BRIAN GILBERT
Scottish Rugby is saddened to learn of the death of Kilmarnock RFC’s Brian Gilbert. He was 61. A former member of the Club Competitions Working Party headed up by John Jeffrey, Brian spent most of his teaching career at Marr College in Troon where, as Principal PE Teacher, he was very much involved in developing rugby within the school with many of his charges going on to play locally for Marr RFC and elsewhere.

He played originally with the former Dalry RFC and also played on the wing at Kilmarnock, initially as part of the Kilmarnock Ayrshire RFC experimental setup, before settling to play with Kilmarnock RFC.
On retiring from playing, he went back to coach at Dalry, prior to its amalgamation with Old Spierians RFC to become Garnock RFC, but returned to coach at Kilmarnock before taking over the coaching reins at GHK.
During his time with GHK at Old Anniesland, he is credited with remarking about his own players' seeming lack of commitment: "When the going gets tough, the tough go skiing", a comment that has become part of Scottish Rugby's folklore.
After a coaching spell with Glasgow Southern RFC at Braidholm, he moved back to Bellsland (Kilmarnock) and then went on to coach at Ardrossan Academicals RFC, before returning to Kilmarnock three seasons ago.

Scottish Rugby extends its sincere sympathies to his family and friends.

His funeral is on Wednesday 5 July at St Margaret's Church in Dalry, Ayrshire at 9am then to Holmford Bridge Crematorium (between Irvine and Kilmarnock near Dreghorn on the A71) at 10am.

This article was posted on 3-Jul-2006, 12:08 by Hugh Barrow.