1976-1977 ANECDOTES

1976-1977 ANECDOTES

Tom Hudson, Director of Sport at Bath University was an early influence on playing aims and strategies. Following on from last season’s improved results, he maintained that a team could not realistically expect to win every game, but should plan ahead, targeting certain games for fielding the strongest team. To this end, a Squad system should be introduced: “What you really have to do is to win the games that really matter and win something big.”
The Merit Table games and the John Player Cup, were therefore to be their prime targets.

MANCOM 19/7/1976
After a discussion in which certain committeemen had expressed reservations, there was a formal proposition for the formation of an Executive Committee, to be given a trial for the 1976-77 season. The composition was to be as follows:-
Club Chairman,
Honorary General Secretary,
Honorary Treasurer,
1st XV Captain,
Honorary Fixture Secretary,
Plus the Chairmen of each Sub-Committee.

Subscriptions to be increased by 50p, excepting Players and Vice Presidents.
The Vice Presidents’ minimum subscription to be £11.
After a proposition by W Walworth seconded by E H G Hughes, Mrs Pat Hall was elected Honorary Team Secretary of the United XV.

MANCOM 18/8/1976
John Cousins to be Chairman of the Playing Committee.
News that Jack Rowell, formerly of Gosforth had offered his services as a Coach and he had been accepted.
Mr John Roberts agreed to arrange for fertilizer and weed killer for the Recreation ground.
Arrangements had been made with Bovis Group for hire of a pump to water the ground from the river.

MANCOM 24/11/1976
The Secretary reported that the present system of managing the club through the Executive Committee, was not working. It was resolved that the Management Committee should meet once a month to conduct the Club’s business. However, the proposal that the Executive Committee be disbanded was not carried.

MANCOM 14/3/1977
Mr David Robson thanked for a great effort to obtain match sponsors.
Mr. L J Newton announced details of an ADDIDAS kit sponsorship deal over the next three years.
Messrs L Harter and H Fiddes reported a vast improvement in Youth XV performances.
Philip Hall had been appointed Captain of the United XV.

THREE VERSUS EIGHT IN THE SCRUM.
“A Bath side ravaged by an extraordinary crop of injuries, produced one of the bravest displays I have ever seen on a rugby field last night at Ebbw Vale.” (John Stevens- Bath Chronicle)
“They lost no fewer than five players, had to play for more than half the game with 13 and sometimes only 12 men despite using both their replacements, but still managed to score three splendid tries in the last quarter.
No wonder they were given a standing ovation by a generous Welsh crowd. Seldom can any side have suffered quite so cruelly but responded so courageously.
They were on a hiding to nothing from the third minute when scrum-half Nicholls was carried off on a stretcher with a pinched spinal nerve and Lye had to switch from back row to replace him.
Prop forward Spaven came on as substitute flanker and could not have dreamed that before half-time he would have to hook instead!
For in the course of ten minutes before the interval, Palmer suffered a pulled hamstring and Mason went off to hospital to have stitches in a badly gashed head.
Chris Bird came on as the second sub but with Pudney also pulling a thigh muscle and going off just after the restart and young Smith also with a gashed head, going on and off the field at intervals, Bath’s well-laid plans were in a shambles
If they had given up the ghost completely, one could hardly have blamed them; in fact they went down in a blaze of glory against a Vale side who were also affected by the Bath injuries, though in a very different way.
What in the early stages had looked a razor-sharp outfit capable of cutting the best to pieces, lost their appetite and organisation and one was witness to the remarkable sight of Bath packing with only three forwards, winning set scrum ball from a full eight.”
Roger Hill had a remarkable debut game and other pack heroes were Meddick, Spaven, Jenkins, Wheeler and Harry. Lye did well as a makeshift scrum half and kept Horton well supplied with good ball. The makeshift three-quarter line, particularly Waterman, responded magnificently.
There were three good tries from Horton, Smith, and Townsend.

Chronicle Headline:- FEEBLE BATH ARE HUMILIATED BY GLOUCESTER
Indeed, it was Bath’s heaviest defeat of the season, and quite a shock after the heroics of the previous week. John Stevens described the performance as little short of pathetic, half-hearted, fifth rate etc., where soft tries were gifted away by a non-existent defence. “Seldom, in fact, have I ever seen a Bath side so utterly lacking in any sort of fighting spirit. They gave up at the slightest obstacle and at times looked almost disinterested.”

THREE VERSUS EIGHT IN THE SCRUM.
“A Bath side ravaged by an extraordinary crop of injuries, produced one of the bravest displays I have ever seen on a rugby field last night at Ebbw Vale.” (John Stevens- Bath Chronicle)
“They lost no fewer than five players, had to play for more than half the game with 13 and sometimes only 12 men despite using both their replacements, but still managed to score three splendid tries in the last quarter.
No wonder they were given a standing ovation by a generous Welsh crowd. Seldom can any side have suffered quite so cruelly but responded so courageously.
They were on a hiding to nothing from the third minute when scrum-half Nicholls was carried off on a stretcher with a pinched spinal nerve and Lye had to switch from back row to replace him.
Prop forward Spaven came on as substitute flanker and could not have dreamed that before half-time he would have to hook instead!
For in the course of ten minutes before the interval, Palmer suffered a pulled hamstring and Mason went off to hospital to have stitches in a badly gashed head.
Chris Bird came on as the second sub but with Pudney also pulling a thigh muscle and going off just after the restart and young Smith also with a gashed head, going on and off the field at intervals, Bath’s well-laid plans were in a shambles
If they had given up the ghost completely, one could hardly have blamed them; in fact they went down in a blaze of glory against a Vale side who were also affected by the Bath injuries, though in a very different way.
What in the early stages had looked a razor-sharp outfit capable of cutting the best to pieces, lost their appetite and organisation and one was witness to the remarkable sight of Bath packing with only three forwards, winning set scrum ball from a full eight.”
Roger Hill had a remarkable debut game and other pack heroes were Meddick, Spaven, Jenkins, Wheeler and Harry. Lye did well as a makeshift scrum half and kept Horton well supplied with good ball. The makeshift three-quarter line, particularly Waterman, responded magnificently.
There were three good tries from Horton, Smith, and Townsend.

SPONSORSHIP HERE TO STAY
Bath finances profited from the introduction of formal sponsorship arrangements. The local derby with Bristol in March, was the first fixture to be fully supported by a local business, in this case, a local stockbrokers firm. In fact, they provided for a new set of jerseys as well as bearing the staging costs.
Arrangements had become sufficiently organised for the fixtures with Newport and Llanelli to be similarly sponsored. As a supplementary arrangement, sponsorship for the provision of the match ball was regularly taken up. The Club finances had already profited by somewhere in the region of £1000 by these enhancements.
Another businessman had donated a set of tracksuits. Bad weather had reduced overall takings, and this injection of funds was most welcome from its inception.
A note of appreciation here, for the Honorary Committee members, who worked hard to develop the many Club and Business partnerships.
Big trees from little acorns grow!