Tonight we catch up with Paul Bromley. A former 1st XV captain of Billingham. I can personally remember watching Paul play. Playing at full back he possessed a booming left boot. He was quick and powerful and scored points for fun. He later moved to no.8. His robust style allowed him to play on the front foot. It was an honour to catch up with Paul.

I would like to thank Mike for the invitation to share a few memories of the great times I had at the club, there were a few downs ( National Cup Qtr final loss to Crewe&Nantwich) but I am glad to say the ups far outnumbered them.

I will admit that up until 1985 I didn't know that Billingham had a Rugby club! Slightly embarrassing as I am Billingham born and bred, my grandfather used to be the chair of the Synthonia Sports section back in the day and a great friend of the late Jack Taylor, but my Rugby playing days started at great rivals Stockton to which I will say I enjoyed 10 great seasons winning 4 consecutive league titles and 3 County Cups, however during this time I was invited to play for the County Presidents XV against Billingham to celebrate the opening of there clubhouse which then was shared with the tennis, hockey and cricket clubs on Belasis Ave, my love affair with Billigham started that day and the following season 1986 I spent playing at Billingham, to say I survived the first game just would be an understatement and not in a playing way, we had an away fixture to Border Park way out in the sticks near to Kielder Water, Shaun Rowden had borrowed a Sherpa van to take us to the game so we set off unbeknown to us the van had a hole in the exhaust and also in the floor of the van so on arrival 10 rather groggy players got out of the van suffering the earlier effects of carbon monoxide poisoning..needless to say we lost however only just, the return journey was a little better as we nicked a dustbin and stuck it over the hole in the floor!! Stockton came calling again in 1987 so I headed back up the road, however with most of my socialising was done in The Station Hotel with the likes of Chris Rea, Shaun Rowden, Ian McLaughlin, Cess Whem, Dave Wright and Niall Taylor to name a few, Billingham Rugby Club was always not far away.

How long were you captain for?

I captained the club between 1997 and 2001 I think but better check the board in the club as my memory is not like it used to be....

What did it mean to you when you were appointed captain?

It always a great honour to captain any club, I captained Stockton for a season before moving back to Billingham, my role initially was player/coach which I shared with Mark Baxter before taking over the captains duties from Ste Potts, we had a great bunch of players with quite a few old heads that we managed to poach from Stockton and Middlesbrough along with some great young lads to keep us on our toes, during the 1998 season we also managed to poach Paul Burgon from Stockton a great coach in his day who had been the West Hartlepool forwards coach before joining Stockton, Paul was not everyone's cup of tea but he certainly got the best out of everyone and new his stuff.

Do you have a favourite game as a player and as skipper?

My favourite game as a player was a wet and miserable day in 2001 we played West Park St Helen's in the then Pilkington Cup they were flying high at the time four leagues above us but we threw everything at them and ended up losing by 3 points to a last minute penalty but it was a tremendous team performance by everyone. As skipper is an easy one our first County Cup victory over Houghton at Hollow Drift (Durham City).

What's your best social memory?

This story I keep telling to people to this day!!
We had won the Billingham 7's it was a Sunday and the Rugby clubs turn to run the bar in the shared clubhouse on Belasis, the drinks were flowing rather well celebrating the victory I had a cousin over from Australia who was flying back on the Monday so at Midnight we phoned him a taxi, at the time we had local taxi firm called Geoffs, the taxi turned up as planned 12.15am but the drinks were still going down and I think we still had 10-15 of us in the club, we invited the taxi driver in to wait to which he did, then offered him a beer ( wrong I know ) and another and another..then the singing started, at 4.15am there is a knock on the clubhouse door and in walks Geoff the taxi firm owner only to find his driver rather the worst for wear bollock naked singing Father Abraham..
We did manage to persuade Geoff to give him his job back.

How do you feel when you look back on your time as captain?

I feel very privileged to have captained such great bunch of guys, we achieved an awful lot with very little, probably overachieved with our nomadic existence ,I would like to think we laid the marker for the clubs on field success in the years to come, it was a great pleasure to hand over the reigns to Mick Conlon and Barry McGrath who continued to lead by example.

How impressed have you been with the young lads this season?

I will he honest I have not seen much of the playing side now I live in Makem land, but I do follow closely through social media and check the RFU site every week, I think it's fantastic that such a young side can achieve what they have, it's also fantastic to see how the youth section has flourished and produced many a great player.
I will try and get down a little more next season.

What about the club as a whole? Much has changed over the years... what are your thoughts?

To see how the club has developed over the years is fantastic, from its nomadic days to hosting an England International fixture, everyone involved in its growth over the years should be very proud of its achievements, I think I do have to mention a few, on a playing side Chris Hyndmans influence has been outstanding since his return both as a player and Director of Rugby, Stu Evans for all his hard work behind the scenes he was Mr Billingham RFC even when I was playing so many years ago and lastly Mark Armstrong these days Rugby Clubs are a business and with Mark's business acrumen and love of the sport a great guy to have at the helm...
Onwards and upwards ...Be Proud.

#OSIOS