LSH’s grand celebrations

Nov 14 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

THE Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool, host in the past to such notables as Roy Rogers and Trigger added another milestone to its glorious heritage last Saturday.

The 150th anniversary of the oldest open Rugby club in the world, Liverpool St Helens, was the occasion with over 300 players and members of the Liverpool and St Helens clubs, past and present, gathering to commemorate such a historic event.

Guests heard from Brian Williams, senior vice-president of the RFU; David Mathews, vice-president of the Liverpool Society of Referees; Richard McCullough LSH past president, Maurice Parker, immediate past president of Lancashire and a stalwart of the Liverpool club’s first recorded opponents, Manchester; and were regaled by current LSH President Ray French.

The club’s contribution to Rugby was also reflected at the gala dinner by the presence of former internationals from four different decades in Martin Regan, Ray French, Fran Cotton and Kevin Simms.

Appropriately enough the present LSH side produced their best display of the season that afternoon with a demolition of Penrith. Skipper Phil Kearns led the way with a hat-trick of tries, saying: “We’ve been threatening to do this for some time” he said.

“It all came right today. Let’s hope we can build on this display”.

Simon Worsley and Mark Dickinson both picked up knocks in the encounter but with a blank week ahead the club are hopeful they will be fit for the trip to Hull.