Our History

The Sixties (part 2)

The Sixties were to witness an important change in the history of Monmouth RFC.  During its long history, Monmouth had many headquarters which included the YMCA in Agincourt Square, The White Swan, The King’s Head, the Punch House and the Nelson Rooms.  However, Monmouth were to achieve their own home in 1969.

In 1960/61 there were changes in the administration of the club.  Former London Welsh forward, George Coates was appointed secretary.  He had been playing for the club since his appointment to teach at Monmouth Secondary in 1953.  When he took over the ‘lean’ years had resulted in a bank balance of just £36.  The lean financial years had been overcome very much due to the efforts of the players themselves, activated by a good committee.  The players thought nothing of providing their own kit: laundering it, using their own transport and paying when it had to be hired: making donations themselves and generally ensuring that that the club carried on. This glimpse of the past must seem strange to many today, who have seen professionalism becoming a part of the game and newspapers carry the headlines that clubs have gone into administration and cancelled all their fixtures.

In 1969, a major step was the buying of the old Druid’s Head pub, which had stood empty for a period of time.  Finance was arranged thanks to the WRU and Ministry of Sport.  Chairman Eric Meredith was a builder and all the trades required were within the club to transform the old pub.  There was a small upstairs lounge, kitchen, dining room; downstairs main bar, changing room, showers. Also, an outside toilet which was not demolished till 1984 as supposedly it was ‘listed’ as it was built of ‘Monmouth brick’!  The transformation of the pub into a clubhouse was achieved by the efforts of numerous members of the club. Too many to list, but they deserve the plaudits of future members.  The foundation they laid was built upon in the 80’s and current century. The officials during this period were:

President Alderman Ben Breakwell; Chairman Eric Meredith; Vice Chairman Bernard Davies; Secretary George Coates; Assistant Sec Peter Chubb; Treasurer Bill Sparkes; Assistant Treasurer Ian Nicholls; Fixture Sec Malcolm Young; Players’ Sec Chris Roche.  Committee: Mike Brown, Bob Croudace, Vic Hicks (who was later to be recognised for the 28 years he played for the club), Ken Howells, Ken Morgan (whose ‘secret’ liniment soothed many a sore injury) Harry Ward, Harry Pritchard, Keith Symonds, I Tyler and John Wigmore.  Many of the above had been involved with the club from the fifties and some continued to be involved well into the end of the 20th century and even into the 21st.

In the sixties, players who had achieved notable rugby careers further afield returned to the Monmouth Club.  As well as Ian Bowen and Bob Morgan, Ivor Berry and Richie Wills returned to bolster the club on the field and later as members of the committee.  In 1969 a young 18-year-old, Tommy Alexander was to be the top scorer with 75 points in his first season for the 1st XV.  Tommy continued to play for Monmouth in the 70’s. Sadly, Tommy passed away this year after a long fight against cancer.

The Welsh Rugby magazine remarked - in 1969 – “Confident of the future, 1sts, 2nds, and 3rds, played last year, the fruits of the early Youth policy are beginning to pay off”.  The seventies were to witness some memorable occasions.