Chris Marson becomes a life member of Thanet Wanderers RUFC

On Sunday 25th October Club Chairman Chris Panteli conferred the honour of life membership on Chris Marson.

Ex Team-mate Peter Macaulay, who had proposed that Chris be so recognised, spoke of his outstanding career with the Wanderers where Chris first donned the blue, black and gold in 1982. He was a first team regular for over twenty years where he played amazingly in over seven hundred games and was the player of the season four times. Promotion was achieved during his tenure as first team captain from 1991-93 and he played in the memorable inaugural RFU Cup final at Twickenham where Wanderers were the first winners of the trophy in 1997. Wanderers won the Kent Cup for the first time in their long history in 2001 with Chris again in the side. After retirement from regular first XV duties he continued playing in a successful 2nd XV and also for the Veterans until very recent years.

Mr Panteli spoke of Chris’ service to the club away from the playing side where he has spent over fifteen years as a committee member serving two terms as Vice Chairman plus stints as Social Secretary, Trustee and Director of Marketing. He is also a trustee of the Paul Keohane Sports Fund which is doing so much to bring rugby to local schools. The present Development and Marketing Director, Andy Bull, had created an appropriate certificate to mark the occasion and this, together with an autobiography of local women’s rugby star Catherine Spencer, was presented by the Chairman.

Chris replied thanking the committee for the honour bestowed on him at the club he loved and where he had enjoyed many wonderful years and where he hoped to spend many more. He then left to join the U17s the team he has coached since 2007 for their Sunday morning training session.

26 October 2020