Thanks to Kevin Clement who reminded me of my long absence from this page, it appears he still keeps in touch with what is going on through our website. I now have two readers!

Back in the days when flares were first fashionable, a mobile phone was a smashed up red booth, and music was about to embark on it’s greatest decade ignited by the cleansing influence of punk, I followed Phil down to Hurley in my ripped jeans. Having just finished University and not knowing what to do having got up for lunch one Sunday, I went to watch Phil at Old Pals. It was a decision that was to lock me into the club as scorer for the next 30 years and later Treasurer for what seems an eternity. Both these jobs I have found harder to loose than a teenager’s acne. But it was a time of legions, Ford, Feast, Scott, Barlow, Lehain and Tetlow. So it was sad to attend the memorial service in the village to Martin Tetlow who died recently. Martin will be remembered as a classy bat with a floppy white hat who enjoyed a pint or two both in the club and at the Dew Drop. It was gratifying to listen to the memories of the few old lags who travelled some distance to pay their respects, John Cobby, Gordon Ford, Kevin Clement and Mike Haines plus half a dozen of those still involved in the club and who trace their debuts back to the 70’s.

I hope England appreciate the efforts of those of us who made the sacrifice and decamped to Australia for the Ashes. Since then it has been like the immortal words of the Barmy army ‘He bowls to the left, he bowls to the right, Mitchell Johnson, your bowling is sh*te’. It was a great day though, final day at Sydney, only a few die hard Aussies and 5,000 English in 3 Bays. Not quite Agincourt, but it will do for me. Lets hope Darryn and Mike can assume the mantle of Henry V; once more into the breach guys. I hear our colts are showing promise at nets and one or two new seniors have appeared. Can I look forward to a more successful season, and hence a less grumpy one?