane Brian, Tom & James Pratt Dan & Will Batchelor Keith & Darren Prosser Dave & Gavin Beattie Robbie & Paul Robinson Nigel & Ben Beaumont Reg & Trevor Scourfield John & Matthew Bettle John, Richard & Steve Sear Kerry & Kerry Boyd Dave, Leigh & Carl Siddon Arthur, Ian & Neal Summerfield Paul & Jon Bussell Kevin & Tom Byard Giles & Oliver Tawell Henry & Greg Clark Marc & Ollie Taylor Eric & Russell Cohen Greg & Gareth Tibbs Steve & Leigh Draper Tom & Kevin Tift John, Ryan & Patrick Fraser Kevin & Zac Tift Chris & Patrick Garner Mike, William & Tom Turner Chris & Daniel Gibbons Alban & Nick Turney Bob & Steven Gillett Brian & Darran Valentine Stuart, Paul & Tony Gore Cliff & James Ward Dave & Andrew Hack Barry & Stuart Webb Pat & Frank Hawkins Andy, Peter & Jack White Kelvin & Steffan Healey Mike & Karl Williams Dick & Jon Henkes Dave, Bert, Berry & Buster Yirrell Ray & Calum Holmes Eddie & Paul Young Stuart & Ewan Irwin Chris & Sam Janes Olly & Andy Jenkins

Autumn International tickets. That’s all for now ... If you’re looking to put in an application through the club then Sorry folks but that’s the summer for you. By the time I’m afraid you’re too late the next issue is ready the season will be underway by which time my snitches should be fully active and the 6 Nations tickets stock of photos replenished somewhat so we should Not time for applications yet but will let you know as soon as be back somewhere close to the usual blockbuster 7 the time is right. or 8 pages.

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