1905-1906 ANECDOTES

NEW SEASON – NEW HOPES

After several months interregnum it was good to find oneself upon the Recreation Ground again on a Saturday afternoon to watch once more a rousing Rugby match, and round the barriers fervent hopes were expressed that the season would be a good one, and that the weather would be kind to devotees of the winter pastime. The turf was looking in splendid condition, and there was a hearty burst of cheering when the rival teams representing Taunton and Bath took possession of the spacious well kept arena.”

BATH CHRONICLE 29/9/1905

Goal Kicking in Rugby

Personally, I am far from being satisfied that sufficient attention is being paid in local Rugby circles to the converting of tries into goals. Again and again in the records of the Bath Club and junior Bath teams, it will be found that no goals have accrued in matches, although the local sides have scored several times. Now this is not as it should be, for goal kicking is an absolutely essential part of the game, and the side which is deficient in this respect must lose much thereby. I go further, and say that when playing at home a side should, in the absence of a gale, or sloppy conditions, place at least seven goals in 10 from tries. Each side should possess a recognised ‘convertor’ who should make it his duty to practise goal-kicking from every conceivable angle, and then when he is called upon at a crisis he will be able to do his team a good turn. Tom White was a rare man in this respect, and the Bath Club have had remarkably few conversions since he went to the North. I trust the captain will give an eye to this, and see that one or two of the likely kickers indulge in the required practice.”

BATH CHRONICLE 6/10/1905

What is the Best Training

“One who is interested in training”writes me: “In view of the showing up the Bath XV received at the hands of Pontypool last Saturday, I think it would be desirable for the team to indulge in a more systematic method of training than that at present adopted. It is practically never the case that all the players are on the Recreation Ground training together, some never turn up at all, and there is very little system about what is done. While I am aware that training for cross-country purposes and for football cannot be similar, at the same time I hold that if the players wish to keep their ‘wind’ sound, they must indulge in more running exercise. I do not suggest that road-runs should be indulged, but should strongly advise the players to take several sharp spins round the field just inside the football barriers on training nights. If they were to do this I am certain on Saturdays they will last better, and defeats by such a margin as 22 points would not be their portion.”

“I command the consideration of the point raised by my correspondent to the notice of those who supervise the Bath training exercises.”

Eleventh Hour Players

“It is in connection with the hunting up of reserves required at the eleventh hour that a match secretary is useful, and I have always thought it quite intolerable that any captain should be expected to rush all over the place to fill up vacancies an hour or so before the kick-off in a home match or before the train starts for an out-fixture. This is no part of a captain’s duty, and I have known some fling up their office rather than do it. The services of a match secretary should be invoked in the case of an unavoidable vacancy, and then after a short ‘confab’ with the captain, he should start off on his wanderings. Such eleventh hour vacancies are occasionally bound to occur, but I am firmly convinced the only proper course to pursue with regard to the player who often leaves his side in the lurch, is to permanently dispense with his services, even if he be of county or international rank. Casual players are only a source of weakness; that is a point both players and officials are absolutely united upon. Such players can only detract from the combination of the side, while, moreover, the regular members look askance at their presence, and not infrequently friction follows, the end of which none can foresee. Finally, it may be remarked, the team who duty in out matches should also be called upon at home; otherwise gross injustice is perpetrated.”

BATH CHRONICLE 13/10/1905

Harmony at the Crown Hotel

“A musical sub-committee of the Bath Football Club Executive Committee have arranged a high-class smoking concert to be held at headquarters on Monday next at 8 p.m. I am informed that an excellent programme of vocal and instrumental talent has been arranged, and the items provided will be of a description to please everyone, and offend none. In my opinion nothing is more calculated to assist in cultivating friendly relations between members, the committees and players than such convivial gatherings, if conducted on such lines as the proposed one.”

BATH CHRONICLE 27/10/1905

FOOTBALL NOTES (Extract)

Six Hundred Playing Weekly

The Bath Herald had recently published 130 Soccer and Rugby results – which was a record.

District games amounted to 10 rugby and 14 soccer teams in action, which represented 522 active local footballers on a Saturday. If Hockey was added, a total of near 600 young fellows weekly were making the most of football and it’s sister game. Thursday matches were also on the increase.

BATH V CLIFTON

Bath v Clifton is one of the oldest fixtures in England. The Clifton Club was formed in 1872, and one of the earliest names associated with it was that of a gentleman who is now a magistrate in the city of Bath. In 1874 it is on record that Clifton defeated Bath by 4 goals 5 tries and 12 ‘touches’ to nil, and, in the return at Bath by 4 goals 9 tries and 15 ‘touches’ to nil.”

CHRONICLE REPORT 10/2/1906

An article reported on a perceived lack of rugby headway in the West, and loss of players to the professional Association game. Bristol City had been promoted to the First Division, and soccer clubs in the West outnumbered rugby clubs by five to one. There was concern to nurture the rugby game through the Bristol and Bath Rugby Schools Leagues. At Bath schools, rugby still predominated, but Bristol youth were attracted by the continuing success of their ‘City’ and ‘Rovers.’ It was difficult to maintain Rugby interest after age fourteen, as there was no intermediate rugby before senior club selection.

At Senior level, there was a suggestion of a Club, rather than a County Championship. The interested clubs were:-

FROM SOMERSET –  Bath, Bridgwater Albion, Bridgwater.

DEVONSHIRE –Exeter.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE – Bristol, Cheltenham and Lydney.

Adapted from CHRONICLE REPORT 17^TH March 1906 on Schoolboy Rugby.

An England International Trial had taken place at Gloucester on the previous Saturday. Bath were represented by forwards Parsons and Hingston, and scrum half Vowles. All three had splendid games and Vowles was a crowd favourite. “ – three of the tries being directly due to good work at the scrum by this diminutive boy. In addition, he was in the thick of every rush. Unfortunately for his English cap, he had to compete with Hives, of Leicester (not playing through illness), a strapping boy who saved England from a heavy defeat last year at the hands of Wales.” Upon selection, Vowles was nominated as Reserve, but Parsons was successful and lined up to play against Wales on April 7^th. He was the first Bath boy to get an International cap.

19/5/1906

REPORT on AGM of BATH SCHOOLS UNION

Continued progress reported after the second year since foundation, with an encouraging improvement in playing standards. The number of schools participating had increased from five to eight. In some cases it had helped to amalgamate players, where individual schools were unable to form a full team. The City had been represented at England Trials and in an International match.

East Twerton had been far and away, the best rugby playing school.

Messrs Hodges and E F (Eddie) Simpkins were thanked for their services. Following the appointment of Mr. Hodges, as Vice Chairman of the England Schools Union,

Mr.W J Arnold had joined the Committee.