This week we have Club Director and Past President, Stuart Mills. Stuart is a friendly face at the club, known by many but in case you aren't familiar here's a bit about Stuart...

Name: Stuart Mills

Club positions:
Currently a Director with the Club. Previously Club President and has coached the under 14s.

How many years at Penrith RUFC:
"I came to Penrith RUFC in 1980 on a "Free Transfer" from Creighton Rugby Club. Tony I'Anson was Captain that season, and my lasting memory is when we beat Carlisle. A sweet victory, having joined from the rival club in Carlisle."

Playing positions:
"I played mostly in the back row as number 8 or blindside flanker. Blindside flanker became my preferred position. As I got older (and a bit slower) I was moved into the second row. I did have a season on the wing (before I got slower) I think! That could have been some sort of mid-life crisis. After some counselling I did return to the Pack.

Also guested for Cumbria Police with Bob Richardson and a certain Graham Robertson."

What is your favourite memory of Penrith RUFC:
"Lots of memories as a player. One I would like to share was when we went on one of our "Far East" tours to Kirkby Stephen. This was a Friday night late in the season. We travelled in style. A Mercedes ATS Tyres van. We took some plastic stacking chairs from the club so we could sit in the back. We had a very special guest player in Peter Kremer. Peter insisted on playing scrum-half, and nobody objected to his request. A team of "Legends" including Geoff Matthews, Mike Suze Arragon, Norman Martin, Brian Hardy; to name just a few. I think Brian's son, Simon, drove the van. We were well entertained by Upper Eden with daft games after the actual rugby game, and then a dance in their clubhouse. Will we ever be able to have this type of social rugby again?

Thoroughly enjoyed my time as Club President. I was very lucky during my tenure to have both Stuart Lancaster and Nigel Owens as guest speakers. Stuart Lancaster at the beginning of his England Head Coach career. Nigel Owens, probably the best after dinner speaker we have ever had!"

What do you hope Penrith RUFC will achieve in the next season of rugby:
As for the future and even as far as next season, I just hope to see some rugby. How do you socially distance in a game of rugby? The worry is that players may not be so keen to return to the game. Both young and old. That would be a great shame in a game that offers so much on the field and off the field. For me there is no finer team sport. For younger players to be part of a team and deal with both winning and losing. How young players are in sport, is so often how they are in life.

As Nigel Owens would say: "It's not Football"."

Huge thank you to Stuart for sending through some of his rugby memories and answering our Meet a Member questions. It's great to hear one of our Club Directors' memories at the club! We're sure many of you also have great memories with Stuart at Penrith RUFC too.

Who will it be next week? If you have any suggestions of club members that we should feature then please send them through!