Try scorer; Glyn Barrett

Back in Time With Covents

1981/82

After a 1st round bye in The Warwickshire Cup, Covents played Harbury away in the 2nd round losing 12-0 on Sunday 8th November 1981.

1982/83

On the 3rd October 1982 Covents played Berkswell & Ballsall at home winning 14-0 with a try from Julian Brooks (other scorers unknown) and in the next round beat Old Warwickians at home 13-6 on the 7th November with a try from Chris Smith (other scorers unknown).

Suddenly Covents could smell Coundon Road and they were drawn at home again in the next round against soon to be rulers of local rugby and cup winners in 1984 & 1987 Barkers Butts. The tie was played at Kirby Corner Rd on Sunday 5th December 1982 in front of a large crowd including a sizeable contingent from Barkers.

Covents had a strong side out featuring an U-21 hooker from Notts Lincs & Derby, speed merchant Jack Heggarty and a Warwick Uni chap (Simon?) who played first class rugby and partnered Geoff Benny at 2nd row.

So it was the same old story - Barkers turned up expecting to cruise to an easy victory and were shocked by a ferocious Covents team that smashed them up front, pushing them back in scrums, chasing and tackling everything. Covents were fighting every step of the way and Julian Brooks recalls this also happened several times among the forwards too! Covents score came from a pushover try by the Welshman, No 8 Glyn Barrett. Some game changing skullduggery occurred when Butts scrum half Steve Hall used his knees at the base of the scrum on opposite number Red Brown, breaking several ribs and forcing Brown off the pitch and down to A&E courtesy of Bob Banks (here was me thinking Red a hard Yorkshireman ....)

Jack Heggarty was moved to scrum half and Mick OSullivan from back row to centre. This allowed the quicker Butts three quarters a way through and the game was lost 22-4. So it was not to be but Butts certainly knew they'd been in a game and after a long soak in a hot bath the beer flowed and songs rang out long into Sunday night as Covents did what they do best.

My thanks to Red Brown and Julian Brooks for dredging their memory and supplying me with details of the match. I'd like to say the same to Glyn Barrett too but his reponse was, 'I don't remember a thing about it Mick. 29 years ago? F * * * me, I can't remember 29 minutes ago!

Red Brown

1978/79

Continuing our look back at Covents Warks Cup record and notable performances we reach the season after the Newbold heroics and draw Sutton Coldfield at home. The game was played on 1st October 1978 and we lost 71 - 3 with Bob McArthur slotting our points. The one good thing to come from this game was the bar takings .... (remember, 4 points for a try back then)

1978/80

The following season another home tie and a much closer defeat this time 19 - 3 against Old Silhillian on the 7th October 1979. Bob McArthur again with our points.

1980/81

And so to the 1980/81 campaign and another one of Covents heroic defeats. On the 5th October 1980 we were drawn away to the oldest side in Coventry, Trinity Guild who at the time, played on the Memorial Park and socialised in their clubhouse opposite in Coat of Arms Bridge Rd. The game was an epic and we were beaten narrowly 3 - 0. The competition didn't end there though and ex scrum-half, captain, president (and famous upside down drinker) of Covents Pete 'Red' Brown takes up the story;


In the days of the Guild being a good side, the game was a classic at the Memorial Park with a twice taken drop goal in the second half from their baldy full-back who coached the Nuns later. We shocked them. They had Thumper Dingley, Les Bend etc playing for them and we ripped them apart in their Nissan Hut of a clubhouse after the match. We were on top form and I was challenged to an upside down drinking competition against the world champion who was, I believe, in the Guinness Book of Records. I thought it was a joke and that they would simply pour beer down my trouser legs so I tucked my trousers in my socks and tied them up with my shoes laces.

Steve English assured me, however, that it was genuine. My head was rested on a beer towel; the guy was chaired in shoulder high with flag bearers (corner flags!). He got upside down, the whistle went and I beat him hands down. In the jubilation, my 2 leg holders (Hodgy and someone else) simply dropped me on the floor as they ran around the hut screaming and whooping for joy. We burst into the "Coventrians" song whilst this guy was sat shame-faced in the corner of the clubhouse.

My thanks to Red for that - if only they'd handed out medals for drinking and singing back in the day, we would have topped any league! (Mick W)

1977/78

Warks Cup Quarter-Final v Newbold RFC Sunday 13th Nov 1977.

Back Row: Bob Law, Dick Griffiths, Adam Elliot-Smith, Reg Pringle, Jeff Benny, Dave Elkerton (capt), Bob Carter-Hounslow, Glyn Barrett, Nick Norris. Front Row: Phil Hodge, Spanner Lindon, Mick Smith, John Coombes, John Wilson, Jeff Platt, Brian Manley, Kevin Parker. Click on photo to enlarge. (look carefully and you will see a natty sheepskin, a Parka and Geoff Giles next to a TR7 in the background)

Following the recent Covents heroics in the second team cup I thought we would look back in time at other notable blue and white cup rugby performances starting with a great Warwickshire Cup run in the 1977/78 season which culminated in a titanic quarter final tussle.

On the 18th September 1977 Coventrians beat Cov Tech away 24-0 with tries from Jeff Platt 2, Dick Griffiths, Mick Smith and Spanner Lindon. Bob McArthur (a 2nd row) kicked 2 conversions.

The next round was against Harbury scheduled for the 2nd October 1977 but they conceded due to injuries.

On the 23rd October 1977 Covents played Southam at Kirby Corner Rd (home) and won 21-3 with tries from Jeff Platt, N. Birch and Spanner Lindon. Dick Griffiths sent 3 conversions and a penalty over.

So to the quarter final tie at home to Newbold on Sunday 13th November 1977. This was 10 years before league rugby but Newbold were still considered as a giant. The Coventry Evening Telegraph provided the following report on the game under the headline BRAVE FIGHT.

Coventrians shocked the cynics who thought they would be drubbed by Newbold in the Warwickshire Cup quarter-final at Kirby Corner, Canley.

Newbold gained their expected passage into the last four but brave Coventrians held them to 18-3. Coventrians even had the audacity to lead the cup favourites by a Dick Griffiths dropped goal until minutes before half-time. Their formula for holding Newbold was a simple one; tackle, tackle, tackle. The way Coventrians stuck to their task was the impressive feature.

Eventually they conceded four tries and Coventrians were left to count their injury toll after a clean but robust match. Winger Jeff Platt suffered a broken collar bone in the early minutes and was replaced by Kevin Parker. Then Bob Law deputised for Glyn Barrett who damaged a leg. Finally Brian Manley sustained a broken nose and left the field.

Newbold went on to win the cup for the second time in the final at Coundon Rd against Kenilworth.