I felt somewhat ill-equipped when I raised my hand to pen a eulogy to our club servant, teammate and friend Jamie Kimpton, as he steps down as our DOR, given I had only ever played against Anselmians and equally only known Jamie for a couple of years.

So, with my insufficient starting point, I got some help from a few people that know him best.

What I can do however is to recount how I met Jamie, I think it says a lot about him. At the end of 2022, I was back in Eastham visiting my dad who was ill and nearing the end of his life. In need of a beer, a place to watch the midweek Liverpool derby match and some general respite I dropped into the clubhouse. In short order I was invited to sit at J’s table on the basis that I was a Red not a Bitter and on my own! During the game I heard the story of the new clubhouse and the execution of the ambitious on field plans that the club had for the Saints. He invited me to that coming Saturday’s game, I gratefully accepted and very quickly I was an Annies convert. Within a couple of weeks Jamie had ‘recruited’ me to help with the Saints on-line profile! Jamie is, I think it is fair to say, an enthusiast, the consummate host and a bloody good salesman!

Delving 40 years further into the past, reveals Jamie’s rugby genesis at St Anselms College. Where, I am reliably informed, due to him being too rotund to be a runner, he took up our beloved game! On Sunday’s he played at Anselmians under the guidance of Colin Humphries and Mike Campbell. He left the college at 16, as his prospects it was suggested were better served elsewhere, and as such he missed out on much first team rugby.

He had trials for Cheshire U16 - he was 24 at the time!! - and continued to play for the seniors on Saturday afternoons and then junior teams on Sundays - dedication and commitment to the Annies’ cause began back then and has continued in one form or another ever since.

Both he and big brother Ritchie made their debuts for the first team on the same day....it was a four all draw away against Wallasey – scores in the early 20th century weren’t as generously rewarded as they are these days! Geoff Byrne (the then chairman of selectors) saved himself the price of a phone call on the following Monday night when he called the Kimpton household – Ritchie answered, Geoff said, "thanks for playing on Saturday, you're playing 2’s next week, is Jamie there? Ritchie passed the phone to J for the two seconds it took Geoff to tell him he was shite too”!

Bothers Kimpton played colts and U21 rugby - winning the U21 Cheshire championship in 1986. Jamie played much of his best rugby during the Weston years. He certainly helped to set Simon Mason up for a successful career by ensuring he could handle the delivery of balls at any speed/height/direction, sometimes sent prematurely but only ever after he'd communicated his intent to the opposition’s snorting back row!

Perhaps the most memorable series of games graced by Jamie’s on the field presence were in the Provincial Shield tournament. Anselmians were two games from Twickenham on two occasions. Annies "hit the bar” or, at least in the closing seconds, Simon Mason did and as such they failed to fulfil their ambition to play at HQ. Still there is always the international Golden Oldies circuit so that particular itch may yet be scratched……..watch this space!

Jamie always had the minerals to make a good tourist – I know – what a shock that is to hear! Sleeping on tour, to him, simply showed weakness. He always seemed to return to the hotel, as dawn broke, with a drinking injury. The upside being that he looked the part of a wounded rugby soldier on the return leg of the trip. Great times were had in Kendal, Douglas, Dublin ...what goes on tour gets talked about until you next go on tour etc. etc.……I won’t fill in the details as I’m sure they are known to many…..

On one occasion, Jamie organised a tour to the hotbed of European rugby, Magaluf. Both Anselmians fixtures where ‘conveniently’ cancelled days before the flight was due to depart. Making the most of their now available free time the tourists attempted to drink Majorca dry. Jamie “cut him he bleeds rugby” Kimpton however remained vigilant for a substitute fixture - he managed to organise a game against the local restaurateurs. Annies managed to scrape themselves onto the pitch and achieve a resounding, un-respectable draw.

He was a scrum half into his 30’s and, due to his reduced athleticism and encouraged by his continuing ambition to play first team rugby, switched his skill set from nowty feeder of the ball to equally irritating hooker of the ball.

Jamie finally hung up his boots sometime around the end of the noughties (the annals of Tony McArdle are a bit hazy as to the exact date). Although, if you have a couple of hours to spare, I’m sure Jamie would be happy to recount his sign-off game; the hat-trick, 5 scrums won against the head and his Wilkinsonesque display as a stand in kicker!

And so, he switched his attention to coaching and considering how we might develop the club – both on and off the field. Youth being the future, Jamie coached the M&J’s taking his group through all the age grades, many of whom went on to play for Anselmians 1st XV. A fine crop of talent nurtured by Jamie and Sean included Will Grabe, Liam McGowan, Sam Cotgrave, George Manger, Ben O’Connor, Will Sass, Sam Gregory, Liam McGowan, Charlie Carter, Matty Austin and Ewan Nolan. A significant number of J’s prodigies formed the core of the Wirral Grammar School U18’s team that made it to Twickenham for the national schools’ final. Their success being in no small part due to the coaching they received at Anselmians under Jamie’s tutelage.

Off the field, in 2016-2017, Jamie took on the role of Anselmians’ director of rugby. His first season in charge was not a resounding success given our 11th place finish in the old South Lancs/Cheshire Division One (level 8 in the English rugby pyramid). Undeterred, and with that characteristic ‘never say die’ attitude, the only way was up for Jamie and so it proved. A few short years later we find ourselves, due to Jamie and Steve’s efforts, at Level 5 of the English rugby pyramid having achieved back-to-back promotions, a first ever win against Birkenhead Park and a Cheshire Cup final along the way.

The first set of plans, for the redevelopment of the clubhouse and ground, were drawn up around the millennium……The fruition of the scheme was twenty years in the making. Undaunted, by the challenge and obstacles to be surmounted Jamie worked tirelessly to generate funds and then identify a suitable contractor to complete the work to the required Kimpton benchmark. It is fair to say that without his foresight, commitment and access to contacts the development programme wouldn’t have broken ground.

So, we bid adieu to one of Anselmians finest stalwarts as player, coach and director of rugby. Having done a ‘Klopp’, Jamie will doubtless now take up his new rather more backseat role as the club’s staunchest supporter. Our deepest thanks Jamie for your service to our fine club from all Anselmians - past, present and future - see you at the bar!