I joined Saracens in January 1978, after playing down at Avonmouth for a few years. The Club had a very friendly atmosphere and even though the rugby was not of as high a standard as the top, combination Clubs of the time, it was always enjoyable. The top Clubs often getting the shock of their lives at the close results, or defeats that we handed out.

My first match was in the 5th XV under Captain Peter Shore (son you play 2nd row, I'm the No. 8) later to become Chairman. It took a few weeks to progress into the 1st XV. My main problem was getting past a chap called Terry Goddard in the 3rd XV. At last called up on the cry off, I was in and it was Old Elizabethans away. They had Polly Perkins playing (the ex-Bristol scrum half). He ran the game, and we duly lost! I managed to stay with the 1st XV for the rest of the season, and then it was May, and AGM time, Tony Swash had been Captain for 3 years, and now stood down. The new Captain was Norman Pearce.

No doubt Norm, has recorded his view of Saracens at that time elsewhere in this book, I'd like to thank him for 3 years of very enjoyable rugby and recreation!!

In 1981/82, Barry Miles was elected Captain and my two memories of that year, were one of the No. 8 called Nick Thomas, who after being punched, kicked, raped, etc, by Hucclecott asked the referee, "Do I have to put up with that all day?", and the other of pushing the Club tractor around at almost every training session for not listening, or talking during training!. The good news was that I was never lonely on the tractor, there was usually five or six Saracens out there pushing!!

1982/83 season dawned, and I was the 1st XV Captain, it was the fulfillment of an ambition I'd held since playing under Norman three or four years before. I inherited a good team, with excellent backs. My vice Captain was Alan Wiltshire, and everything looked rosy, then Pete Naish was told to play for the Police XV or face football duty each Saturday! What could he do? His loss was a disaster to me. At that time Peter was an excellent player and one of the top hookers in Bristol. If he'd played for a more fashionable Club I'm sure he'd have had more Combination/United games than he did. We had no ready-made replacement, and eventually, after placing an advertisement in the Evening Post, a lad called Neil Cooper joined us from Clifton. Neil did a good job for us until an injury put him out of the team and a very young land and ex-junior - Ian Morris came up and kept his place to the end of the season. The rest of the pack at the time was fairly stable - Pearce and Evans prop, myself and Nurse or Bridgman, Tanner, Thomas and Lear, not bad - but at the time we had a very good back division. Harding and Gillam at half back, Alden and Williams at wing, Crewe and Henley at center and Wiltshire at full back it was one of the best set of backs we played with. Les Gillam was quick off the mark and kicked very well. Wiltshire was at his peak and was never a last line of defense but always a first line of attack, although he defended with the same vigor as he attacked. Ray Williams was all power and strength but quick as well. Gary Alden was his usual aggressive self and in Crewe and Henley, we had chalk and cheese. Brian Crewe was an ex-minor counties scrum half, whose short stature belied his toughness, while Paul Henley was pure grace to watch. He was extremely fast and often would beat players form centre by just running around them. He could also track and tackle. Paul would score four tries to Brian's one all season, but together they were dynamite.

We had an enjoyable and reasonably successful season finishing much higher than usual 25th (approx) place in the merit table!

The following season I was again in charge. In those days with no coaches as such the Captain was in charge of all training etc. I had in fact been lucky to have the assistance of Laurie Harper as the backs coach for most of the previous season. The team now changed in personality as a direct result of our having run a great junior team for a couple of years. Into the side came Rob Furnival and Mark Hazzard, two future Captains and also occasionally Ian Nichols and Mark Kirby, up front Vic Ind, Paul Roberts and Steve Evans, myself, Hazzard, Tanner, Bridgman and John Preen played more or less all season.

We hosted Niagara Wasps, a Canadian side, led by former Saracen Steve Keey and had a great week of touring in our town. We lost the match 18-17. We did however, have some good days as well that season - we hammered Clifton Wanderers with John Preen scoring four tries, Paul Henley scored a further fifteen tries to add to the seventeen of last season and we again finished well up the merit table.

During those two seasons, we had also toured Jersey and London. Both were excellent trips and very enjoyable. In London we stayed at the same hotel as the England Team and after being asked to leave the next morning and being paid off, the tour fund was actually in profit!! We moved to Woburn Abbey and had a memorable "sing song" in the village pub with Lee Wills starring as Adge Cutler. In Jersey, we played in bizarre weather conditions, first rain then sun, snow, sleet, rain again and then sun - all during the same match!!

Some of the team have disappeared without trace, of the rest Furnival, Hazzard, Naish, Bridgman and Harding have all stayed and Captained the Club and Williams, Alden and Wiltshire, have all served as Vice Captains in the 1st XV. A very good team. A very enjoyable time and over to you Chris!

Dave Healy 1996

CHRIS HARDING

I took over the Captaincy from Dave Healy in the Summer of 1984, he wished me luck and gave me some good advice. He also gave me some terrible trifle!

That summer saw some big changes at Saracens, mainly the demolition of the old asbestos shed followed by the building of our new changing rooms.

The new changing rooms were then, as now, some to the best in the Combination, and had the effect of attracting new players from all over Bristol. Unfortunately, the only one we kept was Steve Cottrell!

On the pitch things went well over the two seasons. Victories over Avonmouth, Dings, Whitehall, Oldfield etc put the 1st XV well up in the Combination table. The pack was a formidable outfit. The "Longboat" as it was christened was taking on all-comers. Key players were Mark Alexander, Steve Cottrell, Dave Healy, John Preen and the ever affable Steve Evans & Vic Ind. The Hoskins brothers, Tony, John & Pete were all to feature in the coming years. Mark Kirby was soon to establish himself following a bad injury to John Preen. In the three-quarters, Alan Wiltshire and Ray Williams were at their dangerous best, especially at training! NOT!!

Young players starting their 1st XV careers were Darren Preen, Adrian Griffin and a fat young fly half called Robert Furnivall.

At least he is not a fly half anymore!

The second XV led by the reclusive millionaire Tony Swash for both seasons were also going great guns. They lost only 19 of the 60 matches that were to be played over the two years. Players featuring regularly were Ian Nicholls, Lee Wills and Mike Thorn, who had more trouble convincing the selectors that he was only 26 than he ever did with the opposition!.

The third XV were the dominant team over the two seasons. Led by John Greenland, they won 37 out of 52 games. Scoring an incredible 1029 points conceding only 320, and only 4 points for a try in those days - mates!

The fourth XV fielded a team nearly every week in this period, led by Bob Marshall, who turned out to be a far better Chairman than our present one!

Then, as now, a mixture of youth and experience made up the side. Young blades then were Dave Miller, Craig Perkins and John Pullin (the plumber not the hooker!). Old hands then, as now, were Chris Tovey, Dave Webster and Tony Headford to mention a few.

In season 85-86 we also put out a fifth XV, led by Ian Jenkins, ably assisted on the pitch by the evergreen Bruce Brain, not so ably assisted off the pitch by the ever drunk Jiffy Thompson and Steve Cox.

Sadly this period also saw the death of Bill Starr, which was a huge blow to the club, also a great loss to the members who had known and respected him.

Finally, a special mention for Adrian Scott. "Scotty" had broken his neck playing for the Saracens three years previously, and season 85-86 saw his remarkable comeback, rewarded with the 1st XV Vice Captaincy, and more importantly his Club cap!.

C Harding. 1996