Name: Mike Dunbar
Nickname: Mikey the Fish
Born: October 13th 1968 in Gosport
Weight: 14st 5lb
Height: 6ft 2"
Position: 6 or 7, now 13 or the bench!
Job: Mechanical Engineer
Education: Burford Grammer School, West Oxon Tech College
First Season 1986/87 (played before that as a Colt)
No of Games 351
For 1st XV 250
Number of Tries 86
Tries for 1st 53
Captain 1sts 1996/97
Match Day Superstitions Need to have had at least 3 shits during the morning, and to nearly been sick in the changing rooms just before K.O. (then I know I up for the game)
Most Admired International Player

"John Jeffries, Just sheer dogged determination.".

Most Admired Witney Player
No one in particular. There are more than a few in my book, Andy Cannons & Dave Wicks made my positional change to Centre easier than it could have been. JC has to have a mention, that never give up attitude, has dragged me through and helped us to win a few games in the past! There are plenty more who deserve a mention, Mark Godfrey, Scottie, Gareth Lewis, Nigel Strutt, Ticky Locke, Andy Gosling. All who have played to help the club win!!(A bit lame I Know)

Favourite Rugby Tour Hungary, very silly tour involving far too much beer. It was so cheap!!!I seem to remember removing my clothes alot of the time as well( good old Stevie Mac.)!
Most Embarrassing moment on the Pitch Any one Where JC. Has called for the 4" x 2" again!!
Most Embarrasing moment off the Pitch

Eating strawberry jam off Marky Bellwood's Chest on the Hungary tour, After a very silly night on the "Pop". only to then discover that someone had photographic evidence of the "jam" incident!! What happens on tour should STAY on tour!

Best Match for Witney Witney 1sts v Henley 1sts in the County Cup, 4th Feb 1996
"Against Henley in the cup some years ago, we all just played so well. I scored an interception try and left the Henley county winger miles behind!! We came so close but lost out on a rules technicality again!!".
Witney XV
Gibbons, Brearey, Snow, Dunbar, Herbourn, Grant, Wilsker; Aldridge, Hoyle, *Gosling, Serle, Chatterton, Bennett, Rawlings, Godfrey(M)
Repl : Bowmer, Strutt, Townsend, Davies(G)
Scores : Dunbar(T), Brearey(T), Grant(2C, 2P)

 

Worst Match for Witney

I don't seem to remember any particular games, but I have had some real shocking moments along the way. ( JC and his bit of 4" x 2" will let you in on those!!)

How to improve training {Training}
Remaining Rugby Ambitions To continue playing as long as my injuries let me, Judging by big Marky Godfrey I've got a few years left yet! If not playing then just helping at the club in some way, cause the club has done enough for me in the past!
Miscellaneous Editors Comment
When Mikey first joined Witney he played for the Colts after being introduced by Nick Brown. Duncan Footner and I were asked to train them one night and I was impressed by the two flankers who happened to be Fish and Neil Tullett. The two looked different but people kept on calling them each others names, so for years afterwards if you wanted to wind Mike up, all you'd do is call him "Neil". Mike came into the seniors and after a season or two as flanker, was asked to fill in as Centre. Apart from the odd game, he has been there ever since and has done the club proud week after week with his strong running and abundant enthusiasm. One of Mike's trade marks in his early days was demonstrating his hard and long spin pass. As a full back joining the line, this was very useful but also very painful if you came on the short ball as this was Mikes only style of pass for a few seasons ! I also helped introduce Mike to the great institution of socialising after a match and we have had a lot of beers together over the years. In return, Mike introduced me to the great institution of "The Morris Clown" in Bampton, which I can recommend to anyone as a cracking pub for a beer. I hope his body hangs together for a few more seasons yet !