Hi Folks
Normally at this time of year I would be mincing the pies, mulling the wine and dusting off the old organ for a verse or two of the politically incorrect Rudolph the red nosed reindeer version - thanks to my old pal Butch Martin - at the Christmas party. However thanks to the China virus none of this will take place this year as again we are back in a more or less lockdown situation.
So there will be no rugby or any social activity before January but at least the promise of mass vaccination will be with us in the Spring so I urge you all from the youngest mini player running round with Daddy’s jock strap over his head to good old Rog Smith our OLM (oldest living member) to hang on in there, as when it is over we will aim to have the biggest party ever seen at the club to celebrate not only our return to normality but also the lives of those that we have lost over the period.
In the last newsletter I pointed out all that has gone on at the club despite the lack of rugby so I do not really need to repeat that. For the seniors it is fantastic to see such a great coaching team bringing together a talented squad of local lads to do battle. The junior and mini sections continue to thrive despite the stop start nature of the season and all the bad press that rugby seems to be getting at the moment … which of course given the woke society we live in is highly exaggerated! In some academics eyes it seems they think it’s better to stand around smoking drugs and playing unimaginably violent computer games in the sanctity of darkened rooms than to get a bit of exercise and healthy contact with comrades you will make lifelong friendships with on the playing fields of England ... we must not let them have their way. Rugby is and always will be a force for good and at nurseries such as Letchworth the coaching and player care is of the highest standard ... end of rant!
So I trust we will resume on field activities sometime in January and I wish you one and all a Merry (as much as it can be) Christmas and a return to normality in the next year.
Toodle pip
El Prez
Appendices
- Letchworth Lionesses
We would like to thank David Glennie of Voodoo Park trust in becoming the ladies main sponsor. It is fitting that his company supports entrepreneurial women in society in a number of ways and we look forward to a long relationship with his company.
Letchworth Lionesses are the latest addition to the growing number of teams at Letchworth Rugby Club. The team, which recently played its first competitive game under the ready 4 rugby format, was only formed in July this year. Starting as a rugby fitness group, they have now blossomed into the Lionesses squad aiming to play competitive rugby early in the New Year.
Sat 12th Dec was an amazing event with the team exceeding all expectations playing against two experienced teams from Shelford Rugby club. Letchworth scored first and last during the afternoon, showing great skill and commitment matching Shelford all the way. Shelford ran out winners on the day but the Lionesses did themselves proud.
Coach Nick Winwood said “Despite much of the team never having played before the team has come a huge way in skill, knowledge and have bonded amazingly as a team. As coaches we could not be prouder of the performance today".
Anyone wishing to come and try the game and join this fledgling team training is 7:30-8:30 every Wednesday.
Not to be outdone the senior men sent over two sides to Shelford and played several very competitive touch matches with their Shelford counterparts who play in London 1. Head coach Baz Basra was well satisfied with his charges performance and it gave some welcome practice before the truncated league programme commences in the New Year … just when remains the question!
- Peter Marsden
We believe that Peter’s funeral will be on the 7th of January and are hoping to provide a guard of honour at the club as the cortege passes by on the way to the crematorium. Details will follow.
Peter Marsden 1956-2020
It is with immense sadness that I have to announce the passing of one of my oldest pals at the club Peter Marsden. An immense character and true legend who was involved with the running of the club for over 40 years.
I remember Peter’s first appearance at the club in the late seventies complete with CAMRA t-shirt, braces and flat cap. Myself or more likely Bubbles dubbed him the original young old fogey! Peter’s great organisational skills came to the fore in the next few years with the legendary Mars Bar fourth team which enjoyed great success both on and off the field. Although playing at the lower end of the rugby spectrum Peter (and indeed his friend Burt Cordy who joined the club at the same time) was an extremely useful citizen to have in your second or back row and could dispense summary justice if necessary on the pitch. Ask Mr Lunnon about the Stockwood Park incident with the monster known as Garth! Once his playing days were over Peter became very much involved in organising social activities for club members. There were great trips to London shows and also the coaches to Sarries with the legendary buffet which Peter and Rose spent hours preparing.
It must of course be mentioned here that Pete’s first love (apart from Rose!) was the great summer game and he was a dyed-in-the-wool traditional cricket lover relishing a dank day at Chelmsford with 20 other diehards watching an Essex county match. For years he was a mainstay at that great local side the Cricketers, now sadly defunct, and myself and Ade Eastwell could find ourselves recruited for the odd Sunday game for the seconds. I can never actually remember winning but the teas were fantastic! Likewise he organised several tours to Bideford which were great fun and Digger and Ade’s performance of Smith and Jones monologues will be long remembered by those there.
In the midst of all these sporting activities Peter had found time to court and marry Rose in what proved to be an immensely happy union producing two fine sons in Matt and Luke of whom their old man was so proud. All sharing a love of cricket, myself and Peter often talked about the lads talent at the bar on a Sunday morning and the pride shone through. Recently Pete had taken over the chairmanship of Ickleford Cricket Club where the boys both play and with his well honed organisational skills was giving it the weaponry for on field success.
Following an illness some twenty five years ago Peter approached the club about taking over the running of the bar in a franchise deal, one of the first to be done in the country. It was not before time as following Ade Eastwell’s tenure the voluntary system was proving a disaster with a gross profit of only 14%! Peter took on the challenge and over nearly twenty years took away the whole hassle of running this area of the club, producing regular gross margins of 55% and making a real contribution to the club coffers as well as providing an income for himself.
It would take forever to go through the Dinners, Balls, Weddings, Wakes and other functions organised at this period but let’s just say in a standard Letchworth remark ... the club was buzzing, and this off field success brought success on the pitch with promotions to London 1. On top of this Pete also started to run his now legendary Sportsman Dinners involving people who might not always come to the club, especially local cricket clubs. Goochy, Tommo and Merv Hughes from the world of cricket ... Neil Back, Deano and John Devereux from the world of rugby were amongst a galaxy of stars who appeared at Legends Lane over the past two decades. It is a tradition we will be determined to keep going in his memory once these present days return to some sort of normality.
Then there was Marsbar the personality ... the gentle (or sometimes biting!) humour, the great bonhomie he engendered and his great friendships with Terry (head boy Masters), Ming, Bert, Ade, Nicholas George, Digger, Lunnon, Boof, Boss, Kitey and myself and so many more. He was also a mean squash player and was still playing last year and had a love of the turf ... especially the lesser frequented tracks such as Huntingdon or Towcester, and Rose’s birthday was usually celebrated with a trip to the races just days after Christmas. This would be followed by a meal at The Raven, his favourite haunt on the way home. Simple pleasures for a far from simple man! And of course the deceptively light feet on the dance floor ...
It was typical of Pete that he wanted to keep his recent operation out of the public domain ... he wanted no fuss and only Rose and the boys knew. To say that the whole club is shocked and in mourning is an understatement given the outpouring of grief in the past twenty four hours. Cards to Rose and the boys can be sent to:
23 Coppice Mead
Stotfold
Hitchin
Herts
SG5 4JX
Funeral details will no doubt follow and in these Covid times numbers will be limited, but there will probably be a live streaming.
In the meantime all we can do is send our love and best wishes to Rose and the boys ... remember all the great times that Pete was responsible for and the man himself, a true legend among the legends family.
BB
