Old Yardleians Rugby Football Club

The increased number of teams necessitated bricking in the external veranda section of the clubhouse to form three extra changing rooms.

Yardley School still provided a few faces. Nigel Hough, a hooker until his knees gave out and Martin Cullen who starred at fly half or full back joined in 1968.  Both were later to play a large part in the administration of the club. Hilton Smith, who captained the club from 1982 to 1984, arrived a year later.

Club Captain Dave Collen represented OYs on a COBs Tour to Cornwall playing against Cambourne and Penrith. Dave introduced the new idea of complex line out calls into OYs repertoire, slightly puzzling considering Keith Davies was the only  forward over six feet tall.

Initially, quantity did not affect quality as the First XV only won four of their thirty four games, but things did improve. In 1968-69 they won seventeen out of thirty five,  the next seasons total of sixteen wins and two draws from thirty five games included the defeat of Camp Hill 11-3. This gave us our first win over the old enemy since 1951.

After nursing the club through a difficult transition, the Treasurer, Reg Singer, and Arnold Lancaster, who had been the clubs auditor for many years, retired in the May of 1969.  Dennis Horne and Les Cox were made Life Members.  Les having completed nine years as Chairman was replaced by Hadyn Samuel, the first non-Old Yardleian to hold the post.

Mr. Jenkins was made a Life Member when he relinquished his position as President and retired as Head of Yardley School.  His successor, Mr. R.Fulton, was duly elected as President of the club.

Reg Singer started  up a 100 Club raising 300 p.a. which is still running today.

In June 1970 we accepted Scottish and Newcastle Brewerys offer of 1,250 to switch from Watneys Beers and this enabled the clubhouse to be redecorated.

The Start of Thirty Years of  Regular Easter Tours

Pembroke was the venue in 1971 for the first of a series of highly enjoyable Easter Tours.  The long coach journey into Wales was interrupted by unscheduled stops to allow gentle retching from travel-sick youngsters Dickie Williams and Steve Sidwell.  Half way there, Billy Davis was fed up with this and proceeded to demonstrate, by poking his fingers down his throat, how to do it properly.  The resultant rush of beer, sandwiches and of course carrots, made everybody on the coach feel unwell.

 Sidwells striking yellow T-shirt was removed and transferred, suitably inscribed in marker pen with the occupants name, to the next person to be ill.  This practice continued throughout the weekend.  The fact that on tour the amount of alcohol consumed in four days is more than in the previous month explains the upset in the delicate balance of the digestive system.

 At the end of the tour the last person wearing the yellow jersey was allowed to keep it with the proviso that he supply a new yellow shirt for the next tour. Every other name on the list was Pembo, alias Tony Pemberton, thus on subsequent tours, a mythical trophy the Pembo Cup was awarded to the person who was sick the most times.