Last weekend and this six sets of brothers represented/will represent the club: Tim and Rich Bell; Jamie and Jordan Church; Lewis and Tom Johnson; Calum and Luke Monaghan; Louis and Tom Shorrock ; Josh and Joe Spencer. Add in three sets of fathers & sons: Mark and Matt Astwood; James and Shane Cook; Jake Pagan and Liam Webb; twin sisters Laura and Hannah Walton and on occasion Mother and Daughter Louise and Jessica Dale (not forgetting him indoors Mike) in the Ladies, it really does complete the family circle.

Even more so with the very welcome returns of prodigal sons Mike Shaw and Joe & Josh Spencer and newcomers Dave Helmsley and Tim & Rich Bell.

In the midst of all this the scheduled final home league game of the season for the First XV at Waterloo Road against Manchester Medics on Saturday has had to be cancelled, the opposition having pulled out of the league last month. With over 120 people booked in for the traditional Patrons Day pre-match lunch including all the great and good in attendance for one of the most looked-forward to events in the club calendar far from creating a potential headache who ya gonna call?

Shipwreckers!

The veterans of the club raise themselves from their (sea) beds to hoist their main sail to host touring counter parts Aldridge RFC from Birmingham on the main pitch. Just the opportunity these seasoned jack tars have waiting for to promote the Shipwrecks. With the focus having been on the three senior teams, the Colts and the Ladies, who have had a fantastic season at Level 3, cometh the hour as able (or oit so as the case may be) seamen Jason Keating, Shane Cook, Ian Smith et al* find themselves as the main (or is it fatal?) attraction.

PATRONS LUNCH GUESTS PLEASE ARRIVE 12.30 pm for a 1.00pm sit down

The development of regular family “Friday nights, under the lights” social Vets rugby is an aspiration for the Club and this can be show boated on Saturday and with touring antics in abundance, the Grand National on the screens at 5:15pm and the Annual SRFC Race Night in the evening it all promises to be a lively day and maybe the club will end up with headache of its own making on Sunday morning! Even more so if the clubs adopted horse Gas Line Boy, appropriately co-owned by Club Patron Pete Thwaites, understandably otherwise engaged during the afternoon, runs and comes up trumps in the National! Who knows maybe both may make a surprise appearance in the evening if Gas Line Boy wins!

https://www.grandnational.org.uk/grand-national-runners-2018.php

All live on the screens after the game, followed by the not-to-missed Annual SRFC Race Night featuring the 'live' chase around the pitch. Place your bets now!

On another note good luck to ‘back-packer’ Lawrence Abood whose appearance in the First XV on Saturday was his last match before moving up to international rugby with the Lebanon squad for the games against Jordan and Qatar before returning to Australia. Lawrence has proved a popular figure during the season never too proud to turn out for any team when available and the Club wishes him well on duty for his country before his return to Sydney where we hope he can be instrumental in setting-up two way links between clubs he is involved with over there.

Family and fortunes are never dull at Southport RFC, First team game or no First team game. Come on Gas Light Boy!

*Provisional Shipwrecks line-up:
1. John Gillow
2. Andy Richie
3, Ian Smith
4. Mike dale
5. Tony Hudson
6. Henry Brain
7. Gareth Lang
8. Jason Keating
9. Colin Fearns
10. Mark Astwood
11. Chris Drescher
12. Shane Cook
13. Chris Tees
14. Rich Robbins
15. Jason Fitzpatrick
16. Rei Chambers
17. John Mawdsley
18. Dave Helmsley
19. John Scott
20 Stephen Hart