• Car Dealer Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
No Result
View All Result

Big Mike: The day I became a rugby club legend

Car Dealer Magazine by Car Dealer Magazine
October 9, 2020
0
Home Big Mike

A COUPLE of weeks back, I was given one of the biggest honours of my life.

I was named president of my local rugby club, an organisation with which I’ve been involved since I was a young man.

In fact, my debut coincided with Margaret Thatcher being elected Prime Minister. As a confirmed left-winger, my political disappointment meant I felt the need to smash into a few people, so I joined up as a 19-year old and had a whale of time using my bulk to vent my frustrations. The rugby club is where I first became known as ‘Big Mike’, a name that has stuck with me over the years, as you may have guessed.

Anyway, fast forward to my presidential inauguration ceremony, which involved eating cheese and pickle sandwiches and drinking port whilst watching the 1st XV do their stuff.

While observing the lads spend a happy afternoon giving away sloppy penalties in their own 22 and getting battered by a deficit of 70 points, a chap called Barry reminded me of one of my finer moments, which, I have to confess, I had all but forgotten about.

Barry’s in his seventies now, but completed a spell as club chairman about 15 years ago – a time when I was still turning out as tight head prop for the second team, despite the fact my neck had long since disappeared into the upper reaches of my spine. We were then, and still are today, good friends.

On one particular weekend, I’d sold one of my part-exchanges on the Friday night before the game, and after taking the deposit, I discovered that the car’s new owner lived just five minutes’ walk from the club.

As (a) we had an away game that weekend and (b) I like beer, I came up with a cunning plan.

That plan was to drive the car – a tired but dutiful Escort – to its new owner’s home and walk the rest of the way to the club.

With no car, one of my team mates would feel duty-bound to give me a lift to the away fixture, and I could anaesthetise my inevitable neck injuries with copious amounts of alcohol after the match.

It was the perfect plan. The only fly in the ointment was that our game was in a fairly rough part of the West Midlands, and I didn’t really like the idea of going there with £500 in my bag, which would be there for the taking if any ne’er-do-well were to enter the changing rooms while I was busy making myself half an inch shorter by sticking my head in a very silly place.

So, it was with some relief that, while I was waiting for my lift, Barry turned up to unlock the clubhouse ready for that afternoon’s 1st XV fixture.

Not only did it mean I could go for a much-needed pee with dignity, but it also meant I could stash the £500 somewhere where it was less likely to get nicked.

I was hopping from one leg to another, so I stuffed the money in a pint glass and ran off to the loo, shouting back, ‘Barry, just so you know, I’ve left £500 behind the bar.’

Imagine my surprise, then, when I returned to the clubhouse three hours later to be greeted by the 1st XV skipper, who enveloped me in a massive bear hug and told me I was ‘the true definition of what a rugby club is all about’.

Undying love

He was followed to the entrance door by his knuckle-dragging team mates, who despite getting hammered, all seemed to be in terrific spirits and were declaring their undying love for me.

Putting this down to rugby players being naturally a bit weird, I went to the loo (again) and then called a cab, before nipping behind the serving hatch to get my day’s earnings.

Except, there was a solitary tenner left.

In my haste to get to the toilet, I realised that Barry had completely misinterpreted my message, and had assumed my £500 was a philanthropic gesture for the good of the club.

The 1st XV and Barry himself, as I deduced from the fact he was asleep on a trestle table, had taken my £500 behind the bar to be my contribution to the good of the club. And so it was that I became a legendary figure in the club’s history, and thankfully the ten quid I had left in the pot was just enough to pay my cab fare home.

It was bloody annoying at the time, but in fairness, I don’t regret it.

After explaining the real truth to Barry a couple of weeks later, he rewarded me by putting ‘Big Mike Motors’ and my phone number on the 1st and 2nd XV shirts, and the coverage we got in the local press probably made my £500 investment worthwhile.

Plus, it was genuinely funny. Until I told the wife…

Who is Big Mike? Well, that would be telling. What we can say is he’s had more than 40 years in the car trade so has probably forgotten more about it than we’re likely to know.

MORE: Major finance quote landmark passed by iVendi

MORE: Alfa Romeo to relaunch two legendary nameplates

MORE: New challenge for former Lookers franchise director

On WorkshopMagazine.co.uk: Mark’s the brightest spark as salesman for NGK

Previous Post

Major finance quote landmark passed by iVendi

Next Post

Car dealers urged to follow Amazon retail experience, not fear it

Related Posts

John Clark Motor Group sees losses deepen to nearly £2m
News

John Clark Motor Group enjoys profit rise to £12.8m despite lower turnover

January 13, 2021
Consumers confused by car finance terms, according to new research
News

Car repossessions allowed to recommence on January 31, despite FCA extending help for mortgages

January 13, 2021
Scottish government looks to phase out new petrol and diesel cars from 2032
News

Click-and-collect to be banned in Scotland from Saturday for car dealers but hope deliveries will still be allowed

January 13, 2021
Dealers to be given free advertising across eBay Motors Group in February
News

Dealers to be given free advertising across eBay Motors Group in February

January 13, 2021
New car sales to increase in 2013, suggests Trader Media
News

Renault Retail Group sells flagship London West showroom for £39m

January 13, 2021
BMW ad banned because ‘no-dazzle’ claim was misleading
News

Five people arrested after BMW dealership targeted twice by thieves in the same morning

January 13, 2021

Want to receive the latest news?

Sign up to the Car Dealer daily news briefing for the latest news and advice during these unprecedented times.

Subscribe Now
Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK
Car Dealer Top 100

Car Dealer Top 100 – The list in full of the most profitable car dealers in the UK

December 21, 2020
Used Car Awards Shortlist: Find out who made it through mystery shopping and are now in running for our gongs
News

Used Car Awards Shortlist: Find out who made it through mystery shopping and are now in running for our gongs

January 6, 2021
Investigation: Should car dealers be selling and delivering during lockdown?
News

What do we know about online used car dealer Cazoo? Who is Alex Chesterman? And will Cazoo float on the stock market?

January 5, 2021
Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice
News

Become a Car Dealer Plus member and get more out of this website including free legal advice

January 5, 2021
Used car dealer Cazoo accused of online-only U-turn as it sets up physical sites and closes Imperial dealerships
News

Comment: Why Cazoo founder was naive to label this used car sales business as ‘flawed at every level’

December 1, 2020
Car Dealer Power

Car Manufacturer of the Year – Where did your manufacturer rank in Car Dealer Power 2020?

November 23, 2020
Investigation: What do car buyers want from online car sales? New research reveals customers’ likes and dislikes
Car Dealer Live

Investigation: What do car buyers want from online car sales? New research reveals customers’ likes and dislikes

November 28, 2020
Car Dealer Power

The best car dealer suppliers named in the Car Dealer Power Awards 2020

November 26, 2020
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100
  • CD Plus
Call us: 020 8125 3880

© 2020 Blackball Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Car Dealer Plus
  • Latest
  • Used Cars
  • Live
  • Forum
  • Power 2020
  • Used Car Awards
  • CDX
  • Knowledge
  • Suppliers Guide
  • About Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Top 100

© 2020 Blackball Media

Log In
Register
Register
Server C