Scrum half Gareth celebrates incredible 400 games at Bridgnorth Rugby Club
A Shropshire scrum half is celebrating playing 400 games with his local rugby club, and says he has no plans to retire any time soon.
Gareth Bladen started playing rugby for Bridgnorth at seven years of age and joined Bridgnorth Rugby Club's 1st XV in November 2006, and since that time has scored 117 tries and garnered 585 points for the team.
Last Saturday marked the 37-year-old's 400th game, when the Midlands Premier side took on Nuneaton.
Gareth said: "Fortunately we won 47-40, which was good as are a bit of a bogey side as they beat us early in the season."
He added that he still remembers his first match with the side more than 16 years ago.
"It was against Kenilworth away and we lost 75-5, so it was a bit of a rude awakening but it was still a really enjoyable experience and I have not looked back since," he recalled.
Among the highlights of his time with the team was playing at Twickenham in May 2015, when the side took on Maidstone in the RFU Intermediate Cup, a game which they went on to lose 31-18.
"We might have lost but playing at Twickenham was a prize in itself, it was the best experience I've had at any game," said the father of two, who works for Engel Workwear when he is not on the field.
"I've been quite fortunate to have been in a successful team. We've gone from playing in level seven to level five, so that was a great achievement and experience."
But the lifetime Bridgnorth resident says he has no plans to hang up his boots just yet.
"I'm 37 now but I've no particular target I'm aiming for, I'm just taking each season as it comes," he said.
"I'm still fresh, although probably a bit slower than I was, but they say you are a long time retired so I plan to carry on as long as I can.
"And it is an exciting time at the club with the new clubhouse having been built. I'm not planning on hanging up my boots just yet."
Gareth's family were there to see his 400th game at the weekend, and helped him celebrate afterwards.
"There was a really great social event at the club but unfortunately my children, who are six and one, didn't allow me a lie-in the next day, so I just had to get up and get on with it," he said.
Chair of Bridgnorth Rugby Club, Karen Sawbridge, who is also the town's mayor and Gareth's sponsor, said his achievements were "remarkable, and something worth celebrating".
Gareth and the rest of the squad are taking on Oundle at home in the next game of the Midlands Premier League on Saturday.
