Starting with about 30 players and plenty of support from mothers and teachers, Ian Dunlop became the first president of the club in 1968. The years that followed were times full of enthusiasim, family encouragment and fun.

For Mr Dunlop the club has always been filled with a family atmosphere and with many of those initial games played at various locations, it was parents who came together to get the boys to the games.

“We were just a small group of people who came together and were feeling their way through the game,” he explained as he reminisced about those first few sessions,

“There were days where training was just a few muck around games as we got established with the rules and players.

“They were assured that if they turned up and trained then they would get a go on the field at the Saturday game.”

According to Mr Dunlop this was a tactic that was seen a little strange by some spectators. He remembers getting looks from the crowd as he kept some players off the field who had spent the first half getting the team to a win.

“I would put those who were sitting on the side line on the field and sometimes we would lose the game, but everyone got a go and that was the most important thing,” he said.

There have been changes to the game, but as far as Mr Dunlop can see it still has those same basic foundations that they originally started with. He can still see the strength coming from the family unit within the game as the parents offer supportin the canteen and help with the coaching and encouragement.

“You would always see the siblings cheering from the sideline too,” he said.

“The organisation always improves but those basics have always kept strong.

“It has always been in good hands and there have been some very capable people who have been involved.”

Family for Mr Dunlop has always come first too as he juggled a career, six children, the rugby club and the referees. The support of his wife Rosemary was what he says helped him manage to do it all.

When she passed away in 2005, it was in her memory that a trophy for the most contributing adult was introduced.

“Mothers were always such a large part of the game with the initial stages of getting the jerseys cleaned and ready for the next week’s matches,” Mr Dunlop said.

“We had some families who found it difficult to get all the equipment needed and started up a boot pool.

“We also used to strip the orange trees bare at home and they were a favourite at half time for the boys.”

It was the family atmosphere that kept the game on a level that made it more about what sort of game they played rather then the result on the score board.

When away at games, Mr Dunlop remembers explaining to the boys that they are representing themselves and the club, and recalled that they were always impecabile with their behavior.

“It is nice to see that even today there are kids with that same attitude down there being a good bunch of footballers,” Mr Dunlop said.

Thinking about the 40 years that the club has been running makes Mr Dunlop feel rewarded for being a part of it.

“It has been a very rewarding experience and nice to see that there is still a family atmosphere with the kids enjoying just playing the game,” he explained.

While Mr Dunlop had been heavily involved with the club he was quick to speak of the support from the parents and other members of the committee over the years.

Singleton Junior Rugby Club will mark its 40th year at an anniversary dinner at the rugby club on August 9.

Tickets for the dinner are now on sale at Singleton Inkspot.