Police escort put us on glory road
ALL three of our Cup Finals appearances in the 1980s were memorable occasions – it was a very big deal back then, before the start of the Leagues – and the city would empty and travel en masse to Twickenham for a big day out in London.
When we reached our first final, against Leicester in 1983, we underestimated how big a deal it was and very nearly didn’t make it! On the morning of the match our coach got stuck in grid-locked traffic and with about an hour to go, we were still only at Kew Gardens.
Our secretary, Alan Ramsey, decided to jump off the bus and run as fast as he could to the nearest telephone box – there were no mobile phones in those days, of course – to inform the police of the situation. Within minutes, four police outriders appeared and closed off the road and escorted us down the other side and straight into the ground. In the rush, everyone forgot about poor old Alan and he was left behind.
The stewards on the turnstiles didn’t believe he was the secretary when he eventually made it to the ground all hot and bothered and he had to pay to get in. He just about made kick-off !
The worst build-up imaginable actually worked in our favour; it relaxed us all and we went out and defied our underdog status to beat Leicester in front of what was then a record crowd for a Cup Final.
The following year, we lost to Bath when Barnesy (Stuart Barnes) missed a kick to the right of the posts. I could have killed him for that! Bath were getting stronger and stronger at the time. Jack Rowell had built a fantastic side, without any weaknesses really, but we should have won. He’d normally have put that kick over in his sleep, but it wasn’t meant to be.
In ’88, against Harlequins, I went to the match knowing it would be my last in a Bristol jersey. We’d beaten Moseley in the semi-final after a really good performance and I decided to announce my impending retire
ment on a live TV interview. With it being the club’s centenary season and me leading out the side in my final game, the script was written for a perfect ending but, again, it wasn’t to be.
Quins surprised us by spinning the ball out wide early on and hit us with two quick tries. We spent the rest of the game playing catchup but just as we appeared to be getting on top, at 21-13 down, Simon Hogg had a drop-goal disallowed, which was critical really. The kick hit the crossbar and ended up behind the goal-line, so I don’t know why on earth it wasn’t given. I have a friendly go at Fred Howard, the referee on the day, about it every time I see him. We went on to lose 28-22.
Despite the defeat, there was never any thoughts about reversing my decision to retire. I started playing for Bristol at 16 and I was 31 at the time of the final. I had two young children and hardly ever saw them, especially during my captaincy and in the centenary season when I was out speaking at dinners and attending all sorts of functions. Something had to give, and I said to my wife that if she supported me through my testimonial year, I would quit. I don’t think she ever really believed me, but I kept my word.
I was a one-club man and only played for Bristol. In our days you didn’t move about quite as much. I went to St Brendan’s, a good rugby school and one of the best in its day, and we were fortunate to be taught by a Welshman called Elwyn Price who was very instrumental in the development of a lot of Bristol players.
I made my debut while I was still at school, aged 16. It was against Cwmbran, for the United. My first team debut was against Gloucester away. It wasn’t long after the sides had met in an ‘unfriendly’ game that ended 13-aside and it was another really tough game with no quarter asked nor given, and it opened my eyes to what men’s rugby was all about.
Dave Rollitt took me under his wing. He was an outstanding player and a great club man, and in time I got to learn all the tricks for myself. I loved every minute of playing for Bristol, at the time it was the most important thing in my life; we had a great team and great camaraderie as we were all great friends.
I was also fortunate to travel the world with England, touring Canada for five weeks with the U23s in 1977, going to Romania with England B in ’78 and then I made the senior squad for the tour to the Far East in ‘79. I played in games against Fiji, Japan and Tonga but unfortunately caps weren’t awarded for those games. Being involved with the majority of the side that went on to win the Grand Slam in 1980 was a great experience but with Bill Beaumont in my position and captain of the team, the odds were always stacked against me breaking through.
I stayed involved with the club as a director once I’d finished playing but now I just go and enjoy supporting the team. I love the new ground. There were plenty of good memories at the old one, but I am one of those people who say you’ve just got to move on.
“I was a one-club man... I started playing for Bristol aged 16 and loved every minute”