This season we are once again opening the doors of Cardiff Hall of Fame to induct more legends of the famous Arms Park Club to its upper echelon. Who would you vote into the Cardiff Hall of Fame?
One of the most popular ventures to be launched in recent years was the Cardiff Hall of Fame.
In 1999 the first fifteen players (from any position, not a team from 15 to one) were chosen and saluted at a gala dinner. From Dr Jack Matthews as the first post-war captain in 1945 to Robert Norster, the last to hang up his playing boots in 1989, the Hall of Famers were acknowledged as being fine ambassadors for Cardiff Rugby Football Club on and off the field.
Two years later five more inductees were chosen. They included a legend from the turn of the last century, E Gwyn Nicholls, who captained the club for four seasons and led Wales to the epic 1905 victory over New Zealand. He was joined by greats from four different decades : Gareth Griffiths (1950s), Maurice Richards (1960s), John Scott (1980s) and Mike Rayer (1990s).
Now we are opening the doors of the Hall of Fame again. This time any past player can be nominated for final selection, as long he has retired from playing and, of course, represented all that was best about the club.
The options are endless. They might include more marvellous players from the 1900s like Percy Bush or Bert Winfield when the Springboks and the Wallabies were trounced by great Blue & Black sides and the All Blacks escaped by the skin of their teeth. Or perhaps a great sportsman of the inter-war years such as Wilf Wooller or Arthur Cornish. And what about some more of the famous 1953 team that beat the All Blacks, men like CD Williams and Geoff Beckingham or the late Sid Judd.
There are countless possibilities from the last 40 years or so, like Gordon Wells, Elwyn and Tony Williams, Ian Robinson, Mark Ring, Bob Lakin, Mike Hall, Jonathan Humphreys, Hemi Taylor and many, many more. The Hall of Famers arent necessarily international players but certainly great club men.
What we need are the nominations of YOU, the supporters and members, and all such entries will be considered by a specially convened panel representing the past players, the supporters club and the media.
Why not send your preferred choices of FIVE great players (no more, please) on a postcard to the following address:
Hall of Fame, Cardiff Rugby Football Club Ltd., Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff CF10 1JA.
Entries have already started to come in. All postcards received will be entered into a draw (irrespective of player choices) with the winner receiving two places at the Gala Hall of Fame Dinner in August/September
The closing date for entries is: 15th August 2004
The Hall of Famers
E Gwyn Nicholls
Jack Matthews
Bleddyn Williams
John Nelson
Rex Willis
Cliff Morgan
Gareth Griffiths
Lloyd Williams
Alun Priday
Howard Norris
Maurice Richards
Gerald Davies
Gareth Edwards
Barry John
Alan Phillips
Gareth Davies
Terry Holmes
John Scott
Robert Norster
Mike Rayer
[players are listed in the order of their debut for Cardiff]