Touring has been a great tradition in Rugby Clubs and Redditch is no exception. Of course what goes on tour stays on tour so this section must, of course, have some severe editing!!

Personally, while playing for Redditch, I can recall touring to Lille 3 times, Hilversum, Mountain Ash, Huddersfield, The Isle of Man, Magaluf at least 3 times, Builth Wells and Lampeter. There were also regular tours to Auxerre which have been mentioned elsewhere. Mike Lewis remembers the first tour. Skippy

Weston 1967

As previously stated memory not what it was so the following will be snippets!

It was decided to do our first trip to Weston as it was fairly close and in those days not many people had cars so quite a few were reliant on lifts. Think it was Roger R. who had connections so he sorted out the accommodation. On this I stand to be corrected.

Wilkinson, Westwood, myself and one other, after having had our arms twisted, volunteered to go down a day earlier and see what we could do about entertainment.

We had a look at several pubs to see what their beers were like and what kind of facilities they could offer. After a few beers we decided on one, name unknown, which offered a room next to the bar and also a pianist. The landlord was very welcoming and we said that there would be no fracas but we would pay for any damage which could be incurred. This was not to be. We went there every night and were joined, at some time or other, by Abercrave, Weston or Old Wellingtonions. The behaviour was excellent and the singing superb and consisted of mainly old favourites from the past with just a few Rugby Chants which we kept till late in the evening. We have been blessed with some great singers over the years. John Harkness and Jim McKenzie from Scotland and Dougie Billyard from England normally knew all the words. Skippy

On the last night we left relatively early, 10.30, to go and have a last Chinese. As we staggered out we were amazed to see a long queue of people waiting to get into the pub and asking us if the show was still on and “Were there song sheets available."

The following morning Wilkinson, Westwood and myself went to see the landlord to thank him for his hospitality and was there any damage to pay for. He was over the moon. The word had got round Weston about the singing at his pub, hence the queue, and he had sold more beer in those three nights than he had over the last couple of months. We were welcome to come back any time and he presented each of us with a tankard and a bottle of whisky each. These were drunk at the next home match!!! AND I still have my tankard.

Footnote.
Only a few years ago we happened to stay at The Abercrave Inn up the valley from Swansea.
In our room was a book on the history of the village of Abercrave which in its day was a small mining community. Lo and behold, there was a picture of a charabanc in front of which there were a group of men in macs and flat caps and one of them was holding a sign which said WESTON 196?

I went straight downstairs to see if the landlord knew if anybody from the photo ever came into the pub. He said “Yes, the third from the left on the front row."
"Does he ever come in?" says I.
“He do come here every day." says he.
"Could you introduce me then? Says I.
“No problem. My names Dan what's yours."

For the couple of days there we didn't ever have to pay for a drink!