I've met Smiley Neil on several occasions and yes, he does always have a smile on his face. When did you first start supporting Bath Rugby? |
Optimist, a man who doesn't always display the traits of his board name but loves his adopted City and favourite sporting team. When did you first start supporting Bath Rugby? The day I moved to Bath in November 1996. What made you a supporter? Have always loved playing rugby, but had never really followed the club game - I was one of those people who watched the Internationals but very little else, and, living in London, had never grown up identifying with or supporting any specific local team. In fact I'd only ever been to one club game before - that was Rosslyn Park vs Harlequins. But when I came to Bath, it was the perfect opportunity to support and identify with the local team. Not to mention the fact that not long after I moved here, I watched at the Clubhouse, Bath winning the Heineken Cup. But it is the Rec that makes it for me as much as anything - I'd happily go and watch 3rd division rugby there, have a couple of beers with friends while my kids play on the pitch after the match. If I arrived in Bath now, and there was a team called Bath Rugby playing at a big, modern stadium in Keynsham, I doubt I'd go to more than 2 or 3 matches a year. Can you remember anything about the first game you ever saw at the Rec? Actually, it was a couple of years before I moved to Bath and it wasn't a Bath match - I saw Canada play England 'A' at the Rec. But can't for the life of me remember my first live Bath match there. I do remember watching the Heineken Cup final at the clubhouse, and also going down to Victoria Park to see the players parade the trophy. What has been your best moment as a supporter of Bath Rugby? Strangely, it was the day we avoided relegation - the whole gamut of emotions of that match against London Irish, Gareth Cooper (who I always rated) breaking away, and then Elvis having the gall to carry the ball over the line in one hand for one of the most important tries in the history of the club. The atmosphere was unbelievable. What has been your worst moment as a supporter of Bath Rugby? Can't say it's one moment, but the ongoing uncertainty over the Rec and the sheer frustration of knowing that such a massive majority of Bathonians want a first-class arena on the Rec, are proud of the fact that such a small City is home to such a fantastic club, and find the whole situation incomprehensible - that would have to top my list of 'worst moments'. Who do you regard as the best player of all time for Bath? Jeremy Guscott, though I hardly saw him play for Bath. Possibly the best England back of all time - might have scored 50 tries for England if it hadn't been for Rob Andrew's boot. The most graceful athlete I've ever seen on a rugby pitch. The player I've most enjoyed watching for Bath since becoming a season ticket holder in 2000, has been Butch James who has a physique and turn of pace a bit like a lock forward from the 1970s, but has the hands and imagination of a magician. Which players from the Golden Decade do you think would be a success in the modern game? Any or all of them. The basic attributes of a rugby player haven't changed, it's just that the modern players have the opportunity to develop all of their skills and fitness. It's still essentially a game for all shapes and sizes - albeit those shapes and sizes have been honed and fine-tuned within an inch of their lives. If you had the athleticism, co-ordination and attitude to reach the top of your chosen sport then, you'd be able to do it now. It's complete tosh to think that players from one era were either better or worse - though I'd concede that there were some players from the amateur era who just wouldn't be interested in pumping iron all day, and also that, if you're not willing to put the tackles in these days, you won't get picked. Which opposition player (from any era) would you like to have moved to Bath and why? Richie McCaw would make a difference to any rugby team in any era - but he'd certainly make the difference for Bath now. How confident are you that Bath Rugby will be at the Rec in five years time? 100% confident. Describe what Bath Rugby means to you in three words.
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And finally it's that well known Eastender (but no the TV sort)....Phil Mitchell I first started supporting Bath Rugby approximately 20 years ago. |
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