Broadstreet RFC

On the 18th January 2011 ANDY TEE affectionately known to all as ”TETLEY”retired from 1st team rugby after a long and memorable rugby career. Below are a few printable notes on Tetley who has served Broadstreet RFC well and given his fellow players and spectators some memorable rugby. Andrew James Tee aka Tetley, Screech, Brittas, Goose, Ten Foot Tetley to name but a few. Born In Gloucester on the 1st August 1975.

Andy first started playing rugby at Kings School, Gloucester at the age of 9 first at scrum half and then fly half. Thanks to Andy’s parents Joanna and Tony we have managed to glean some comments from his school rugby reports.

• ...1985 - …“Elusive runner”
• …1989 - …“Superb tactical kicking”
• …1992 - …“He has the ability to play at a High level”

…It is a shame Tetley has never managed to put any substance to these comments!

Alongside his school rugby Tetley joined Gordon League RFC (and those of us who go back a few years will know the strength and reputation of this club) and played there from under 16 to colts. In September 1994 He took the long journey up the A46 to Coventry and would never look back!

Upon enrolling at Lanchester Polytechnic (now Coventry University) Tetley obviously his mainconcern was see what the “Lanch” rugby side had to offer. Whilst on tour with the Lanch to Amsterdam Tetley came down with a severe bout of Flu and was confined to bed for most of the tour, but did manage to join the exclusive “suck a chums plums club” Tetley’s absence from this tour would prove a useful experience for future tours. In the 1995-1996 season Andy narrowly missed out on the “Lanch” top try scorer award to his close friend and club mate Dave Vigor. Tetley played 3 seasons at Coventry RFC in their Colts and Extras. After Graduating from Coventry University he went travelling around Canada upon his return he was invited to play in a “Lanch” old boys match at Rugby St Andrews where he sustained a severe fracture to his leg he required several plates and 31 pins. After a long and painful road to recovery Andy found a new career in Gym Management firstly at Riverside in Gloucester and then a move to Abbey in Nuneaton. Upon moving to Nuneaton Andy decided to follow his fellow “Lanch” old boys and join Broadstreet.

Andy aged 12 years

and 24 years later

Andy took some considerable time to break into the Broadstreet RFC 1st XV who were in Midlands League Division One making his debut in January 1999 . Eliot Blundell also made his debut on this day. Tetley soon cemented a regular place and had 25 appearances in the 1st XV with 2 tries and one conversion . The following season (1999/2000) he clearly became the first choice scrum half, playing behind a hugely dominant pack and his pace and skills were put to good use making him the highest try scorer for the season in 24 appearances. The single foot loose and fancy free Tetley was an everpresent on the Broadstreet social scene gracing with his presence at the “Beach Party” where he decided to pick a fight with Fossie luckily Fossie had realised Tetley was inebriated. The Broadstreet Easter tour destination that year was Prague. We arrived at the club at 3.30 am to catch the bus to Standstead Airport to catch our budget flight to Prague. A few weeks earlier he made a schoolboy error of leaving his passport on his lounge table when another member of the Broadstreet 1st XV who stayed over (this player and cannot be named for legal reasons) decided to masticate Tetley’s passport. Upon arrival at the newly opened Czech border Tetley was refused entry due to a damaged passport and was marched at gunpoint back onto the aeroplane and as is the way with budget airlines the plane was on its way back with Tetley on board within 30 mins of landing! We were all very upset as we watched him disappear into the distance none more so than Pete Branston who now had to share a room with Warney, Carlos Garcia, Steve McManus and Matt Deardon. Everyone was disappointed that he did everything to avoid us the whole weekend. One particular highlight of the tour was the Star or Pramen Brewery. We found this to be most educational and informative with the highlight of the tour being the sampling session where we were given two free samples and a post card. Needless to say upon receipt of the post card it was decided that everyone should send their post cards to Tetley. It can be confirm that he received 50 post cards one day and one the following day ? small solace but it’s the thought that counts! Over the next two seasons (2000/01 & 2001/02) Tetley’s pace and running lines were utilised tobetter effect at full back and wing and was a key player in Broadstreet’s promotion from Midlands One League with some memorable wins over old foes, where he made a combined 42 appearances with 14 tries, 2 conversions and 3 penalties to his name. The National League season was a huge step up for “Street” and having been promoted from Midlands One with a mature pack, slowly, one by one fell to the side making staying in the National League a difficult task unfortunately Broadstreet found themselves relegated in the same season, he still made an impact with 21 appearances and very creditable 7 tries, 9 conversions and 9 penalties. The following summer a new coaching regime was brought into place with the arrival of Jim Robinson and Richard “Gee Gee” Gee. Several imported players left the club leaving the 1st XV with a small squad. There was a mixed start to the season, but with tension within the squad after playing Kettering RFC away, Tetley decided to retire for the first time, but after a couple of months was playing in the 3rd XV. After a poor season in Midlands One the following season went on to be relegated again and found themselves in Midlands Two! The following season he played his rugby predominately in the 2nd XV with his old friends Dave Vigor and John Warne. The first team, in Midlands League, bounced back and were promoted from 2005-2006 season. The years of playing rugby were now taking there toll on his body and he was playing less frequently and just playing occasional social games in the 3rd XV. In the 2008-2009 season the 1st XV were again promoted to the National Leagues having clawed their way up from Midlands League Two. Then in the 2009-2010 season under the captaincy of his erst while friend Matt Dearden Tetley returned to play stand off for the 2nd XV, which went on to win its league whilst playing someoutstanding flowing rugby.

With the 1st XV straight up and back down again from the National Leagues and with an exodus of players to Coventry and elsewhere Tetley, with some gentle coaxing from a revitalized coaching team, Matt Dearden and Tetley attempted to turn back the hands of time. Tetley played the majority of the 1st XV games up to Christmas 2010 with a number of tries from full back. His two young wing colleagues for the majority of those matches were Matt Fielder and Tom Stokes referred to him as Dad and ironically he could be! So there you have it, a potted history of our good friend and excellent Broadstreet rugby player Andy “Tetley” Tee 

 Happy Retirement!

But we hope we have not seen the last of Tetley’s rugby at the club?