Category: Photos

RE-UNION at the piano in 1979  with Ivor Golby on piano and Radlett member Chris Smith, a trombone professional, in support.
Singers (clockwise). P Lord, J Tattersall (at rear), D Hickman, A Hubbard (half-obscured), M Cornell. C Dexter (in suit], M Homan (rear), J Newton, E Torrens, A Renwick, A N Other (obscured), D Cowper, D Murley (front), C Randall (front), M Gillingham (boy) P Cook (drinking), N Draper, A N Other (obscured), C Burton (in suit), A Thornhill

Standing (L-R) K S?(Yorkshire), J Pickavant (umpire), W Athey (Yorkshire), S Dennis (Yorkshire), G Copley, A Ramay, D Griffiths, J Love (Yorkshire), J Bullman, Peter Smith, D Hanson, N. Draper, A Radcliffe, A Sidebottom (Yorkshire), P Carrick (Yorkshire), T Bishop (Southgate, umpire).
Seated (L-R): D Bairstow (Yorkshire), C Randall, G Boycott (Yorkshire), I Holland, R Lumb (Yorkshire), D Murley, D Hickman, G Stevenson (Yorkshire)

Blundell was leading a strong side with no realistic expectations. After all, Radlett had never won the Herts league title, but that was to change dramatically in 1989. Ian Edwards, a resident Australian seam bowler, formerly at Guildford, moved to the village, and two new league batsmen, Ian Simpkin and Martin Rose, added further depth alongside the brilliant Aldenham schoolboy Scott Moffat, a future Middlesex professional.

Radlett proceeded to win five Herts League titles in nine seasons, the Home Counties East crown in 2006 and 2013, four Herts Cup finals and the Evening Standard Trophy in 2003. Winning a wider competition as strong as the 50-overs Trophy was an achievement many old-timers at the club had assumed could never happen. David Hanson was the only man to play in all 11 successes.

The spirit within the club at the time was energised by the presence of wives and girlfriends. The WAGS would not necessarily watch, but as a group they might sit in the sun with their bottles of wine talking about anything, even the cricket. Familiar names such as Randall, Draper and Hickman had moved on for various reasons, but Blundell’s men won titles and broke records.