BRADFORD & Bingley may be one of the younger clubs in the district, but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t left an imprint since the two entities merged in 1981.

That much was made clear when the Bees held a dinner at their Wagon Lane clubhouse to present numbered certificates to players who have made first-team appearances in the 40 years since the club was formed.

Some of the players are, of course, no longer with us, such as Steve Burnhope, but happily Dave Balmforth was – the first of over 600 players to have represented the Bees’ first XV.

Goal-kicking props – he booted the ball toe first – are a rarity these days, but Balmforth was one of 70 some who attended the inaugural Melrose Interiors Legacy Project dinner in the Wagon Lane clubhouse.

If Balmforth was a survivor from the first match, the Bees have already handed out 10 debuts this season – props Ross Heslington and Alex Leadbeater and winger Patrick Horrigan against Morley (594-596); props Barnaby Vaughan and Rob Spencer and centres Will Sagar and Rhys Holland against Scarborough (597-600) and second rows Ryan Ridehalgh and Dominic Liversedge and No 8 Etika Atalifa against Malton & Norton (601-603).

The Bees haven’t pulled many trees up in recent seasons in terms of pushing for promotion, but attendees at the dinner were left in no doubt as to how important the club is to people’s general well being and that, hopefully, better times are ahead, with the club’s youngsters at the forefront.

Former first-team skipper John Fletcher said: “Organiser Ali Macdonald has spent an enormous amount of time to collate a group of guys who have represented a little club called Bradford & Bingley, and before that people played for Bradford and for Bingley.

“When you play rugby, you can go to any club in the world and you will be made welcome because you have played rugby – they are your ‘brothers’ – and that is why rugby is important.

“The next time we have this legacy dinner hopefully there will be 200-300 people here.”

Head coach Hugh Gumbs said: “We are a club that have bounced back and I can see positives for the future, but it would be good if we could have more volunteers to helps someone like Jimmy Driver out, and that should be a goal for the club – if people can just do one or two little things to help.”

Macdonald said: “Rugby is all abut making memories, and the pandemic has reminded me of how much work people do for their club.

“This club has been part of our lives and it is about legacy and celebrating how many people have played their part for this club.”

Numbers were affected by being unable to get in touch with all of those who had qualified for certificates, while ill health and worries over Covid 19 were other reasons why the attendance didn’t make three figures.