Burton Rugby Club was one of the founder members of the RFU in 1870 and we celebrate our 150th anniversary this year. I have been around for half of this – and have just celebrated my 75th birthday – so I wanted to do something to commemorate both events, and raise money for a club that has been a huge part of my, and my family's life.  

I was proud to be Burton's club captain in its Centenary year, I was one of the pioneers of the mini-junior section, and I proudly went on to be President. I still support the club home and away each Saturday. 

Now, we are setting out on a bold new venture to create the club's new home at Tatenhill to build on that proud 150 year history, and I want to  raise a grand (or an even grander total) to invest in a future to be equally proud of. I want to help more people enjoy the sport, camaraderie and bonhomie of this fantastic club. 

To make my contribution I have committed to doing a 'Captain Tom' and will be walking 75 laps of the Burton Pitch – walking out of the old with my first lap at The Croft, and completing the other 74 at the new ground with the aim of raising at least a thousand pounds for the development of the club. 

I hope I can rely on the support of all the members of the Rugby Fraternity that I have played alongside and against (and the very many people I've met along my journey) to chip in and help me to raise a tidy sum for the club. 

Thank you all in anticipation of your generous donations – please help me to make Burton Rugby Club's future a bright one. 

*Thanks to my daughter Amelia for using her artistic skills to promote this worthy cause. I'm also told she'll do her best to galvanise 'Rugby Twitter' to help me raise my total a little... Even the price of a pint will be welcomed... She wanted to put more puns in, but I said: "Once you've seen one rugby joke, you've seen a maul"...