This Saturday 7th March we anticipate Gorton Street being a buzzing hive of activity as we warmly welcome friends and guests to the club, from near and far.
Our annual Sponsor’s Day event is an opportunity for the club to show our appreciation for all those who have generously supported us during the 2019/20 season with an afternoon of hospitality and rugby. Without the valuable assistance of our sponsors the club would not be able to sustain its facilities and activities in our community, so we hope all members will play their part in making the day an enjoyable and memorable Eccles experience (whilst keeping their trousers on!)
On the pitch, 1500 KO, the 1XV will entertain Manchester in an important North 2 West league fixture. Although our match last October was the first meeting in many years, our clubs have enjoyed a rich history of contests and were once regular opponants.
One of the earliest recorded games against Manchester in our achives is March 1902 when "Eccles lost to a goal scored with the last kick, having had most of the game". Another intriguing report from the Eccles Journal is a 1911 fixture between the clubs where Eccles "constantly booted the ball and neglected to serve their fast men on the wing" and which was "the notable first appearance of Dr Smyth the Irish International Forward". It is safe to assume that prop forward Tommy Smyth, having played for the Barbarians and captained the British Lions in South Africa the previous year, made a considerable contribution to Manchester's 28-3 victory that day!
During the mid 80s Eccles and Manchester met numerous times in the Lancashire Cup. In 1986 Eccles beat Manchester 6-3 in a close fought contest only to be beaten by Broughton Park in the next round. In those days Manchester, Waterloo and BP were awash with county players and Internationals, whereas Eccles had agent Dave Nicholls in the centre, work party stalwart Brian Griffiths at prop and an illustrious back row containing Presidents, Chairmen and former Colts Captains (our mini and junior section having not yet been invented!) Anway less of the apprentice fossils!
Although today's Eccles and Manchester teams are currently at opposite ends of the table a competitive contest is expected. In the game at Grove Park in October Eccles began well, scoring two early tries to lead 13-15 after 30 minutes, and were right in it until the last 20 mins, when Eccles lost a man to the bin and Manchester ran in four tries. A second half collapse has been a famiiar theme this season. Let’s hope the lads can sustain their efforts on Saturday.
As a 1230 KO curtain-raiser our 3XV will entertain Bromyard RFC, a touring team from Herefordshire. Playing in Midlands 4 West (South) Bromyard have a similar set up to Eccles with two Senior teams, Ladies and Mini & Junior section. For those unfamiliar with its location, Bromyard is an ancient market town in the River Frome valley, about 15 miles west of Worcester, famous for its beef and hop production - which makes Bromyard a perfect ally of the ancient township of Eccles, historically renown for its exceptional consumption of those essential commodities! No doubt that kinship will be forged after the game (depending on how much local hospitality the tourists sample on thier Friday night in the North)! Mat Swain is the appointed Salford-Hereford liason officer.
Speaking of refreshments, this weekend the club will have available on tap for its members, sponsors and guests the following beers (not all at the same time)- Hook Norton Outside Half 3.8%, Marstons (Thwaites), Wainwright 4.1%, Oakham Citra 4.2% (cellarman’s choice), Wadworth Dirty Rucker 3.9%, Bank Top Flat Cap 4.0%
And if two games of fine rugby are not enough, England v Wales 6 Nations will be shown live on the clubhouse screens, 1645 KO.
Join us.
