Southam RUFC legend Bob Jones dies aged 83

THE local rugby community is in mourning after Southam RUFC announced that stalwart Bob Jones had died aged 83 following a short illness.

Bob first started playing senior rugby at Leighton Buzzard and then moved to Northampton Mens Own.

After moving his family to Clifford Chambers, near Stratford, he got involved with the fledgling Southam rugby club.

He was involved in the purchase of the land and the building of the original clubhouse.

Bob was then instrumental in the building of the extension in the late 1990s, as well as the purchasing of the extra land to give the club a fantastic facility at Kineton Road.

Bob held many roles at the club, with his eight-year presidency being a key one, as well as his captaincy of the club's fourth, fifth and sixth teams over the years.

He wasn’t just just satisfied with offering his time and effort to Southam but was a key driving force in local district and county rugby at both colts and senior levels.

Bob also developed some novel competitions, especially midweek, to get people playing rugby and his involvement in veterans rugby was well known around the county.

Probably Bob’s proudest moment was when he became Warwickshire president for two years and he used every opportunity to promote Southam and local rugby at regional level and at Twickenham.

Bob was old-school and his involvement in rugby benefited many hundreds, if not thousands of people, and he will be sorely missed.