Bath celebrate heritage with unique player numbers: From UPN #1 Thomas Gandy, one of the club’s founding members, to the most recent debutant, South African forward Jacques du Plessis #2,952, each player’s place in the West Country club’s history is marked by the order of their appearance.
Bath celebrate heritage with unique player numbers: During an extensive and rigorous research process into the club’s long and rich history, Bath Rugby’s heritage team have spent countless hours researching fixtures dating back to 1865 to ensure that every player, past and present, is attributed with the correct UPN.
All players who have played for the first team in both the amateur and professional eras since 1865 have been assigned a UPN. However, it was decided that the criteria in the professional era would include only recognized competition fixtures, excluding friendlies and one-off games.
Bathonian Hall did much to catalog the work of his late father, Peter Hall, former player #1,825, who initiated the research, and former player, Geoff Pillinger, player #2,200, who served as a selector and club. . He coached until his tragic death in 2017, and Hall’s teammate Steve Richards recently took up the challenge. #2,351.
As the proud holder of UPN #2,350, John Hall commented: “The unique player numbers act as a tribute to each player’s contribution to Bath rugby, earning the respect and prestige associated with representing the club at the highest level. They celebrate the history and legacy of Bath rugby. Legacy. Legacy Legacy Legacy Legacy :Legacy: Current success reinforces ongoing dedication while building future ambitions.
“The project is more than a mere archival exercise for Bath Rugby;
The back-row forward followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Harry Vowles to captain the club and his uncle Tom Smith played prop in the 1950s, the same decade as his father.
Bath celebrate heritage with unique player numbers and Hall added: “As a club, we look back at our proud past, celebrate what we’re doing now, what we’re building and the journey we’re on, and we look to the future, past, present and future. The club is where it’s at.
Bath celebrate heritage with unique player numbers
Halls was one of several father/son combinations to wear the blue, black and white, and recent examples include Steve and Max Ozomoh and Phil and Tom de Glanville.
Hall is widely recognized as one of the greatest players ever to pull on the famous jersey, and to this day Jerry Guscott, #2,419, is spoken of with similar reverence by the club’s loyal support base.
Roger Spurrell, one of Bath’s greatest ever captains, who led the club to its first major trophy in 1984 beating Bristol in the John Players Cup, player #2,327. It is understood that the 40th anniversary of that landmark day in the club’s history will be marked by a reunion of past players at the Saracens game on Friday, April 26.
Another notable figure is John Kendall-Carpenter and Bath celebrate heritage with unique player numbers , who is credited as the brains behind the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
The honor of having UPN #2,000 goes to an otherwise undrafted full-back named Robert Randall, who made just eight appearances in 1960 and was a teammate of Geoff Frankcom, who is also credited with his involvement in the project. Countless others such as current rugby journalist and co-author of two famous books on Bath rugby history, Before the Lemons and After the Lemons and Bath celebrate heritage with unique player numbers