Name: Dave "Scottie" Gardner

Nickname: Scottie

Born: January 25th 1964 in Edinburgh

Weight: 13st

Height: 5ft 11"

Position: Started as hooker, then flanker, then wing, then full back, Then Centre. Played everywhere but No .8

Job: I.T. Manager

Education: Melville College, Batt School, Woodgreen& Witney RFC

First Season 1979/80 (got dragged out Royal Oak by Fraze as the Colts were short a player - been at the club ever since)

No of Games 448 (since 1983)

For 1st XV 234

Number of Tries 122

Tries for 1st 42

Captain 2nd XV Captain 1995/96; 1996/97

Match Day Superstitions “Like to warm up on my own before a match, just to get my head into gear”
“Must evacuate bowels at least three times on a match day morning”

Most Admired International Player “Jim Calder, a hard working no nonsense Flanker (who also went to my school !)”
“Andy Irvine, unpredictable and exiting, nobody ever knew what he would do”
“Jonathan Davies, superb talent with bare faced cheek to go with it”
“Colin Deans, first in the mobile hooker mode”
“David Campese, loves running with the ball, popped up everywhere”

Favourite Rugby Tour No such thing as a bad one ! Hiedelberg was superb, 6 o’clock every night ! Loosing the bus in Amsterdam, the memorable last match in Paris when we managed a last minute win, getting beaten up by the Gendarme, the list is endless. I’d recommend touring to anyone !

Most Embarrassing moment on the Pitch As a responsible senior player at the club, turning out for the colts at Cirencester crawled off to the side of the pitch to be sick. The ref then lectured me on not asking for permission to leave the pitch

Most Embarrasing moment off the Pitch Coming back from Heidleberg when going through Dover took through a full complement of Cigarettes (although I don't smoke) and left my luggage there. Having to drive back to Dover when sober the next day.

Best Match for Witney
v Etaples 8thApril 1985, WON 10 - 12.

They went 10 points up in as many minutes and we were ready to roll over and die after 4 days drinking. They then tried to kick the crap out of us and we soon sobered up. Mark got a try and then Fraze sent me over from halfway before Mark scored the winning touchline conversion.
Tour XV Gardner, Williamson, Frazer, Britnell(A), Wicks(D), Dobson, Wilsker(D), Gosling, Aldridge, Godfrey(N), Eldridge, Dolan, Brown(A), Stiffell, Godfrey(M)
Repl : Heiney, Weston

1sts v Chiping Norton 27/1197, WON 43-3

We had been beaten by them earlier in the season and they were happy to tell us how good they were, so when we turned them over it was a great feeling.
1st XV Redgwick, Phillips, Gardner, Dunbar, Gulliver, Grant, Herbourn, Aldridge, Merriman, Gosling, Serle, Richens, Campbell, Bennett(J), Godfrey(M)
Repl : Romaine

Worst Match for Witney Any where we don’t do ourselves justice. The feeling after we had beaten Slough and thought we would stay up only to find Chippy had won and we were down, was one I wasn’t to keen on !

How to improve training

Remaining Rugby Ambitions To play number 8 in a match but as the body is packing up, this may not be achievable, to continue the Touch Rugby in the summer which involves everyone at the club and keeps the atmosphere going as well as the fitness, see the Angels continue to develop and see the 1sts stay up in this League

Miscellaneous Best International Weekend “Obviously, I love the Scotland trips but Dublin is the business every time. My first trip was in 1985 with Will White, Ian Frazer and Shaun Lewis. The match was cancelled due to snow on the terraces and every Irishman seemed to blame themselves for this and buy us drinks, we had a fantastic time. More recent trips with “Holt Tours” have been just as enjoyable though.
Least Admired International Players “Richard Cockerell, horrible little man, ignorant and arrogant”
“Steve Fenwick, once ran 30 yards, kicked someone on the floor and ran back”.
Most Admired Witney Players “Andy Cannons, unselfish player who made space for all those around him”
“Dave Wilsker, always enjoys the game and is fearless”
“Martin Wilsker, murdered much larger props week after week”
Most like to beat “Oxford Old Boys, Oxford, Henley”
WHY ? - “They were the bigger clubs and let you know it. Them being stuck up themselves is partly the reason why Oxfordshire Rugby isn’t very good. The old Banbury and Bicester were almost as good but still retained the club feeling which is what is best about rugby.”
Any memorable away trips ? “I don’t think you can beat the Taffy Hellings car trips home. We had 8 in his Princess coming back from Gloucester one night and it was a crack and a half. All minibus trips are good nights and I remember once not getting back to the club until 10.30, we had been away at Gosford All Blacks ! “.

