A woodbine and a match...

The good-natured P, a comrade-in-arms in the noble and worthy cause of supporting the mighty Gloucester club, brought a pair of old rugby programmes to the game on Saturday. He’d mentioned them to the equally good-natured D recently in a conversation about old rugby ‘n’ stuff and scanned ‘em and emailed ‘em to me earlier tonight. I believe the matches, both in 1947, were among the first P’s father, who still follows the cherry-shirted fellows avidly, attended as a lad. As slices of history and pieces of memorabilia for those that admire all things Kingsholm, these programmes are rather wonderful. It is tremendous to gaze on the illustrious names in black and white, Morris, Hook, Day, Hudson et al, heroes of a different and less complicated age and poignantly reflect on an amateur era when donning the famed hoops meant nothing about money, sponsorship and endorsements but everything about personal integrity, representing the dreams of a grateful city and making your workmates and families proud. Have a look for yourself. A humble click with your loyal mouse shall enable the pictures to grow magically. Those were more honest and thrilling sporting times methinks and I salute them.