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Extracts
I have based this brief history on the records that have been consistently kept from the earliest days of the Club - the minutes of the Annual General Meeting. It is therefore likely to omit certain important topics that cropped up and died down again from one AGM to the next. It also omits all the interesting stories of what happened on the pitch and off, at home, away and on tour. This is probably just as well because I don't want to attract the attention of libel lawyers or cause strife between players and their wives and/or girl friends.
Only someone as old as John Langston can recall the very early days of Rugby being played at Mid Cheshire College of Further Education in 1963/64 but this story starts in 1965 when John Chappell, a lecturer at the College, thought he could form a Rugby club rather than play as a casual team. He gathered his players from Northwich students plus a strong contingent from the Runcorn/Widnes area and managed to play 18 games in the first season.
At the first AGM in May 1966 the secretary claimed that it had been a successful first season because they had won 6 games. For those interested in money matters the annual subscription was 10/- (50p) and the match fee was 1/6 (7.5p)
1966/67
The members of the Club start to flex their muscles at the end of their second season and suggest removing the word College from the Club title. This proposal, not surprisingly, does not succeed; for many years to come the continued existence of the Club will depend on the support of the College. John Chappell demonstrates great skill in persuading the College authorities to provide all the following services free of charge:
- a pitch at Moss Farm where the Nalfloc laboratory now stands
- changing rooms and showers at the College
- shirts and socks
- laundry of the shirts and socks
- balls and flags
- training sessions in the College gym
John also acts as coach, trainer, and referee for the home games.
There is some concern about the facilities provided for entertaining visitors after the home games. The solution is to approach the Coachman at Hartford for a room from 5:00pm; presumably the players were encouraged to change and shower slowly to fill in the time between the end of the game and opening time. There are other suggestions to deal with the problem but they are not adopted:
- ask the College canteen to supply sandwiches and tea
- ask girl-friends to supply refreshments on a rota basis (there aren't enough wives to rate a mention yet)
Players are starting to bring forward complaints that will occur again and again at future AGMs - players are not paying their annual subscriptions and they are arriving late for home and away games.
In spite of the complaints the players are looking to the future; the Club has applied to join the Cheshire RFU and the English RFU and will consider forming a 2nd XV as soon as the Club has 30 players (see 1972/73).
1967/68
The first request for a clubhouse comes up but John Chappell advises patience; there are limits to what he can squeeze out of the College. However the AGM squeezes John into the job of Vice-Chairman; this is puzzling because he is already Chairman but he is elected anyway. In an attempt to get more people involved in the Club off the field John promises to ask the College Principal - Mr Burrows - to become Club President. This is the last the Club records have to say about this gentleman.
The players are still arriving late for matches but the captain and vice-captain are made responsible for bringing water and oranges to the matches. Although the secretary dutifully records the resolution in the minutes of the AGM, the captain and vice-captain carry on as before and ignore the resolution.
1968/69
The Club asks John Chappell to arrange fixtures for a 2nd XV and with luck a team will become available. This is an unlikely way to acquire new players and no 2nd XV games take place as a result.
The organisation of the players from the Northwich end is becoming disorganised. This is presumably in addition to turning up late for games and not paying their annual subscriptions. In an attempt to tighten up the organisation, each player is required to inform the secretary of his address. The proposal to form a Club committee from volunteers might make a difference - if anybody would volunteer.
1969/70
The news at the AGM is that the Club will not be able to use Hartford Cricket Club next season for after match entertaining. Those who suffered in the old Hartford Cricket Club building realise what good news this is. The building was not ideal for entertaining in the depths of winter; it was practically unheated, the roof leaked, and on one occasion a visiting team left their beer on the bar because it was too cold to drink. The real winners in this move are the wives and girl friends who volunteered to cut up and serve sandwiches in the Siberian conditions.
The Club frequently moved from one venue to another as landlords and club stewards found reasons why we should take our business somewhere else. This was not because of rowdy or offensive behaviour. I guess that we were just unlucky.
1971/72
The College has to tighten up on organisations using the facilities and the Club has to pay for the training sessions as a regular course. There is talk of a brewery wanting to build a clubhouse on campus within the next two or three years.
John Chappell agrees to organise an Easter tour to Somerset or South Wales.
1972/73
The 2nd XV finally arrives but it takes 58 players to provide both teams. The 2nd XV shows tremendous team spirit - shorthand for 'they didn't play very well'.
Rumours of changes in the use of the original pitch at Moss Farm are denied but there will be a 2nd XV pitch on the College campus.
