Trauma And Rehabilitation
By AlanQuin December 27 2005
There can be no doubt that 2005 has been one of the most traumatic years in the history of Harlequin Football Club. On that afternoon of April 30th, those of us who could dare to look watched in anguish as Jeremy Staunton’s penalty kick curled past the outside of the left-hand post.
There can be no doubt that 2005 has been one of the most traumatic years in the history of Harlequin Football Club. On that afternoon of April 30th, those of us who could dare to look watched in anguish as Jeremy Staunton’s penalty kick curled past the outside of the left-hand post.
The match was lost by a single point and relegation left the taste of ashes in one’s throat. There was a feeling of loss that vied with others of shame and disbelief.
The look on the faces of the players later in the bar told the same story as they hardly knew how to look at the supporters. Perhaps my abiding memory of the evening after the Sale match was the look despair on Will Greenwood’s face as he passed through the East Stand reception area, saying that he was going to have a drink with the supporters “..if they will drink with me.” It was hard to believe that the season had ended in such disaster as one recalled the euphoria and celebrations only a twelvemonth earlier which had greeted the last gasp victory in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup Final.
Although the season had started badly and only three wins and a draw had been achieved by the start of 2005, the highlight of January was the 33883 crowd at Twickenham for the home Heineken match against Munster. True the match was lost, but the performance was not all that bad. The highlight of February was the runaway defeat of Gloucester by 38 – 9 at the Stoop equalled by a hard fought win at the Recreation Ground against Bath for only the second time in the long history of battles between the clubs. All was not yet lost.
March brought only a win against Newcastle and thereafter all the games were lost with losing bonus points no consolation. The last minute loss at Northampton and late losses against London Irish and Sale sealed Harlequins’ fate. The single most important factor which had cost Quins’ their place in the Premiership was seen by many to have been the failure to retain Paul Burke together with the failure of Staunton, Burke’s replacement, and Dunne in the role of fly half both in kicking and decision making.
The post relegation depression was fairly soon displaced by optimism encouraged by the declarations from Andre Vos, Will Greenwood, Gavin Duffy and Tony Diprose that they were staying. When supporters realised that the bulk of the squad were not leaving and there would be no repeat of the near disaster that Bristol had experienced when relegated, the mood began to lighten still further and the appointment of Dean Richards as Director of Rugby was a clear declaration of intent. The arrival of Andrew Mehrtens, the great All Black fly half, reinforced belief that restoration to the Premiership was achievable.
Depression was gone. Season ticket sales were almost the same as the previous season and the commitment, loyalty and belief of the supporters, backed by financial contribution in not accepting the reduced prices of ND1 season tickets gave further encouragement to both management and supporters.
So the season began with the first expedition to strange places. First up were Pertemp Bees, otherwise Birmingham and Solihull R.F.C., and the level of travelling support exceeded even the previous record, away to Stade Francais in Paris, with over 1000 making the journey to the Midlands. The phenomenon, which was to become almost customary, was the huge increase in the gate at every ground at which Harlequins came to play with sell-outs at Bedford and Plymouth.
At The Stoop too, the ground records were in danger as the opening of the new Lexus Stand increased the capacity to 12700. Against Cornish Pirates, who were beaten by 50 points to 6, a crowd of 10843 established a new ground and league record.
Victory has followed victory, home and away, week after week. As the year is at its end with thirteen wins out of thirteen in the league and a place in the last eight of the National Trophy achieved by two more wins, rehabilitation and promotion seem almost certain.
Some of our opponents have almost conceded us the title and with every other side in the league beaten once it is well within the bounds of possibility that Quins will go unbeaten this season.
In some ways this has been a very pleasant season to date. The places we have visited have been different and the natives largely friendly. But most unusual for anyone who has followed Harlequins in the last fifteen years, we expect to win and we do win
What could be better? Only that we do the same thing in the Premiership next year!
The look on the faces of the players later in the bar told the same story as they hardly knew how to look at the supporters. Perhaps my abiding memory of the evening after the Sale match was the look despair on Will Greenwood’s face as he passed through the East Stand reception area, saying that he was going to have a drink with the supporters “..if they will drink with me.” It was hard to believe that the season had ended in such disaster as one recalled the euphoria and celebrations only a twelvemonth earlier which had greeted the last gasp victory in the Parker Pen Challenge Cup Final.
Although the season had started badly and only three wins and a draw had been achieved by the start of 2005, the highlight of January was the 33883 crowd at Twickenham for the home Heineken match against Munster. True the match was lost, but the performance was not all that bad. The highlight of February was the runaway defeat of Gloucester by 38 – 9 at the Stoop equalled by a hard fought win at the Recreation Ground against Bath for only the second time in the long history of battles between the clubs. All was not yet lost.
March brought only a win against Newcastle and thereafter all the games were lost with losing bonus points no consolation. The last minute loss at Northampton and late losses against London Irish and Sale sealed Harlequins’ fate. The single most important factor which had cost Quins’ their place in the Premiership was seen by many to have been the failure to retain Paul Burke together with the failure of Staunton, Burke’s replacement, and Dunne in the role of fly half both in kicking and decision making.
The post relegation depression was fairly soon displaced by optimism encouraged by the declarations from Andre Vos, Will Greenwood, Gavin Duffy and Tony Diprose that they were staying. When supporters realised that the bulk of the squad were not leaving and there would be no repeat of the near disaster that Bristol had experienced when relegated, the mood began to lighten still further and the appointment of Dean Richards as Director of Rugby was a clear declaration of intent. The arrival of Andrew Mehrtens, the great All Black fly half, reinforced belief that restoration to the Premiership was achievable.
Depression was gone. Season ticket sales were almost the same as the previous season and the commitment, loyalty and belief of the supporters, backed by financial contribution in not accepting the reduced prices of ND1 season tickets gave further encouragement to both management and supporters.
So the season began with the first expedition to strange places. First up were Pertemp Bees, otherwise Birmingham and Solihull R.F.C., and the level of travelling support exceeded even the previous record, away to Stade Francais in Paris, with over 1000 making the journey to the Midlands. The phenomenon, which was to become almost customary, was the huge increase in the gate at every ground at which Harlequins came to play with sell-outs at Bedford and Plymouth.
At The Stoop too, the ground records were in danger as the opening of the new Lexus Stand increased the capacity to 12700. Against Cornish Pirates, who were beaten by 50 points to 6, a crowd of 10843 established a new ground and league record.
Victory has followed victory, home and away, week after week. As the year is at its end with thirteen wins out of thirteen in the league and a place in the last eight of the National Trophy achieved by two more wins, rehabilitation and promotion seem almost certain.
Some of our opponents have almost conceded us the title and with every other side in the league beaten once it is well within the bounds of possibility that Quins will go unbeaten this season.
In some ways this has been a very pleasant season to date. The places we have visited have been different and the natives largely friendly. But most unusual for anyone who has followed Harlequins in the last fifteen years, we expect to win and we do win
What could be better? Only that we do the same thing in the Premiership next year!
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