The STH Barbeque Experience

on parade
By kwin
August 30 2003

A brave decision to choose a Friday night for the season ticket holders' barbeque paid off smartly yesterday with the Club enjoying an all-time highest turnout for what proved to be an excellent evening.

Rushing back from work I only arrived at 7pm by which time the party was already two hours old, and packed.

In the training field behind the Stoop they had erected an enormous bouncy castle complex, into which my kids disappeared immediately, and almost without trace.  Next to the main entrance a steel band tinkled as I went through into East Stand bar which was humming with a host of familiar faces...

The bar was crowded - but not too crowded - the Greene King IPA was excellent, sunshine had broken through the clouds, and the atmosphere amongst the fans was crackling with the sort of unalloyed optimism you only get at the beginning of the season.

It was good to be back! 

Returning from the bar, laden with beer and wines, I soon encountered a delighted Tony Copsey flush with the success of the event.  'I can't believe you were ever worried", I told him, "I've always favoured Friday nights for this sort of thing - you can't pay attention to a few nay-sayers on the message boards you know"

Delighted

It was great to see Quinssa branding everywhere - the balloons were a marvellous idea and taking a quick tour I spotted the Quinssa table doing a roaring trade. I circulated round the bar saying hello to the old favourites, making sure to blank Richard H who appeared to talking to an opposing fan :-) and before I knew it the highlight of the evening was upon us....

The fashion show!

Karl Rudzki, Simon Miall, a mystery blond, Pat Sanderson (fresh from the racecourse), Josh Taumalolo, & George Harder strutting their stuff

In what's now an established Quins tradition, the last three players to cross the try-line in yesterday's training session are joined by a couple of unsuspecting newbies who didn't realise what they were agreeing to, modelling the new season's kit in front of an amused and disbelieving crowd.  A special cheer was reserved the new away shirt.

The match

The match kicked off and I retired to my seat, pausing only to admire the industrious Prof, whose match report I see is up on the site already!

industrious

Half Time

At half time Evs strolled over to the crowd and made a short speech of welcome with Mad Max hovering anxiously beside him trying to get his mike back.

Max was on good form, this season it seams he's dropped his silly shorts (ooh er madam!)  in favour of a silly haircut, and like him or love him, he remains his irrepressible self.   With the Club's new sponsorship from Greene King, Max he took the opportunity to plug his Greene King pub (The Bell in Tonbridge) where he keeps a warm welcome for Quins fans, one and all

welcoming

The beer

And wasn't it good to have some proper beer in the bar?  The hand-pumped IPA was excellent (beware of the sparkled, smooth flow stuff under the same name, though) but the only trouble was...... they ran out before half time!!.  'It was amazingly popular' a girl behind the bar told me 'we didn't think we'd sell that much'   Hopefully they'll double, triple  - quintuple? order for the 13 Sept.

Tired and Happy

At about eleven the family kwin trooped home, and all agreed that an excellent time had been had. Great evening, great atmosphere, thanks to all at the club for their hard work organising

hard working office staff

Roll on Wasps!