User:Racal Decca RFC

Racal Decca as a rugby team has not been a round for fifty years. This is because Racal Decca as a company didn’t exist. Decca the company famously turned down the chance to record ‘The Beatles’ was a very large player in the electronics business, in the late seventies Racal merged with them and the company was then known as racal decca. Many large companies in the fifties, sixties and seventies realized that sport was an important part of the wellbeing of their staff and company owned sports and social clubs sprung up. Decca had there own club based in Tolworth where the majority of their workforce were based. The club had many activities, football, cricket, shooting, bowling, and much more, including rugby.

The first mention of a rugby team was in 1959 in the social club annual minutes. The social club and therefore the rugby section were only open to workers of the Company all the way through to the early eighties when ‘guests’ were allowed to play. ‘Guest’ were not allowed to buy drinks at the social club bar and had to pay a small fee for entrance! Racal Decca ‘opened up’ the club to non employees during the early 80’s and the rugby club flourished with new recruits and went from strength to strength carrying on the traditions and ethos of the club of being a very friendly and sporting side that was welcome to everyone of all abilities.

Friendships and rugby are all important to Racal Decca RFC and its survival; on and off the pitch ‘Decca’ prides its self on having fun. Touring is a special time and over the years the club has spread there ideals to the four corners of this country and beyond, including France, Poland, Spain, Czech Rep, Holland, Portugal and many more. Through the years Racal Decca RFC has gone through ‘boom and bust’ but always has managed to pull through the hard times, and this is due to the love of the come of the members old and new.

At time of writing, a five a side football company has taken over and rebuilt the old club house and facilities and for the last few years there has been no rugby pitch at the ground, but that has not stopped the club increasing its playing membership, with the club using pitches available a short work away at the Kingston University Ground. We celebrated the clubs 50th anniversary this year and was a total success with players from the past reuniting their friendships and the younger players getting a sense of the history of the club.

Long may it continue.