VETERANS' REUNION GAMES COULD HELP MARK BRIGG RECREATION GROUND'S 70TH ANNIVERSARY

Following on from Brigg Blog's recent post about tennis, football and cricket resuming at the town's Recreation ground in April and early May, we have now received information about hockey which is also played at North Lincolnshire Council's sports ground off Wrawby Road, using the floodlit all-weather 'Blue Astro' pitch.
With the end of the season drawing near, the Yorkshire and North leagues in which Brigg Hockey Club competes have both decided there is insufficient time to complete the 2020/21 campaign, which has now been classed as null and void.
The Brigg club is now seeking to gauge interest from its players and may put on a couple of inter-club/local friendlies if the membership requests such fixtures. If so, we expect these to take place in April.
Another recent Brigg Blog post relating to the Rec reaching its 70th anniversary in 2022 generated interest, particularly among former sportsmen and sportswomen, some now retired from playing for Brigg clubs.
This prompts us to suggest that the hockey, cricket, tennis and football clubs might consider organising 70th anniversary friendly matches involving interested players of the past who still feel able to take part.
An alternative would be to repeat what the then Brigg Men's Hockey Club did at the Rec for its 70th anniversary in 1990. All four teams nominated their 'favourite opponents' and invited them to Brigg to play celebratory friendlies (on grass pitches) which were followed by refreshments.
The former Men's, Ladies' & Colts' clubs in Brigg have since combined into one - a very sensible move which has brought benefits for a sport which continues to thrive at club level in the town after more than 100 years.
At the end of each season, in late April, the men's hockey club used to hold end-of-season Friday night inter-club friendly games at the Rec, following which the players - suitably 'booted and suited' - would head for the town centre's Angel Hotel to enjoy the annual club dinner in the ballroom (today's Angel Suite). These functions continued at the Angel until the late 1980s when it closed.

Briggensians' Football Club, which uses the Rec for home league games, is also well-established - having played at Sir John Nelthorpe School for many seasons. 

Brigg Town Cricket Club uses Brigg Rec for home games between May and late August (sometimes early September) having played its first season on this ground in 1974.

PICTURED: North Lincolnshire Council's Recreation Ground showing the all-weather hockey facility, grass football pitches with the spring/summer cricket area on the right, and the new changing room block (image by Neil Stapleton).