In 1998 the Countryside Alliance held a march in London which culminated in over 400,000 protestors converging on Hyde Park. A few months later there was a counter demonstration by the anti hunt faction resulting in 5000 people gathering at the same venue. My point in bringing up this matter has nothing to do with blood sports but everything to do with LITTER. The council clean up team found nothing to do after the Alliance demonstration but were hard at work for days after the second event 1/80th the size .The tidiness of an establishment is down to the standards of those who use it. Which camp do members of Cullompton Rugby Club want to be identified with; I hope I don’t have to ask.

For years the club has always looked spic and span not entirely down to the tidiness of all the members but certainly brought up to the mark by the efforts of Tony Broom, Miv Pring and their Friday gang. Now that Club activities are now much larger and the premises more extensive whilst Broomus Pringer &Co are getting older and greyer, surely it is time to for all members to take a critical look at themselves in order that things are maintained the way we like to see them.

Supporters could perhaps remember to take their polystyrene cups and chip trays back to a bin so that the grandstand and touchlines look the same as when the game started. Players could refrain from discarding strapping and tape all over the pitches and team organisers could try to instill in their charges the ethic of tidiness which can be achieved if untidiness has a stigma attached to it. Hopefully at least some of the visitors from other clubs may follow our example making the task of keeping the place clean and tidy within the capabilities of the Friday gang.

I thank everyone in anticipation and am about to set an example by burning this soapbox………Edwin