Martin Kemp

LRAFC are sad to announce the death of Martin Kemp, a well known, much loved member and former President of the club. The funeral will take place at Landican Cemetery and Cermatorium, Landican Lane, Arrowe Park Roadd, Birkenhead, Wirral CH49 5LW at 2pm on the 5th July 2017.

His entry in Jo Russell’s History of the club is set out below.

Martin Kemp (President 1990-92) joined the Ramblers in 1950 and went straight into the Ramblers 1st XI having never played higher than the School 3rd XI at Shrewsbury.  He undertook National Service in 1955 and at his Commissioning Selection Board interview he was asked by the Colonel if he played sports. Replying that he played football, the question was asked for whom, to which Martin said ‘Liverpool Ramblers’. ‘Give my regards to Alan Isaac,’ replied the Colonel, who, it turned out, was a Corinthian Casual. Martin of course received his commission. By the time he returned to Moor Lane two years later he had put on five stone and was relegated to the 4th XI.

The Generation Cup

The Ramblers Vets ended their season with a trophy at the Generation Cup, excellently hosted by Old Bolts on Saturday the 27th May 2017. The tounrmamnent invovled Old Bolts, the Ramblers and the Wicked Wanderers. The round robin tournment rules were that each team had to have at least three over 50s on the pitch, and no more than four under 40s, at any one time. This was a rule that the Vets managed to accomodate with some to spare. 

In the first game Old Bolts beat the Wanderers 2-0, and so the Vets took to the field, which had been freshened with a light sprinkling of rain. This left the playing surface too treacherous for Rushie’s trainers, his slip after 10 seconds leading to the Wanderers’ first goal. By half-time the Vets were 2-0 down but a goal from Bob King meant the game was close until the end. 

The Vets made a much better start against Old Bolts and went one ahead when a Ricky Villa style run from Damian Nolan ended with Paul McGukin pinching the ball off him and scoring. Bob King hit the bar and the Ramblers were in control until the first of five goals came in return. 

So a creditable third place and this glorious trophy …

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Easter Festival 2017

Congratulations to Sefton Vets who won the 62nd Liverpool Rambelrs Easter Festival. For more photos click here.

This is the Ramblers Vets team who drew 2-2 with Army Crusaders in the curtain raiser on Good Friday. 

And the Old Salopians …

The Sunday Times, 5th March 2017

For those of you who haven’t read page 11 of the Travel Supplement …

Ramblers v Schoolboys, Lads v Dads, Children's Party

The spirit of Christmas was alive and well on Wednesday at the clubhouse. Early concerns over the selection for Rambler’s Santa (“isn’t he more of an elf physique” was one view) were banished as the Club President gave a star turn in the red outfit. The youngsters were successful in the Lads v Dads fixture with a 6-4 victory, Mike Bagley officiating with appropriate fairness. In an unprecedented development the Schoolboys fixture was so popular that 2 teams of schoolboys (one largely Merchants the other largely St Mary’s) and a Ramblers team took part in a round robin competition. Not having anticipated each team would end up winning one and losing one, and no format having been decided in advance for adjudicating the winner in such circumstance, nobody was sure of the overall winner.