By David Hibell
June 13 2003

The news that 2 of Bristols stalwarts have signed for other clubs is the latest blow in the Bristol Shoguns Rugby fans rollercoaster ride. Paul Hull has left to go to London Irish as coach and Craig Short has joined Rotherham, both of them were Bristol through and through.

Hully held the record for most league appearances and most league tries for Bristol, player of the tour on the England tour to South Africa of 1994(5?) his England career was much Shorter than many felt it should have been and he played in more positions for Bristol than Andrew Sheridan! Craig has been at Bristol his whole playing career, he would have made more appearances but for injury and was voted Bristol’s player of the Month for May, I am sure that all supporters will wish both these and the other departing players well, and a speedy return to our ranks!

The Evening Post report on both of the departures said that they were offered positions in the new club, Shorty as player/forwards coach and Hully as coach so presumably steps are being made to liase with the remaining players behind the scenes, but after two people that both remained at Bristol in the dark days of administration have left it looks bleak for Bristol.

I am not going to point any fingers, people have their own views and are posting them on the message boards.

The new season is not that far away and it is not looking good, rather than read of the new signings to mount a serious campaign in League Division 1 all the news is traffic in the wrong direction.

I have drawn up a list from the first team squad of who has definitely left, who is rumoured to be leaving and the players that there has been no news on so far. Some players have come out and said they want to play for Bristol but for simplicity’s sake they have been included in the no news section.

I feel as I write this that I am going to be doing a lot of amending to it to keep it up to date and it is an awful feeling. A cursory glance at the players that have left and the memories of the high and low points of the season come flooding back.

I find myself turning on the local news or looking at a local newspaper not wanting to look at the back page, or hear the sports news for fear of finding out who has left now, but at the same time wanting to know if anything has been sorted out with the running of the club, or of anyone signing.

Watch this space.

Confirmed departures

Players

Archer – Newcastle

Brown – Gloucester

Christophers – Leeds

Contepomi – Leinster  

Crompton - Cardiff

Drahm – Northampton

Gibson – Leicester

Higgins – Bath

Johnson - Gloucester

Morgan S - Leeds

Oakley – Gwent

Rees - Leeds

Richards - Wasps

Shorty – Rotherham

Sheridan – Sale

White – Leicester

Coaching Staff

Hully – L Irish

Rumoured departures

Players

Pichot – France

Daniel – Bath

Lipman – Bath or Sale

Best - Quins

Payne – Wasps

Carrington - Plymouth  

Salter - Leeds

Beattie - Orrell

Shaw - ?

Coaching Staff

Thorburn

Grant

Any News?

Bergamaschi

McCarthy

Nelson

Skuse

Sturnham

Williams

Morgan C

Hodgson

Clarke

Hayward

Rowland