One Monday evening on 14th June 1982, I was sitting in yet another Committee meeting discussing the thorny on-going problem of what to do with the old clubhouse, when in burst Bar Manager Linda screeching, “We’ve won the Falklands War and, oh by the way Jim, Dan Tenant wants to see you urgently after the meeting.”

So, at 9pm on that June evening in 1982, Dan Tenant couldn’t wait to tell me that he had gone out to the Bird in Hand to watch the auction of Church Farm in Guilden Sutton. Because it seemed such a bargain to a Scotsman, he ended up buying it. He asked if I would come and have a look at it that night with a view to offering my architectural advice on what he should do with it.

After a torchlight inspection and another lengthy discussion in the Bird in Hand, I left for home with a commission to try to get Planning to convert the barns, extend the farmhouse, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Forty-two years later, I’m now living back in Chester to be close to my beloved rugby mates. I set out from the club on a sunny Monday morning, 5th August 2024, to walk all the Public Rights of Way in Guilden Sutton Parish, as a volunteer PRoW Footpath Inspector for the Peak and Northern Footpath Society.

After walking all 6 miles of the seven paths, I was walking back through Guilden Sutton towards the Bird in Hand when I spotted a big 6’4” man sorting out loads of boxes in what looked like the makings of a car boot/garage sale outside Church Farm! Who was it but Dan’s son Gavin, unbeknownst to me, back from America for a couple of days to sort out his Dad’s house ready for putting it on the market after his sad passing. Unfortunately, Gavin had to fly back home the next day, and with still a mountain of stuff to clear. After a much-needed glass of water on such a hot day, I said to him, “Run me back up to my car at the club and I’ll give you a hand to load up and help take all the unwanted things to the tip.”

So after five hours and two loads each to the tip, even down to clearing Dan’s cellar for the first time in 40 years, we had the job cracked. I left Gavin to clean the house and stage the rest of the furniture ready for viewings.

Gavin WhatsApped me the next day to say, “Your help yesterday was an absolute blessing. I ended up just working through the night and then showering and heading to the airport. Got most of everything done, but that would not have been possible without your assistance.”

The moral of this little story is that it illustrates how rugby friendships are made to last a lifetime.

Thanks, Dan. I’ve not been that knackered since we were in the front row against Orrell, together with Tinker!