Overton RFC 1971-2008

Overton Rugby Club foundation appears to be lost in the haze of time or beer, although some of the older members can remember going to the Vicarage for meetings with the clubs founder, The Reverend Ted Evans, and being pleasantly surprised by the quantity of Pale Ale stored away.

 

Rev. Ted decided to found this club to give “youth the opportunity to play rugby” in the village, the only problem being a pitch to play on. After discussion with Colonel Hoare, the owner of Southington House, a field next to his house, Town Meadow, which was an old water meadow, was identified as being suitable. This was eventually agreed to and on 24^th October 1971 the first home game was played against a Basingstoke 1^st XV. The first try for Overton being scored by the captain, Denver Enefer, although Overton eventually succumbed to the stronger team!

 

A look at the old score sheets shows that one of our members Laurie Shaw scored 40 try’s in the 1974-75 season with our current President, David Brewerton, scoring 9! Has that ever been beaten?

 

The first President of the Club was General Adam Block, the Chairman being the Rev. Ted Evans, with Laurie Shaw being the fixture Secretary. Yes, there has been life before Alex Coles! (The fixture secretary since then).The match fees set by the first AGM on 28^th June 1971 were twenty-two and a half pence! And no subscriptions!!

 

Overton XV 1974-75

The Oldest Known photo of the Club

 

 

Back Row: Stuart Hopgood, Andy Vickers, Len Goodbody, Derek Clarke, Alex Coles, David Hubbard, Rodger Broad, Rev Ted, Ray Caswell, Les Wilson, Mark Mackersay, Mac McNulty, Richard Oram, Alex McNair, Neil Thomas

Front Row: Richard Gibbins, Peter Williams, Roger Filbey, Jonny Ashworth, David Brewerton, Laurie Shaw, Bryn Stickland, Ian Hodgson.

The first game was against AWRE Aldermaston, a few of those original players still turning out today. From the out set, the club struggled with the wetness of Town meadow and the problems of creosoting the pitch on Saturday mornings. At that stage there was no building on Town Meadow and the ORC building in Bridge Street was used.

It was not until January 1972 that the ORC asked to incorporate our pitch into that organisation which set the seal for a lively relationship over many years! (The club being indebted to them for providing funds towards the first set of shirts, Royal Blue as no other team in the area played in that colour! )

 

By the AGM of 1972 the club had the grand sum of £42.17 in the bank account but in the following year it had reduced to £22.82 with the interesting entry of £10 for entertaining - the greatest expenditure of the whole year, nothing changes!

 

From 1973 the Club started to move away from Sunday games to regular fixtures on a Saturday, although games during the week were not uncommon. By 1974 a building was erected on Town Meadow and became the Club’s base for nearly 20 years, although its heart moved around the various drinking establishments it was allowed to enter at the time. One notable complaint came from the landlord of the White Hart in the mid ‘70's, who felt aggrieved to complain about the practice of pinning scampi to the ceiling of the lounge bar!! Another time made the national newspapers when one of the forwards ate a newt in the public bar of the Red Lion!! Many adventures have taken place over the years, such events as the Coles brothers in a sports car, the jacket potatoes, the famous incident at the Hockney traffic lights and the race to the Cart and Horses.

 

Overton has had a long association with the collection of signs and the fact that if you needed them you could always find them surrounding Stuart Hopgood's house on a Saturday night. In fact there are far too many stories to retell and so…

 

In 1979 the Club had developed to run two sides.

 

During the ‘80’s the Club grew and was involved in a number of village projects including the firework displays and donkey derby’s, both held on Town Meadow. Visiting teams were always surprised to see after the match a grey cupboard wheeled into the clubroom and when opened, revealed glasses and barrels of beer. But it wasn’t until the early ‘90’s that the complicated licensing laws were finally understood!

 

By the 1990’s the club had grown to 3 sides, winning Hampshire league division 3 and 2 in consecutive years, although it was not uncommon for the 3rds to tour the local pubs and streets obtaining the correct amount of players. This was the era of the “Occassional’s” and their clashing kit!

 

Score Cards: 1971-1972  1972-1973  1973-1974 1973-1974cont. 1974-1975  1975-1976  1976-1977

 

Touring

 

The first your took place in 1977 to Abercynon in deepest Wales, which entailed being beaten heavily in points and physically as well, although Overton apparently were highly delighted by the bingo in the evening.

 

1979 saw the club take part in the Testbourne twinning where various sport teams and Parish councillors went to Neuvic-Sur-Isles in the Dordogne region of France. This began a great friendship between the two clubs, which is evidenced by Overton going twice in the early ‘80’s and them returning likewise to us.

 

For the rest of the ‘80’s the club toured very little, occasionally venturing out to the West Country but it was not until 1990 when it was taken up regularly again.