Name:	Dave "Scottie" Gardner
Nickname:	Scottie
Born:	January 25th 1964 in Edinburgh
Weight:	13st
Height:	5ft 11"
Position:	Started as hooker, then flanker, then wing, then full back, Then Centre. Played everywhere but No .8
Job:	I.T. Manager
Education:	Melville College, Batt School, Woodgreen& Witney RFC

First Season	1979/80 (got dragged out Royal Oak by Fraze as the Colts were short a player - been at the club ever since)
No of Games	448 (since 1983)
For 1st XV	234
Number of Tries	122
Tries for 1st	42
Captain	2nd XV Captain 1995/96; 1996/97
Match Day Superstitions	“Like to warm up on my own before a match, just to get my head into gear” “Must evacuate bowels at least three times on a match day morning”
Most Admired International Player	“Jim Calder, a hard working no nonsense Flanker (who also went to my school !)” “Andy Irvine, unpredictable and exiting, nobody ever knew what he would do” “Jonathan Davies, superb talent with bare faced cheek to go with it” “Colin Deans, first in the mobile hooker mode” “David Campese, loves running with the ball, popped up everywhere”
Favourite Rugby Tour	No such thing as a bad one ! Hiedelberg was superb, 6 o’clock every night ! Loosing the bus in Amsterdam, the memorable last match in Paris when we managed a last minute win, getting beaten up by the Gendarme, the list is endless. I’d recommend touring to anyone !
Most Embarrassing moment on the Pitch	As a responsible senior player at the club, turning out for the colts at Cirencester crawled off to the side of the pitch to be sick. The ref then lectured me on not asking for permission to leave the pitch
Most Embarrasing moment off the Pitch	Coming back from Heidleberg when going through Dover took through a full complement of Cigarettes (although I don't smoke) and left my luggage there. Having to drive back to Dover when sober the next day.
Best Match for Witney	v Etaples 8thApril 1985, WON 10 - 12. They went 10 points up in as many minutes and we were ready to roll over and die after 4 days drinking. They then tried to kick the crap out of us and we soon sobered up. Mark got a try and then Fraze sent me over from halfway before Mark scored the winning touchline conversion. Tour XV Gardner, Williamson, Frazer, Britnell(A), Wicks(D), Dobson, Wilsker(D), Gosling, Aldridge, Godfrey(N), Eldridge, Dolan, Brown(A), Stiffell, Godfrey(M) Repl : Heiney, Weston 1sts v Chiping Norton 27/1197, WON 43-3 We had been beaten by them earlier in the season and they were happy to tell us how good they were, so when we turned them over it was a great feeling. 1st XV Redgwick, Phillips, Gardner, Dunbar, Gulliver, Grant, Herbourn, Aldridge, Merriman, Gosling, Serle, Richens, Campbell, Bennett(J), Godfrey(M) Repl : Romaine
Worst Match for Witney	Any where we don’t do ourselves justice. The feeling after we had beaten Slough and thought we would stay up only to find Chippy had won and we were down, was one I wasn’t to keen on !
How to improve training
Remaining Rugby Ambitions	To play number 8 in a match but as the body is packing up, this may not be achievable, to continue the Touch Rugby in the summer which involves everyone at the club and keeps the atmosphere going as well as the fitness, see the Angels continue to develop and see the 1sts stay up in this League
Miscellaneous	Best International Weekend “Obviously, I love the Scotland trips but Dublin is the business every time. My first trip was in 1985 with Will White, Ian Frazer and Shaun Lewis. The match was cancelled due to snow on the terraces and every Irishman seemed to blame themselves for this and buy us drinks, we had a fantastic time. More recent trips with “Holt Tours” have been just as enjoyable though. Least Admired International Players “Richard Cockerell, horrible little man, ignorant and arrogant” “Steve Fenwick, once ran 30 yards, kicked someone on the floor and ran back”. Most Admired Witney Players “Andy Cannons, unselfish player who made space for all those around him” “Dave Wilsker, always enjoys the game and is fearless” “Martin Wilsker, murdered much larger props week after week” Most like to beat “Oxford Old Boys, Oxford, Henley” WHY ? - “They were the bigger clubs and let you know it. Them being stuck up themselves is partly the reason why Oxfordshire Rugby isn’t very good. The old Banbury and Bicester were almost as good but still retained the club feeling which is what is best about rugby.” Any memorable away trips ? “I don’t think you can beat the Taffy Hellings car trips home. We had 8 in his Princess coming back from Gloucester one night and it was a crack and a half. All minibus trips are good nights and I remember once not getting back to the club until 10.30, we had been away at Gosford All Blacks ! “.