FORMER Hunslet players who attended the 53rd Hunslet RL Ex-Parkside Former Players reunion dinner on its traditional slot of the first Sunday in June regaled retiring chairman Peter Jarvis with a rousing rendition of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”.
`Jarvo’, who had followed in the footsteps of the redoubtable Harry Jepson OBE, had served the unique organisation superbly for many years; he is succeeded by another long-time stalwart, Trevor “Tommy” Taylor, who played in the last game at Parkside, against York on Saturday 21 April 1973, and who also starred with New Hunslet on the immediate relaunch of the club.
Nearly 100 former players had already chorused the club’s anthem “We’ve Swept the Seas Before Boys” (believed to be the oldest `war song’ in world sport) with no one singing more heartily than chief guest Ray Ashby, the former Wigan fullback who won the Lance Todd Trophy jointly with Hunslet’s Brian Gabbitas for his performance in the 1965 Wembley classic.
Ashby entertained guests at the luncheon, at the hospitable Tetley Heritage Centre in Leeds, with a question and answer session conducted by Wigan Rugby League club’s historian Keith Sutch.
A highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of a Great Britain cap to Ashby who, as a Liverpool City player, had played against France in the 39-0 win at Leigh on 18 March 1964 and, after having transferred to Wigan, featured in the 17-7 victory over the French at Swinton on 23 January 1965. Caps are generally only awarded to men who feature for their country twice in the same season but the Rugby Football League has generously allowed dispensation in Ashby’s instance.
Ray Abbey – with Gabbitas and John Griffiths, the only surviving member of Hunslet’s 1965 Wembley squad – proposed the `vote of thanks’.
