It has been a sad year for Tamworth City Old Boys, with several former Lions passing away. But amid the sorrow, the long-defunct club has been afforded an opportunity to reflect on their proud history.
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It was revealed last week that former Tamworth City players Ron Porter and Don Fox had died.
The news followed the recent deaths of ex-Lions Bob Edgecock and Jody Cooper.
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Two other former Lions, Ross Warner and Peter Ryan, also passed away this year.
"Unfortunately, being an Old Boys club, a lot of our fellas were playing back in the '60s, or when the club started in the late '50s ... So they're of that age group where we're all vulnerable," said David Head, Tamworth City Old Boys organiser.
Head advises the Lions' Old Boys network of developments within the organisation via their extensive email database.
He said: "It's always a very sad occasion when you lose a member of whatever club you're in ... But, certainly, with the number [of members] that we have, the support is tremendous from all the Old Boys."
Tamworth City ceased operating in the mid-90s upon merging with West Tamworth. But Head said the great support the Lions had when they were operating "just continued on".
"And, yeah, we're very proud of the fact that even though we haven't been an active club for over 20 years now, we're still a very active Old Boys club."
Head said Ron Porter hailed from a great rugby league family. "Ronnie had played a number of years before I came to the club, but his legacy has certainly been passed on."
He added that "all the Old Boys speak very highly" of Porter and Don Fox.
On another positive note, Head said Lions legend Barry Lingwood was "recovering well" from five coronary bypasses.
Lingwood was a founding Tamworth City player, in 1958, and captained-coached the Lions to the reserve-grade title 18 years later. How's that for longevity.
In an email to Head after his operation, Lingwood said "everything going well, you will soon be able to pick me on the bench".
Head said in an email last week that "we are hoping to have a decent Christmas-drink event at Tamworth mid to late November, depending on border closures, to catch up and also celebrate the lives of old Lions who have recently departed. I'll keep you posted."
Ross Warner, who passed away in August aged 82, was named at hooker in the North Sydney Bears' team of the century in 2006 and was inducted into the Tamworth Sporting Hall of Fame in 2014.
Warner's son-in-law, Ron Logan, said the former Lion "lived life to the fullest and will be forever in our hearts".
