Kelso
Rugby Club
Scott Forbes is the current president of Kelso Rugby Club , born and bred in Kelso he was introduced to the club by his dad Bill who was not only a past President ( 1985-87 ) but a passionate rugby man who played and carried out administrative duties for the club and was a member of the second team that won the Border Junior League in 1959 . Scott recently told Rugby Club Magazine ,
” My dad was a great influence on me and his love of rugby and the club was certainly passed on and was one of his great gifts to me . He would regularly take me down to the club as a youngster where I would have great fun enjoying the atmosphere , meeting all his friends and running about being a ball boy .
My first taste of rugby was at Kelso High School progressing on to playing for the Kelso Harlequins youth team where I was honoured as captain before making the transition to Senior Rugby . My main playing position was Hooker , before moving to loose head prop in later years . I was 17 years old when I made my debut for the First fifteen against Tynedale , replacing the formidable Gary Callander who was injured at the time . Gary was an outstanding Hooker and represented Scotland , where he was captain in five of his six caps . He was an accomplished sevens player , winning the Melrose 7`s five times . His Sevens career also took him twice to the final of the Hong Kong Sevens , playing for the Co-Optimists and the Scottish Border Club .”
“ I have been blessed to have grown up and pull on the Black and White jersey , in an era with so many great club and international players at the club that included , John Jeffrey , Eric Paxton , Roger Baird , Andrew Ker , Alan Tait , Bob Hogarth , Adam Roxburgh , Mike Minto , Gary Waite , Graeme Aitchison and Euan Common to name a few . However , there are many more good club players that I was lucky to play along with over that time ”, added Scott .
The pandemic has taught us over the last 18 months to take nothing for granted in life and I believe this has posed the most significant challenge in the club ’ s history since the second world war as to how it would recover and operate in a new normal . The club are indebted to our valued sponsors and members who have stood by the club in these difficult times and as we work through our recovery year the health of the club is in a good place .
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