THE future of one of the original members of the North Gloucester Combination faces the biggest threat in their 108-year history.

Tredworth Rugby Club have failed to field a side for their last three consecutive matches in Gloucester Three and sit bottom on minus 20 points.

The Lannet men were one of six clubs who attended the very first Combination meeting a century ago in 1912.

With the Combination celebrating their 100-year anniversary this season, one club stalwart is sad to see his side in the state they are in.

Brian Wiggins' association with the Gloucester outfit stretches back more than 50 years and as well as playing includes a variety of titles, such as fixtures secretary and chairman.

Wiggins cites the loss of the clubhouse in the 1990s as a big contributor to their current plight as it was one of the biggest sources of their income.

Over the years it had been used as a community centre for Tredworth and the surrounding area and held events such as weddings, birthdays and parties.

Every year the rugby referees used to hold their annual dinner there, attracting more than 200 guests to sit down for dinner.

Unfortunately, the club suffered financially in the 1990s and the clubhouse was forced to close.

Since the loss of the clubhouse the club have struggled and if it were not for the hospitality of the nearby Winget club in providing facilities for entertaining visitors, the club might not have survived.

The club still use and own the changing rooms on the Lannet and there are two good pitches there with floodlights.

Wiggins is appealing to any players not involved with anyone to contact the club or come to training on Tuesday nights to ensure the future of Tredworth Rugby Club.

"Tredworth were running a couple of sides four or five years ago and have now gone down to one side and have really struggled," he said.

"Now there is just one side and they have never been able to run a junior side because the clubhouse was too far away from the pitch.

"It was okay for adults to drive but you can't do that with kids.

"At the last resort Tredworth will endeavour to start a youth team for next season and rebuild but with the state local rugby is in, Tredworth might not be the only club to struggle.

"Why is there such a demise in local rugby? There are many reasons but league rugby is part of the problem.

"Just look at the leagues, there are about four local sides who are bottom of their leagues.

"Youth rugby is started too young and by the time they reach adult level, players disappear.

"Look in the Shed at Kingsholm on match days and you could probably get about ten sides of under-18s, who instead of playing, are watching.

"I am not knocking the clubs who organise youth rugby because they do a marvellous job.

"But the problems are widespread in Gloucester rugby and need to be addressed.

"One of the problems is the number of clubs in Gloucester.

"Ledbury have got one side in their area but that is no excuse because we have always had that.

"There is no loyalty in rugby anymore. The game has changed.

"It is not like it used to be where if you played for Tredworth you would never dream of playing for anyone else.

"Local rugby is in a hell of a state and I have never known anything like it.

"Gordon League have won one in 18, Tredworth are bottom of the league and going out of business and Civil Service are struggling to get a side.

"It only takes a little bit of success and it will come flooding back.

"We were in Western Counties One and we have come down to the lowest league now.

"And once you start losing, no one wants to stay with you.

"We have got to the level we are at and it is the lowest position you could be in.

"You cannot go anywhere further down after this."

■Anybody interested in helping or joining Tredworth Rugby Club can contact chairman Lynton Smith on 07890 008485 or Neil Edkins on 07789 634153.

WIGGINS HOPES GOOD TIMES RETURN

TREDWORTH Rugby Club have a rich and successful history.

Since the club’s inception in 1904 as one of the original North Gloucester Combination clubs, they have enjoyed a number of celebrations down the years.

Their most notable achievements were their two Senior Combination Cup triumphs in the 1950/51 and 1961/62 seasons.

They went on to lift their first Junior Combination Cup in 1968/69.

That was followed up a season later with their second consecutive Junior Cup before their third and final second-team competition in 1975/76, while the club’s third team lifted the Glanville Cup in 1979/80.

These important conquests are ingrained in the long and prestigious history of the club and stalwart Brian Wiggins hopes they might return.

The 70-year-old has seen many good times in his long association with the Lannet club but there are a few occasions that stick out in his memory.

“Tredworth have played on the Lannet for over 60 years and have had some massive games in the Combination Cup,” he said.

“Large crowds of several thousand people would turn out to watch matches, particularly against the other local sides like Gordon League and Matson.

“There was one season where Tredworth played Matson in the semi-final of the Senior Cup many years ago and drew up at Matson.

“The replay was to be on the Lannet on the last Saturday of the season but the ground was so hard that it was deemed unplayable because it was like concrete.

“Fortunately, Gloucester had completed their season the weekend before and Kingsholm was available, so Tredworth approached Gloucester.

“We asked them if we could use the ground and they said yes and agreed to the use of Kingsholm.

“It was agreed that both clubs would share the gate after expenses.

“But there was such a lot of interest in this particular game that Gloucester changed their minds and suggested that the gate receipts should go to charity instead.

“Stan Green, the Matson secretary at the time, suggested that the money should go towards Saintsbridge House, the senior citizens home, because it was halfway between Matson and Tredworth.

“So after all the expenses had been deducted, the proceeds were then presented to Saintsbridge House.

“Both clubs were amazed by the crowd that turned up that day, there was over 9,000 people there for a local match, which had to make it some kind of record at the time.

“Unfortunately Tredworth lost the replay and Matson then played Gordon League on the following Tuesday in the final at Kingsholm again in front of 5,000 people and won.”