Rugby Club Issue 72 | Page 25

Chingford Chingford RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB C hingford enjoyed a positive season this time around and despite narrowly missing out on promotion have plenty to be optimistic about. Club Secretary Richard Metcalf recently took the time to tell us more. He told us, “I joined the club in 1974 having played one season at Saracens. The regime of having to train at least twice a week was proving arduous in my first year of teaching and the Headmaster I was working for was a referee at Chingford.” “He persuaded me to try the club and I found it to be so welcoming that I played there for thirty years. I agreed to take on the role of Secretary for this year after the resignation of our previous experienced officer. “As a club in a poorer area of London, playing on a public open space, we do not attract large amounts of sponsorship but with the generosity of some, we survive. Schools do not play rugby in the Chingford area (local boys David Beckham and Harry Kane attract young people to soccer) so we rely heavily on our thriving Youth and Mini Rugby sections. We currently have three senior sides, each of which have had a fantastic season. www.rugbyclubmag.com 25