Rugby club appeals for mementos to mark centenary

The Banbury team from the 1927/28 season were the first ever to be photographed

A rugby club has unveiled plans to celebrate its 100th season, beginning with an appeal for club memorabilia.

Banbury Rugby Union Football Club (RUFC) was founded on 10 September 1925 at a bank house in the town, and is one of Oxfordshire's oldest.

Since then, it has grown to more than 1,000 members with its men's first XV playing in the fifth tier of English rugby.

The club will showcase memorabilia from the past century on 26 and 27 June.

Phil Montanaro, who has been elected as the club's president for the upcoming season, said gathering the memorabilia had been a "personal crusade" of his.

"The significance and purpose of collecting, documenting, storing and preserving this memorabilia is not just associated with our centenary celebrations, but is a much longer-term initiative aimed at recognising and recording our heritage for the benefit of all future generations," he said.

Phil Montanaro will serve as the club's president during its 100th season

Mr Montanaro, who is known as Monty, said many of the artefacts would also be digitised.

The material gathered will also form part of the club's centenary annual - One Club, One Hundred Years.

The men's first XV competes in the fifth tier of English rugby

On being elected as club president for the anniversary season, Mr Montanaro said: "Those who do know me know that rugby union football has been my lifelong passion, cemented by my time at Banbury Rugby Club over the last 35 years."

He said many of his "rugby heroes" had previously held the position.

"The thought of my name being associated with, and listed amongst theirs, is very difficult to comprehend – truly the pinnacle of my rugby achievements," he added.

On 25 August, the club will officially kick off its centenary season with a match between a President’s XV and Old Bloxhamists - re-enacting the first ever match played by Banbury RUFC.