Thoughts from the Chron 010508
By Chris Gleadell May 1 2008
Saints signed off the 2007/2008 season with an emphatic 81-0 win over Launceston at the Gardens on Saturday. The sun shone, there was a full house and the lads ran in score after score to end the season totally undefeated with 35 wins from 35 cup and league games.
Saints signed off the 2007/2008 season with an emphatic 81-0 win over Launceston at the Gardens on Saturday. The sun shone, there was a full house and the lads ran in score after score to end the season totally undefeated with 35 wins from 35 cup and league games.
THOUGHTS FROM THE CHRON
1st May,
2008
FAREWELL DIV ONE
Saints signed off the 2007/2008 season with an emphatic 81-0 win over Launceston at the Gardens on Saturday. The sun shone, there was a full house and the lads ran in score after score to end the season totally undefeated with 35 wins from 35 cup and league games.
Every season when I write this column I have talked of that oft used rollercoaster as Saints fortunes went up then down virtually every other week, but no fairground rides this time round. We aimed for the sky and stayed there from pretty much day one till the final whistle on Saturday and secured this levels double along the way.
So it is goodbye to Division One. Whilst overall it can be seen as a success there was always a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that it was all built on the massive failure of the year before. On the face of it of course it is good to see your chosen side win each week, and well done to the team for achieving that, but as this season progressed not only were we made acutely aware of the massive gulf there is between the top two divisions but also as a sporting spectacle there was little in the way of evenly fought contests.
True you can only play what is in front of you and to the best of your ability but in all honesty I have not enjoyed it as much as I probably should. Perhaps it is me being grumpy in my old age but after a while the stories of how great it was to visit new places, what wonderful supporters we met, how tasty the pasties and cow pies were etc started to grate with me as I found that people had very little actual competitive rugby to talk about. We were all looking at the frills rather than the main object of the day.
Now on our return to the top flight things will of course be different. There will be no procession, things will not always go our way, yes we will even lose some games (lets hope we win a few too) but more importantly we will be back in the nitty gritty of the Guinness Premiership and European competition testing ourselves against the best out there.
Much as I disliked this season it was probably a necessary evil giving our new coaching team time to rebuild and the club overall a chance to draw breath, stand back and take stock but patronising as it might sound to Div One clubs I cannot wait to get back to ‘proper’ rugby. Who knows it might even lighten my grumpiness and I’ll be quite happy to hear how nice the townsfolk of Treviso are and how delicious the moules and chips are on Toulon waterfront. For me next season cannot come soon enough.
FAREWELL OLD FRIENDS
It may have been party time and everyone in a celebratory mood on Saturday but it was also a day tinged with sadness, not only for the visitors who were relegated but us as we said goodbye to some crowd favourites in Darren Fox, Sharky Robinson and Paul Tupai making their last appearance for the club. Sharky who I have already mentioned in a previous column will be moving on to a yet unnamed Premiership club. Toops, who takes the road travelled by so many before to Bedford alongside Ian Vass, was the enforcer we had probably been missing for a few seasons. A no nonsense individual, you got what you saw and he did not take any opposition shenanigans lightly as the Launceston 24 found out on Saturday once he tried (in vain) to throw his considerable weight about.
It is unclear where Foxy’s destination will be but I’ve a feeling wherever it is he will get his head down get stuck into the job and reinvent himself, perhaps in a different position to openside, then perhaps make us rue the day he left. On the face of it, emotions aside it might be the right move for the player at the moment. He’s always given his all for the Saints but a fresh start might just be the making of him. I wish them all the best of luck.
One guy who did not play on Saturday but who made his final appearance in the Wanderers side that beat Wasps on Monday was Chris Budgen.. He will be missed just as much if not more given he could cover all three front row positions. Recommended by none other than Saints legend Garry Pagel, Chicken, as he is known because of his love of Colonel Sanders bargain buckets, has become a mainstay of the club in the last few years.
Used more as an impact sub of late he quickly become crowd favourite for his bullocking runs and head down burrowing taking the game forward. My lasting memory of Chris is the pushover try scored against Gloucester a few seasons back after the Glos forwards had been crowing that they were coming to the Gardens to push us all over the park. It was like a red rag to a bull and what better guy to deliver the dagger blow.
