MADELEYCOLLEGE RE-UNION AT THE CLUB TODAY!
The group will be gathering at the Woodlands on Saturday to also celebrate the life of a local lad - Kirkham Grammar School, Fylde RFC, Madeley College and England Schools player, Clive Hughes, who was so tragically killed in a road accident near to the Nelson Hall Annexe of Madeley College, shortly after the semi-final.
Saturday, 15th March, will be an important day at the Woodlands. Fylde entertain Hull RUFC in National Two North (ko 15.00) on what is also Ladies Day at the Club. Additionally, the Woodlands Clubhouse will also play host to a reunion of players from the long gone Madeley College in Staffordshire. Madeley College of Education was built in 1961 in parkland formerly belonging to Madeley Manor. It had begun life in 1949 as Stafford Teacher Training College and was based at Nelson Hall at Cotes Heath, which had been built during the Second World War to house munitions workers working at the Royal Ordnance Factory at Swynnerton. 1974-75 was a rugby season those involved at the College will never forget. 50 years has gone by, almost to the day, since Madeley defeated Jordanhill College, at Fylde RFC, in the British Colleges Cup semi-final. Madeley would go on the win the BC Cup Final as well as the Staffs Cup that season. It is fitting that a number of players involved in that Cup semi-final - Tom Borthwick (capt), John Bishop, Frank McEveley, Chris Genders, Peter Smith and Peter Kennedy will be at the reunion. After winning the BC Cup, the squad that went on to Staffs Cup success was led by coach Eddie Robinson (who lives in USA) and captain Tom Borthwick. But why the semi final and holding a Rugby Reunion at Fylde RFC?
It is great to have members of the Hughes family attending on Saturday joining in the luncheon in honour of Clive along with close friends Norm Allen, Keith Aitchison and a former rugby teacher/guru Brian Gornall. Two other former Fylde players have associations with Madeley College - fly-half Steve Burnage and loyal player and official Steve Rigby. In 1976 Riggers was sufficiently foolish to be a talented footballer and it was a few years later when the scales dropped from his eyes and he switched to rugby!
The party sends sincere thanks to the Fylde club for allowing this event to take place on Saturday.
The Club is honoured to be hosting the luncheon.
www. fylderugby .co.uk
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