Bourne Rugby Union Football Club

FOUNDED 1987

The idea for a rugby club in Bourne originated over a few beers in the bar of the Nag's Head between Ian Johnson and Alan Lock early in 1987. They called a meeting for 1st April when 35 people turned up, thus providing the nucleus of support and Bourne Rugby Union Football Club was born.

The Rugby Football Union and in particular the Notts Lincs & Derby RFU were contacted and Bourne became a constituent member of the RFU and accepted into the Courage Leagues (NLD Division 3) within its first playing season.

The headquarters remained at the Nag's Head but a ground was needed and local landowner and farmer Andrew Cooke provided a field on the outskirts of the town. Club members marked out two pitches, erected posts and adapted two old outbuildings at the back of the Nag's Head into changing rooms with shower facilities.

The club can boast that in the RFU handbook in those years it was the one with the largest spectator capacity reading "Seating - nil" and "Standing - unlimited".

By the end of the first season, Bourne were fielding two senior sides on occasions and through dedicated training and determination on the field, a somewhat inexperienced side managed not to finish bottom of the league.

Over the next few years, the club grew to field two senior teams on a weekly basis and on occasions three teams. By the end of the fourth season, the club was promoted to NLD Division 2 and members were also fortunate to receive some coaching from the Nottingham and England International Gary Rees.

Fund raising began in earnest to enable the club purchase its own ground and after losing two parcels of land at auctions, eventually secured five acres of land at Milking Nook Drove off the Spalding Road early in 1990. This land had to be levelled and seeded but was ready for play by September that year.

Early in 1991, the club purchased a sectional timber building which was re-erected on site, a task that was completed by January the following year. The clubhouse remains in use today due to the tireless effort of members in repairs and maintenance. Parker Builders have also leased five more acres of land adjacent to the site at Milking Nook Drove for additional playing areas.

The club has maintained its membership of senior players throughout its existence and has always looked towards the youth of the community to ensure its continuing existence. The senior section has a very close relationship with the Lincolnshire Poachers Regiment and plays against them on an annual basis, both at home and in Germany, in memory of some of their players who have been killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 1992, the club set up a junior section and won the Lincolnshire Colts Cup in 1993 with the help of pupils from Stamford School. The club still runs very successful Mini and Junior sections with teams from the age of under 7s to under 16s with approximately 100 members.

In 2006, the club joined with Bourne Town Junior Football Club to form Bourne Sports Club and although both clubs utilise the facilities at Milking Nook Drove, they are seeking alternative larger facilities to allow both clubs grow and to include other sports clubs in the area to develop.

WRITTEN APRIL 2012