In view of the expanding fixture list, the Club will issue players with a professionally printed card.
1973/74
The Club is waiting for a reply from Cheshire RFU on our application to join - this was sent in 1967.
The Club colours are standardised to black shorts and gold socks. The colour of jerseys had earlier changed from the original maroon with one amber stripe to the now familiar all black.
Providing referees for two teams puts a lot of pressure on John Chappell, who is the only Club member who knows the rules. It is not surprising to find a proposal that the Club asks the referees' society to send a referee to our home 1st XV games.
1974/75
Derek Campbell, the College principal, agrees to become the Club's first President but the AGM considers a proposal to remove the word College from the Club title. It fails on the casting vote of the Chairman.
The first Easter tour visits South Wales and is highly enjoyable, although the people of South Wales don't record their views on the matter.
1976/77
For those with weak memories, the Club defines the standard colours as black shorts and gold socks. On the fund-raising side the organised dances raises over £1000 relatively easily.
1977/78
With 68 players appearing for the two teams, the Club is now considering a 3rd XV on a casual basis for next season in spite of the fact that only 28 players bother to pay the annual subscription.
1978/79
The 3rd XV plays 21 games in its first season and there is a general improvement in the organisation of the Club; a club coach is appointed and the first ever newsletter appears.
The dances at Winnington Park Recreation Club continue to raise useful amounts of money for the Club as does the newly-introduced 200 Club.
1979/80
This season the Club committee meets 11 times; this is more than in the previous 10 seasons combined. The 4th XV plays 22 games in its inaugural season but we lose the original pitch as Nalfloc builds its laboratory on it. The College authorities lay out an extra pitch on the campus but we can't have a clubhouse there; instead we are granted the use of the pitches and clubhouse at Moss Farm.
1980/81
The 5th XV forms and plays 15 games but the highlight of the playing year is the Cheshire Cup quarter final against Sale; we lose but show great spirit.
The long-running saga of the Moss Farm drinks licence starts and we give away beer for seven months until a report in the Sunday Express prompts a visit from the police who offer advice as to our future conduct.
The dances at the Northwich Memorial Hall raise about £2500 but only 18 people attend the AGM to hear the news; bad communications are blamed.
1981/82
Because the licence at Moss Farm is still not available, we use the Red Lion at Barnton for our after-match venue. Although the Memorial Hall dances make another £2500, the club's funds dive to only £1000.
After violent incidents the Memorial Hall contract is terminated.
1982/83
This is the most successful season ever as the Club wins the following achievements:
- wins the Winnington Park 75th anniversary 15-a-side tournament,
- reaches the Cheshire Plate final but loses to New Brighton
- P Clarke plays in the Cheshire District XV
- Keith Jones plays in the Cheshire U-21 side
- M Naylor, P Hudson, B James have trials with the Cheshire senior side
Although the 200 Club has folded, the 50 Club starts to raise funds for the Club.
It is the most successful season for sending off our players; four of them have an early shower.
1983/84
In another successful year the Club wins the Whitchurch 15-a-side competition and reaches the semi-final of the Cheshire Cup beating Winnington Park in the quarter-final. This year only two players are sent off.
Looking to the future the Club starts a junior team.
1984/85
Keeping up the recent standard the Club reaches the Cheshire Cup semi-final again and retains the Whitchurch 15-a-side trophy. T Wilding, A Pendleton, M Naylor play in the Cheshire B side and S Rufus plays in the Cheshire U-21 side.
The bar licence is still unavailable at Moss Farm.
Another attempt to remove College from the name of the Club fails.
1985/86
The Club holds the first Festival of Sport on August Bank Holiday and reaches the semi-final of the Cheshire Cup again.
1986/87
T Wilding and A Pendleton play in the Cheshire B side.
1987/88
Having been knocked out of the Cheshire Cup early on, the Club does the only decent thing and wins the Cheshire Plate competition.
1988/89
For the first time the Club reaches the final of the Cheshire Cup but loses to Lymm. However the licence at the Moss Farm clubhouse finally allows the players to have a drink immediately after games on Saturdays. After much physical and financial effort the training lights at Moss Farm come into use.
1989/90
In the 25th season the Club finally decides to change its name to Northwich RUFC from the start of the next season. The Club loses to Winnington Park in the semi-final of the Cheshire Cup. It is obviously the fault of the 1st XV pitch because it is bulldozed immediately afterwards to prepare it for the next 25 years of play with a level and well-drained surface.
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