GHK News - The View from the First Man Over the Top

The person whose problems are all behind them is a rugby bus driver

‘One of the gladdest moments of human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. Shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of routine, the cloak of many cares and the slavery of home, man feels once more happy’.
Sir Richard Burton (1821 –1890), English explorer, hypnotist and fencer

Men, like all away match days the peregrination begins in the company of others but this is certainly not how it will end. Once aboard either the grandeur or mire of the Pullman ‘others’ soon become ‘friends’. As a band of travelers, each will experience a myriad of sights, experiences, trials and initiations. Men, this is where all that is good about our great game, Rugby Union begins.

Historically my seat has always been the furthest away from the driver – some, quite correctly, call it the business end. Irrefutably the holy grail for each journey takes the form of what has become know to the mile-hardened as ‘the double stop’. Men, I, in the company of many of this mornings readers have seen this for ourselves. Asda Garthdee Road and Morrisons Milton Of Craigie instantly spring to mind. It is too emotional for this prop forward to even mention the Sainsburys at Market Street in Hoylake, Wirral. However, such an experience is wholly dependant on full immersion of crooning and inextinguishable bellowing after full immersion in the firewater and hooch. Take what is due to you Men and tighten the knickers.

As with the end of any match day, be it mini rugby or the international stage, it invariably ends with the main pitch streak of the fresh amongst us, emotionally charged from what has been a rollercoaster of a journey. Those lucky enough to share the flight will have been blessed indeed. But whilst I sit here waxing lyrical about such a journey please heed this. The journey back is incontestably better after victory.

Adjutant General Shambilton is not to be confused with the Indian stork variety with its large naked pouch under the throat. Murray Wiseman has retired for the 6th time in 4 years so we’ll see him at next years pre-season. The Prince had intense physio from Bobby Joe on Thursday. Officers to the Seafield Club.

The Regiment for tomorrow’s game against Gordonians at Countesswells, 3pm kick-off, is as follows: 


15 A ‘Stephen Fry’ Fleming

14 T ‘Marco Polo‘ Heron

13 G ‘T E Lawrence‘ Hollerin
12 D ‘Freiherr von Humbold’ Hoffman

11 R ‘Tenzing Norgay’ Love
10 J ‘'Buzz' Aldrin ‘ Shannon
9 M ‘Herodotus’ Aird
1. Craig ‘Hernando de Soto ‘ Macphee
2. Gordi ‘The Littlest Hobo’ Reid
3. Cammy ‘Spens Murray’ Mclay
4. Hugh ‘Columbus’ Parker
5. Andy ‘Thomas Cook’ Drummond
6. Greg ‘Lets not get a twin room Rory…’ Woolard
7. Alan ‘Ibn Battuta’ ‘Tilston
8. R ‘Aviemore Sojourn’ McCormack

16. T ‘Sally Ride’ Horton
17. P ‘Jules Verne’ Ritchie
18. D ‘Weir’s Way’ Campbell

Yours as always, running towards the gunfire. 11am Flying Scotsman.

Disco

Theme for the bus home: Cartoon Characters.

This article was originally posted on 3-Sep-2010, 10:28 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 3-Sep-2010, 10:30.