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IAN RUNDLE (1944-2011)
GEOFF TURNER
We received the sad news from the Oxford City FC website that former Flackwell Heath manager Ian Rundle passed away in hospital earlier today.
It is with great regret that Oxford City Football Club has to report the death today in hospital of Ian Rundle following a recent operation.
All those who knew Ian will remember a quiet and modest man who dedicated so much of his time to the football club - from the late 1950s as a player, until the present day as a hugely involved member of the Club’s committee.
Ian first made his mark at the club as a member of the City Youth team, as well as a very successful Oxford Boys XI, at the end of the 1950s, and he made his first team debut for Oxford City at the age of 16 in the final Isthmian League match of the 1959-60 season at Plough Lane Wimbledon.
The following season saw more regular appearances, and Ian along with his great friend Vic Mobley were a part of the City Youth side that went all the way to the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup – the only remaining amateur side in the competition – before losing to Arsenal at Highbury.
The 1961/2 season brought regular first team football in the City defence, and both Ian and Vic Mobley had trials with Sheffield Wednesday, a team that Vic would go on to join. In late December, however, Ian was taken seriously ill with meningitis and would play no further football for many months.
His convalescence over, Ian returned to the First XI the following season and he was a regular over the next three campaigns. In total he made 168 appearances for the 1st XI and netted twice.
In the close-season of 1965 he followed his friend John Maskell to Wycombe Wanderers and over the next nine seasons would go on to play 357 games for the Buckinghamshire side and score five goals.
After finishing playing he was connected with a number of clubs in that area, including managing Flackwell Heath, before returning to Oxford City during 1981 as assistant manager to John Maskell. They continued together for three seasons, before Ian took over the reins from John in September 1984, and he continued as manager until stepping down in early 1987.
As Oxford City climbed back up the pyramid in the 1990s Ian maintained strong links with the Club and was in recent years finally convinced that he had much to offer as a member of the committee and, as such, played a tremendous part in the Club’s progress on and off the field. He will be sorely missed.
There will be a minutes silence before our game against Binfield at Wilks Park on Tuesday as a mark of respect for Ian Rundle.
All those who knew Ian will remember a quiet and modest man who dedicated so much of his time to the football club - from the late 1950s as a player, until the present day as a hugely involved member of the Club’s committee.
Ian first made his mark at the club as a member of the City Youth team, as well as a very successful Oxford Boys XI, at the end of the 1950s, and he made his first team debut for Oxford City at the age of 16 in the final Isthmian League match of the 1959-60 season at Plough Lane Wimbledon.
The following season saw more regular appearances, and Ian along with his great friend Vic Mobley were a part of the City Youth side that went all the way to the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup – the only remaining amateur side in the competition – before losing to Arsenal at Highbury.
The 1961/2 season brought regular first team football in the City defence, and both Ian and Vic Mobley had trials with Sheffield Wednesday, a team that Vic would go on to join. In late December, however, Ian was taken seriously ill with meningitis and would play no further football for many months.
His convalescence over, Ian returned to the First XI the following season and he was a regular over the next three campaigns. In total he made 168 appearances for the 1st XI and netted twice.
In the close-season of 1965 he followed his friend John Maskell to Wycombe Wanderers and over the next nine seasons would go on to play 357 games for the Buckinghamshire side and score five goals.
After finishing playing he was connected with a number of clubs in that area, including managing Flackwell Heath, before returning to Oxford City during 1981 as assistant manager to John Maskell. They continued together for three seasons, before Ian took over the reins from John in September 1984, and he continued as manager until stepping down in early 1987.
As Oxford City climbed back up the pyramid in the 1990s Ian maintained strong links with the Club and was in recent years finally convinced that he had much to offer as a member of the committee and, as such, played a tremendous part in the Club’s progress on and off the field. He will be sorely missed.
There will be a minutes silence before our game against Binfield at Wilks Park on Tuesday as a mark of respect for Ian Rundle.
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