 

Easter 1990 saw approx 50 players and supporters go off to Rotterdam. As well as attending a Dutch festival (which gave Roger Filbey the idea of doing something similar at Overton); the club also played against the Hague Veterans, Delft and Hook Van Holland and were undefeated in all these games.

 

1992 saw the club intending to travel to Romania but instead ended up in Cork!!! Playing Clonacilty, Middleton and Mallow, a hard tour!

 

1994 saw the clubs return to the fast rugby of South West France at Neuvic and Daglan.

 

In 1996 the club returned again to The Netherlands with approx 50 players having a very successful trip to Alkmaar, Hoorn and Haarlem again the 1^st XV were undefeated.

 

In 1998 the club accepted an invitation from St Martin du Lac Rugby Club in Burgundy. Again a large party of players and supporters travelled down to experience French hospitality. Such was the success of this trip that the club toured there again in 2000, with further visits in 2003 and 2008.

 

In 2002 the club’s tour reflected the changing face of Overton RFC, with a large party of Mini rugby players and their parents accompanying the usual tourist to Neuvic.

 

This was repeated in 2004 with a joint tour to Valkenswaard in the Southern part of the Netherlands. Again the men played various matches at Etten Luur, The Vets (Valkenswaard) and Tilburg in Belgium.

 

In 2005 the club moved away from the standard coach tour and took to their cars for a trip to the Netherlands taking part in the Betuwe RC 35 year’s celebrations.

 

This was followed in 2006 by a party of players going to Malmedy in Belgium for a small festival. The Mini’s branched out that year by themselves, travelling to Hilversum in the Netherland to take part in a youth festival.

 

In 2008 the touring venues of the club reflected the growing strengths of all sections whereby the Youth toured to Cornwall, the Minis to Hereford and, as previously mentioned, the men to St Martin du Lac to help them celebrate their 40^th anniversary. This was marked with some of the team cycling to Burgundy - a novel way to get to a tour.

 

Visitors to Overton

 

From the early ‘80’s Overton has entertained foreign teams from all corners of Europe and even hosted a Canadian team on tour in the UK.

 

From 1991 the club decided to hold a bi-annual festoval which has grown to encompass all sections of the club. To make this festoval “different”, the emphasis from the start was aimed at European rugby teams, and so far we have had teams from many countries including: Denmark, Holland, France, Belgium, Scotland, Siberia, Romania, The Czech Republic, and Germany. Many of them asking to return.

 

Previous Winners of Overton International Festoval

 

1991    Foucini Romania 

1993    Boitsfort Belgium 

1995    Overton                                  

1997    Overton

1999    Overton

2001    US Neuvic France                           

2003    Inverleith, Scotland                            

2005    Ostrava Czech Republic                      

2007    Perrywinkles                                           

 

The Festovals have stretched the clubs resources’ to the limit with flooded pitches, a disorderly Welsh team and the Foot and Mouth crisis of 2001 whereby the whole festival was moved to Whitchurch School, including the posts!!    

     

Minis, Girls and Ladies

 

In the 1990’s the club started to look to its future and started a mini’s section, which initially was called GML. We also started a girls’ team which was the only side in Hampshire at the time, and had a number of its players selected to play in the Hampshire women’s side. The club’s women’s team continued to develop and at one stage had a mother and daughter playing in the same side. Then we hit a problem, four pregnancies in one season - not the usual problem a rugby club has to deal with! The women team finally succumbed in 2001!

 

The minis have grown from strength to strength with a youth side being formed in 2005. Most of those boys played in the Testbourne School XV which won the Services Emerging School national trophy at Twickenham in 2005.  The Youth side has developed to such an extent that seven of the U16 squad are in the Hampshire squad and four are also attached to the London Irish development squads.

 

The clubs Youth and Mini sections are now in equal partnership with the men’s side of the club, contributing to all aspects of the life of the club.

 

Up to date

 

By the late ‘80’s the committee recognised the fact that the club had grown and was attracting players from far outside Whitchurch and Overton. Although Town Meadow had been secured, the constant flooding was causing great problems and new pitches where urgently needed. Overton school was also used for many years as a second pitch, but this was far from ideal and another site had to be found.

 

This search took many years but with the selling of Laverstoke Estate a new opportunity was seized whereby the new owner, Mr. Jody Scheckter, allowed us to take on the Old Cricket Ground at Laverstoke. So in 1997 it was with much discussion and sadness that we moved to one of the few thatch rugby pavilions in the country.

 

The development at Laverstoke has been undertaken with the usual self help that has been the hallmark of Overton over the years and today we are now, with the blessing of the landlord Jody Scheckter, attempting to improve the facilities to meet the 21^st Century and what is now demanded by the RFU, a great difference from the club’s foundation in 1971.

 

In 2007 we were granted the RFU Seal of Approval, a remarkable achievement for such a small club. This reflects the professionalism of the coaches and volunteers of all aspects of this unique club which is summed up in the clubs motto of, “Grass Roots Rugby at its Best”.