FIFTY years of memories will come flooding back this month when the Muswellbrook District Junior Rugby League Club celebrates its 50th anniversary.
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A massive three days of activities, as well as a special invitational match, has been planned to mark the Rams’ milestone, according to publicity officer Michelle Williams.
“This is a terrific opportunity to relive the glory days,” she said.
“And, it’s such a great organisation.
“We’re starting with a catch-up mingle/drink on Friday night, May 12, at the Muswellbrook Golf Club.
“There, we’ll also auction off the final spots for the Life Members versus Club Legends fixture, which will be played at Olympic Park the following day.”
On Saturday, May 13, the junior Rams will host their first home games of the season, followed by the invitational match.
“This encounter should get people talking,” Williams said.
“The Life Members team will include guys like Gary Picton, Rob Beckingham, Steve Lanesbury, Kurt Dial, Chris Dengate, Phil Beverstock and Alan Baker.
“On the other side of the field, you can expect to see Club Legends such as Steve Haylen, Tad Moffitt, John Deakin, John Kelman, John Hamson, Gus Mather and Johnny Marco.
“Life members Gary Morgan, David Field, Ross Reynolds, Eric Archer, Dennis Thompson and relatives of Peter Hoy, Val McGhee, Graeme Frame and Alma Nichol have been invited, too.
“But, we’re waiting for them to respond to our request, so their jerseys can be organised.
“We’ve had specially-designed jumpers made for the occasion.”
Afterwards, everyone’s invited to attend a sit-down three-course meal and entertainment at the Muswellbrook RSL Club from 6pm.
Tickets for the function are $40 each – and still available.
“It should be a top evening,” Williams said.
“The Sydney-based band features a lead singer who just happens to be a former junior Ram.
“Numerous premierships have been won in five decades, countless life members inducted and with so many past players really enjoying the opportunity to retell their stories, their trophy collections have been dragged out and newspaper clippings bought out of tattered scrapbooks to be captured for the night.
“It’s been a mammoth historical undertaking getting a timeline of events over half a century with the change of guard and committee members, locations and overseers, while plenty of the original founding members have passed away, taking with them years of knowledge folklore and facts.”
The three-day festival of football wraps up on Sunday, May 14, which coincides with Mother’s Day.
The club’s seniors kick off proceedings from 10am.
“The weekend is not just for the Rams fraternity, it’s an event for the entire community,” Williams said.