World Cup qualifier a day to remember for RAF St Athan
Tales from the Bandroom volume three – Alan Bourne recalls when Wales played England in the World Cup and the band played the anthems
RAF St Athan Voluntary Band, like many of their colleagues in the brass band world, have been very fortunate to enjoy some fabulous experiences which would not usually come the way of individuals.
Back towards the end of the last century, Alan Bourne, conductor of the RAF St Athan Voluntary Band, took a phone call asking if the Band would be available to play the National Anthem at the Welsh Football Association Cup Final – between Hednesford Town and Hereford United at the old National Stadium in Cardiff.
Naturally, we were delighted to do so and, despite the rain, went on to become the first choice band for the FAW for the next twenty or so years.
The band has performed national anthems at the National Stadium, The Vetch, Cardiff Arms Park, The Racecourse, Anfield, Liberty Stadium, the Brewery Field, Rodney Parade and of course the Principality Stadium. We’ve played at World Cup qualification matches, European Cup games and friendlies against Azerbaijan, Poland, Croatia, Italy, Brazil, Eire, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Faroe Islands, Belgium, Cyprus, Romania, Luxembourg, Iceland – not forgetting, obviously, England – back on the 5th February 1991 Wales played England in a Friendly B international at Swansea’s Vetch Field.
It was so cold that two of the Band were carried off before kick-off with Hypothermia!
Just like the Six Nations, tensions in Wales run at their highest when we play the Old Enemy – England.
Back in 2005, Wales and England were drawn in the same World Cup qualifying group and on the September 3 were scheduled to meet for a crunch encounter for both teams.
Excitement, even amongst the band members, was rampant and tickets were at a premium.
We boarded the bus at St Athan and headed to Cardiff where road closures were already in place and the bars and clubs were bursting.
From the top of St Mary Street we were escorted by the biggest pair of police horses ever seen as the crowds parted before us – heading into Guildhall Palace it was like Moses at the Red Sea as the horses cut a path through the hoards to allow our bus to enter the bowels of possibly the greatest sports arena on the planet!
Parking our “bus” next to the England Team’s swish state-of-the-art luxury coach set the scene for the task in hand – we unloaded and formed up to rehearse with our guest vocalist for the Anthem – none other than Wales’ legend Bryn Terfel!
As soon as the introduction was confirmed, once through was all that was needed and we formed up to march onto the hallowed turf for Match of the Day, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Sospan Fach, Hymns and Arias and of course, a rousing chorus of Delilah – and then, from the tunnel, out came both teams – David Beckham, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard against Ryan Giggs, Rob Earnshaw, John Hartson and Gary Speed – this was going to be one epic match!
Preamble over, souvenirs and handshakes exchanged, out came Bryn (checking the introduction for a final time) – the Anthems.
For England, the Queen; and Wales, Hen Wlad Fy Nadhau, accompanied by an official crowd of more than 70,000 the noise was palpable.
As mentioned earlier, tickets were at an absolute premium for this game and the band had been inundated with offers of “help” (it was indeed a very large band on the field that day) and one of our guests wasn’t a musician at all – Sergeant Bob Smith was a drill instructor here at RAF St Athan – in charge of discipline and a role model to our trainees – desperate to see the game Sgt Smith volunteered as solo triangle player for the day and lined up proudly at the back.
Those of us who remember the introduction to TV’s Blackadder can still picture the scene to this day.
Wales went on to be beaten 1-0 after a 54-minute goal from Joe Cole, but my lasting memory from an incredible event was turning to watch the band march off with the phenomenal roar of the crowd reverberating through the stadium to see Bob, triangle in hand, with the biggest ear-to-ear grin ever seen!