GOLDEN ERA OF BRIGG SPORT

Late April was a very enjoyable and hectic time for Brigg sportsmen 30 or more years ago.
Re-arranged football matches took place  in the evening at Brigg Recreation Ground, on two grass pitches, to fit fixtures in during the final weeks of the season.
During the mid to late 1980s, Brigg Amateurs were particularly stretched at this time of year, having three sides operating in the Scunthorpe & District Saturday competition.
Brigg Men's Hockey Club brought its season to a close with competitive Friday night friendlies on grass pitches at The Rec, following which everyone got 'booted and suited' for the showpiece annual dinner at the Angel Hotel.
Much ale was consumed before, during and after the speeches.
To supplement this liquid diet was a fine roast dinner served under the watchful eye of proprietor Charles Shrosbree.
As soon as hockey concluded, cricket began for the Brigg Town club - usually on the day following the hockey function.
There were Saturday and Sunday league games and midweek matches, plus a range of junior  fixtures.
With all that sport going on, it was no wonder we worked up a thirst, to be slaked at venues like The Hawthorns, Queen's Arms and  Black Bull.
Today the hockey club - now combined with the ladies - still has four men's teams, but amateur Brigg football sides are very thin on the ground, compared with the late 1980s.
Brigg Town Cricket Club currently operates one team, playing in the Lincolnshire County Cricket League.
Hopefully, now the club is back playing again at the refurbished Rec, this can be expanded.
With hindsight, those of us who were active sportsmen 30 years ago should feel very fortunate.
We didn't realise it at the time but we were part of a golden era of sport in Brigg in terms of active participation, if not results on the field!

PICTURED: Some Brigg Town cricketers of the late 1970s and 1980s - Colin Mumby, Dave Robinson, Ross McFarlane, Nigel Fisher; front - Gig Smith, Graham Hunt and Allan Kemshell. We still see Colin and  Allan about in Brigg; we've chatted to Graham from time to time in the Yarborough Hunt, though not recently;  Dave  came back for a White Horse FC reunion a couple of years ago at what's now Wetherspoon's; Gig, who lives in South Ferriby,  drives over to Brigg to watch local football; Ross has attended a number of Briggensians' annual dinners at Elsham Golf Club. This picture was taken after the Brigg Town first team had clinched the Lincolnshire League third division championship, only losing twice all season.