Today I've had the pleasure of being able to catch up with Jock, Ive asked Jock to jot down his memories about his time at Billingham and his time as captain. I think you will agree its a interesting read! Played against the Baa-Baas... Unreal!

My first game for Billingham was in 1972. I had just played in the morning for Bede Sixth form when the Billingham bus called in to see if we could make up the numbers to play in Leeds. A few of us did, it wasn't a memorable game for the seconds but It was a good night out in Leeds which cost us next to nothing as the rest of the team paid for our night on the lash. I remember stumbling home at around 230am with my kit and an oily old road lamp to find my mother beside herself with worry as she had expected me home around tea time This was the start of my rugby career with Billingham. I was straight in the firsts the next week.

I played then under Neil Cotton and Steve Davidson as captains when at the AGM in 1975. Out of the blue I was proposed and voted as captain which was both a great honour as I am a great believer in playing for and supporting home and local teams. It was also very daunting as the role at the time included organising training team selection and contact along with second team contact with fixture secretary, laundry of shirts, pie and peas, game subs, press liaison social function arrangements etc etc This lasted for three great years with ups and downs playing the same old teams week in week out. We did have the best pitches and above all baths in the north of England indeed the baths were the only reason we got lads training We did have a fantastic clubhouse which was all boded up mothballed then subsequently demolished by the ICI club a great waste During this time I was being approached by most of the other local big clubs as well as being advised to move on which I did in 1978 to Hartlepool Rovers mainly due to the fact that taking training I was still learning myself and had very little instruction apart from county schoolboys and Chris Griffiths a teacher at the college and former Billingham prop who I have to thank for showing trust and greatly enhancing my development. It was a good time at Rovers though every game felt like an away game and I always felt like an outsider with some. Though I have to say it was an absolute honour to play in their centenary game against the Barbarians with 13 British Lions in their squad I returned to Billingham in 1982 where I was welcomed home and resurrected my playing career under many new captains and many new bases and drinking establishments. Many great times and people in fact we were known as the team of school friends and drinking buddies who played rugby we were a tight unit and stood by each other The big changes to the club started when Paul Bromley took over as skipper and developed a plan to move forward with others including Mark Baxter and Stu Evans bringing in Paul Burgum as team coach, a new concept to Billingham which started straight away to reap rewards winning games playing good rugby much more organised and structured. We moved up the new leagues and won cups indeed in my last full playing season we won everything we were involved in locally and got to the quarter final of the National Intermediate Cup losing a very close game to Crewe and Nantwich away without a full squad. On top of which playing for Cleveland Fire Brigade we won the National cup again so a great season to retire on. I did play in future Boxing Day games win generally took around three weeks to recover from to be able to walk properly again.

I don't generally tend to remember individual games, the Baabaas being the exception but I can remember a few good moments like the time we broke the world record for most points scored against another senior team ie Hartlepool Athletic, a couple of tries I scored against Darlington RA and Hartlepool TDSOB where from a penalty I ran trough the whole team from the 25 yard line to score. I can remember playing with some genuinely great people.

To watch the club in particular the first team over the last few seasons has been both a pleasure and an honour as the standard of play and of people is to say the least fantastic and long may this continue along with the progress and success of the second and third teams which I do believe is the result of Bill Woodhouse who joined the club from Rovers where I had played alongside him. His introduction of mini junior and youth rugby along with Colin Snowdon Ann Atkinson and many others set the platform for the club to grow.

This was the real start of success at Billingham and should never be forgotten nor understated as we are reaping fantastic rewards today being the envy of every other club. It was the catalyst to our success now through the leadership of Chris Hyndman from his days in the junior section to his return from great experience and achievements at Northampton and the guidance of a dedicated team of selfless people behind the scenes who continually give up their own time and efforts for the betterment of the club and the committee who have steered us in the right direction keeping everything very grounded and strong.

I was proud to start the veterans team the Hippo's and it is great to see them develop and wallow in success under Chris Ker. It would be great to see the ladies team return and develop like all, the others.

I believe every individual member of this club is as important as any other and everyone as a voice and place.

Paul Fergusson

#OSIOS