On top of all this you have to remember that the Saints was not the only occupation for Chris. He is also a serving soldier in the Royal Welch Fusiliers and has carried out tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years. He also plays the odd game of rugby for the Army too. I’m just wondering if he ever finds any time to sleep!
Chicken is moving to Div One side Exeter Chiefs and we may well meet him again in the Premiership should they fulfill their potential next season. I too wish him the best of luck, I just hope the Devon branches of KFC know what is about to hit them.
FAREWELL ALL
So that is it for this column for another season. Thanks to you all for reading it, especially the three of you that made it this far down the page. In a few months time I will hopefully be back again providing chip wrappings to the masses. Thankfully in the return to the top table there will be more to get our teeth stuck into next year. As for the Saints well I truly believe the foundations have been laid this year that a solid future can be built on. Time will tell when the real battles begin in September but I think we are heading in the right direction and heres to looking back in a few years time to that relegation and thinking there was the spark that ignited the Saints phoenix from the flames. Enjoy your summer.
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StumbleuponRe: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: StBleach (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:02:06:23:32
Quote:Who knows it might even lighten my grumpiness
... Dont be silly Chris - stick with writing the facts
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: desbralass (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:02:07:23:29
Good stuff as ever Chris...enjoy your summer as well.
desbralass
South Stand block L Row G 359
glass still overflowing
lesleyjay07@btinternet.com
desbralass
South Stand block L Row G 359
glass still overflowing
lesleyjay07@btinternet.com
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: Chris Hoddle (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:02:08:28:21
Thanks Chris,
I have always looked forward to seeing your links and reading your thoughts. I always think that it gives me something to reflect on. Well done and look forward to next season. Lets hope it does not prove to be another "rollercoaster" year.
Sponsor me for Saints with Hearts 7 here
[www.justgiving.com]
I have always looked forward to seeing your links and reading your thoughts. I always think that it gives me something to reflect on. Well done and look forward to next season. Lets hope it does not prove to be another "rollercoaster" year.
Sponsor me for Saints with Hearts 7 here
[www.justgiving.com]
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: Stockers (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:02:09:40:15
And fare the well too Mr G after a season of good stuff from you in The Chron.
Sharky to Wasps, BTW, as told to me by his shirt sponsor, who is continuing the Number 9 theme next term by sponsoring someone called Ben Foden!
Sharky to Wasps, BTW, as told to me by his shirt sponsor, who is continuing the Number 9 theme next term by sponsoring someone called Ben Foden!
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: St Owen (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:02:11:41:57
9, I thought Foden would be waring 15?!
Good work Chris.
Good work Chris.
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: BrianB (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:02:12:02:06
Wouldn't it be a laugh if he ended up as no. 2 no. 9?
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: OldPete (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:02:13:27:11
from one grumpy old git to another - thanks for the verbal meanderings Chris
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: Wee Jim (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:02:13:35:35
Last thoughts from the Chron?! Now the season is really ended!
Good thoughtful stuff as ever - thanks for your efforts.
Good thoughtful stuff as ever - thanks for your efforts.
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: Saint Tim (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:02:16:00:22
Enjoyable as always Chris
“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
Benjamin Franklin
Tetleys Block F E143
“Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.”
Benjamin Franklin
Tetleys Block F E143
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: keith in bahrain (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:03:07:11:42
Many thanks for the high quality ramblings over the season. Always stimulating - a difficult task to manage week on week.
Keith in Bahrain
Keith in Bahrain
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: St.Rich Joe, Niamh and Sam's Dad (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:03:07:55:20
Excellent stuff as ever Chris, I agree I'm looking forward to next year and let's hope we really are the order of the phoenix.
please sponsor family Lindsley for Saints with Heart 7
please sponsor family Lindsley for Saints with Heart 7
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: Saint Dom (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:03:15:26:39
Quote:... there was always a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that it was all built on the massive failure of the year before.
That exactly describes the season for me - loads of entertainment, but second division stuff caused by last year's ructions.
Well summed up, well written and, well, enjoy your summer too!
Re: Thoughts from the Chron 010508
Posted by: Chris in Crete (IP Logged)
Date: 2008:05:10:07:03:35
well written Chris - all that OU studying shows in your compositon. The essay subjects next year will be more exciting.. have a good summer in France..
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