Bridgend Athletic
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The club 2nd XV finished the season
as champions of Tier 2 of an inaugural
WRU Conference league set up for
sides whose 1st XV’s compete in the
top three tiers of the National leagues.
They are numerous winners of the Mid
Glamorgan District League and Cup
competitions. Current Team Player
Manager Liam Griffiths broke his father
Tony’s 2nd XV 216 match appearance
record during the season.
The Youth team are the only side to
field two teams in the Ospreys Youth
Leagues. The Youth 1st this season
retained the Ospreys A league title they
won last season and in all on 6 occasions.
Last season, representing the Ospreys
they won the National Youth League play
offs against the other Regional Welsh
championship winners and reached
the final this season unfortunately
losing out against the Blues champions
Pontypridd. They are coached by head
coach Lee Grabham with assistance
from Kevin Gamble, Keith Hobby, Paul
Obbard and Mike Groom. Previously in
2007 and 2009 they won the Webb Ellis
Welsh Youth Cup, completing a double
cup and league triumph in 2009.
Club Tours include visits to Hawaii,
California, Canada and Japan.
Significant on-going contributions
to the running of the club over the past
30 years include first M&J Secretary and
Club Secretary and WRU and District
Representative Roy Huntley, Treasurer
and former Chairman Terry Coles,
Sponsorship Manager David Davison the
Church Village Travel’s Managing Director,
David Perry, has been a club sponsor in
various guises over many years. He has
also been Vice President, former Captain
and Player, Ex Treasurer, Committee
Member and current BARFC Website
Administrator.
He recently spoke to Rugby Club Magazine
about his long association with the club,
saying, “Not long after the club was formed
I was encouraged to go along with some
friends, this was in 1973. I Met Clive
Easterwood at the time, who sadly passed
away recently and on one of the occasions
the 2nd XV were short of players and Clive
ended up putting me on the wing. This
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first youth secretary in 1976 and a former
trustee, David Burt former treasurer,
trustee and founder of the 100 Club in
1995 which has raised over £15,000 for
all club teams, Adrian Burt Press Officer
and former Website Administrator and
David Perry former player, treasurer,
current long term sponsor and currently
web site administrator.
The committee are represented by
M&J, Youth team and senior playing
members. New Chairman Andrew
Tellem a former player is an enthusiastic
worker,
with
Jannean
Obbard
administrating the club bar and player
progressed to hooker for the team and
before I knew it I was playing hooker for the
first team squad.”
“One of my stand out playing memories was
against South