Catch (and get) a piece of Welsh rugby history

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The glory days of one of Wales’ best known rugby teams – Pontypool RFC -have been captured in a new book that has recently been released by Mainstream Publishing called: ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – The Rise and Fall of Pontypool RFC’.

Written by Nick Bishop and Alun Carter, the book tells many untold stories from behind the scenes during the amateur era of the club, discusses Pontypool RFC in a social and historical context and also includes well researched debate on the structure of the game in Wales.

Alun Carter was a member of the team during the 1980’s and his own personal perspective of playing for one of the worlds most famous rugby clubs gives the book an intimate, entertaining and well informed edge.

“Nick and I decided to write this book because there was residual material leftover from our previous book called ‘Seeing Red’ and we wanted to tell the Pontypool story and balance the outside perception of the club,” said Alun Carter. “The book connects the past and present and the amateur and professional aspects of Pontypool RFC as well as explaining the culture that helped to make the club so successful in its heyday.”

“Alun also got contributions from significant players such as Terry Cobner, Eddie Butler and Graham Price, as well as the coach through the successful period, the one and only Ray Prosser, who is the most influential person in the club’s history,” said Ray Ruddick, the club’s honorary archivist and statistician. “I feel it is a book that needed to be produced as it gives us a view from the coalface about which not many people would know. It’s well written and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.”

To celebrate its release, a special book signing will take place at Pontypool Museum on Wednesday November 20th from 1pm with both authors in attendance and copies of the book can be purchased on the day.

Pontypool Museum safeguards the entire collection of Pontypool RFC memorabilia on behalf of the club, including old photos, the trophies won during the team’s 1970’s golden era and game programmes dating back over many decades. Selected items are on display for visitors with thousands of other historical pieces kept in archives.

“We are very proud that the museum will play host to this book signing,” said Sassy Hicks, the Trust Fundraiser at Pontypool Museum. “No matter what your age or where you are from, Pontypool RFC is a name from the rugby world that everyone recognises and this book is a glorious tribute to a club that has achieved so much.”

For more information call: 01495 752036

To add to the celebration, we are giving away a signed book to one of our readers. All you have to do is Tweet us @therugbypaper your favourite memory from Pontypool RFC’s glory days using the hashtag #PontyTheGreatest – END on November 12th 11.59pm.

A few week’s back our man Brendan Gallagher wrote a great feature about Pontypool RFC and you can read it here.

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