Old Penarthians are sad to inform you that two former players and long standing supporters of the club have recently passed away.
Geoff Evans, son of Welsh Rugby International Gwyn Evans, played prop forward for the club after moving to the area to pursue a career with the police. Jeff started his 1st XV career in 1968 and played his last game in 1980. In the intervening period he played 234 games for the senior team as a tight head prop, never crossing to the loosehead side of the scrum because it did not suit his technical scrummaging style, or that is what he told us. He was definitely a man who enjoyed the forward battles of the game and was always reluctant to release the ball to the threequarters because they were ‘only going to knock the ball on and spoil the game’.
Jeff was 1st XV captain in season 1971-72 and was selected to play representative rugby for the East District. He also served as a committee member for many years and worked behind the bar as part of the volunteer rota with friends Nick Chandler, Mike Thomas and Nigel Williams. Jeff has not been in the best of health in recent years but the Club was very pleased to host Jeff and Sandra’s 60th wedding anniversary celebrations in March which welcomed most his family and rugby colleagues. It was a great day for many of us to remember a man who was an integral part of the club’s history
Glyn Morgan was born in Gowerton and played rugby for both Swansea RFC and Neath RFC before moving to the Penarth area with Barclays Bank where he rose to the position of Bank Manager. Glyn’s rugby career with Old Penarthians did not include any 1st XV matches but he was an important part of a Veteran’s XV that integrated the more senior players looking for some friendly rugby fun with some of the younger players making their way in a game that Glyn obviously loved.
In those illustrious ranks Glyn will be remembered for two memorable occasions. Firstly, when he was trying to deal with a bouncing ball in front of him, he only succeeded in partially bending forward and in attempting to pick it up he unintentionally kicked it forward. He didn’t do this once but three times, to everyone’s amusement. The other was a particularly cold and wet day when Glyn returned to the changing room to find that his fingers were so cold that he could not undo his boot laces. Mike ‘Pup’ Parry former second row forward for Cardiff RFC came to his rescue, never before thinking that this would be a role he would be fulfilling in the latter days of his career.
Like Jeff, Glyn had also recently been surrounded by his family at his son, Gregg’s, wedding to Catherine, daughter of the late and much missed Peter Jones on the weekend before his untimely and unexpected passing.
The Club passes on their condolences to the respective families and friends of Jeff and Glyn and hopes that the recent family parties will serve long in their memories of two special people.
When known funeral arrangements will be forwarded via our Social Media outlets.