Back in Time With Covents

Red Brown watches with No 2 Jacko, No 1 Gaz Marks and Al Morrall as Gaz Smith challenges in the lineout. Note Kenilworth No 1 Clive Hunt who was to join Covents with the returning Pete Henderson the following season. One year later we accquired Kenilworth's hooker Kes Teeling too.



Continuing our look at Covents recent record in the Warwickshire Cup we've reached;



1983/84


After a first round bye we played Dunlop away in the 2nd round on 6th November 1983 and lost 21-7 with a try from Red Brown and a Fozzy penalty.




1984/85


In October 1984 we played Trinity Guild away at the Memorial Park but no heroics this time as we lost 40-4 with a solitary try from Archie McPherson. I remember arriving at this game with my old mate Martin Harrington and ducking down in the car until it was underway so as to avoid running the line ....




1985/86


In this terribly difficult season after the great migration, we struggled to put 2 sides out and after hearing we'd drawn Stratford away, withdrew citing the fact that the Coventry Evening Telegraph would not have enough ink to print the score.



1986/87


After times of famine come rich crops and this was something of a renaissance season for Covents as Red Brown played prodigal son and brought several key players back home with him. The gloom lifted and we started doing things like sweating in training, hurting the next day and winning games. We even had a 3rd team. When we drew Kenilworth at home in the Warks Cup it generated great interest as Red had just returned from there with Swaff and ex Covents flanker and good friend Pete Henderson was Kenilworth's captain. The following season when the leagues were first introduced, Kenilworth were placed 5 above us so it was some mountain to climb but the belief was strong.


On the day of the match, Sunday November 2nd 1986 the baths were hot, the beer cold and a large crowd had gathered at Kirby Corner Rd. The Nissan hut vibrated to the pre match warm up studs stamping and the Covents team ran out - 15 Ian Carvell 14 Chrissy McDonnell 13 Mark Swaffield 12 Jim Bradford 11 Colin Blebta 10 Martin Forsythe 9 Red Brown 8 Tim Parsons 7 Ranj Sinclair 6 Pike Fisher 5 Steve Fish 4 Alun Morrall 3 Gaz Smith 2 Pete Jackson 1 Gary Marks and Rich Kenny sub.


The boys in blue pulled a magnificent performance out of the bag and roaring like lions matched Kenilworth in almost every department going down valiantly 15-6 with 2 penalties from Ian Carvell. The clubhouse was packed afterwards and it's safe to say, we rocked the joint that night!