Rugby: Dorchester's ground renamed to honour Lloyd Surcouf

With a sign unveiled above the clubhouse entrance welcoming visitors to Surcouf Park, the Surcouf family gathered with current club chairman Nick Hodge and president Bob Andrews to record the moment for the extended family.

Both Lloyd and his son Ian played in the county town’s first team, along with son-in-law Tony Foot.

Lloyd’s grandsons George and Josh have also played for Dorchester, with the former currently a regular member of the club’s successful first XV.

Lloyd’s playing record for the club is 295 appearances with 172 of those in the first team, however as a prop his scoring record was rather less prolific claiming only four tries.

During his playing career he played for each of the club’s senior teams.

Andrews, in a fitting tribute to his former teammate and friend, penned in his programme tribute: “When we speak of Lloyd we must also recognise the commitment given by the whole of the Surcouf family, particularly his wife Sandy, who has always supported Lloyd.

“Sandy was a very active member of the ladies’ committee who diligently and expertly repaired by hand the ripped and damaged shirts.

“In those days shirts were made with very heavy cotton which was very difficult to repair but somehow Sandy managed to keep them going long after they should have been discarded – thank you Sandy for your loyal support also.

“It is absolutely fitting that Dorchester Rugby Football Club, which has been built, metaphorically and physically, on Lloyd’s shoulders, will now be known as Surcouf Park.”

When asked for playing memories of Lloyd he recounted a wonderful tale of the consummate hard working volunteer.

He said: “Lloyd’s contribution to DRFC cannot be overstated, when another stalwart of the club, Harry Dowell, stepped down from his duties of marking the pitches at the old club on Weymouth Avenue, Lloyd stepped into the role with his customary zeal.

“Lloyd would always try to mark the pitches on Friday evening before the game on Saturday but sometimes the weather, work, or both, would get in the way. On those occasions Lloyd would often turn up early on Saturday, get changed into his kit and mark the pitch before the match.

“The only clue to this would be the fact that his rugby boots would end up with white toe caps, in those days it was not a good idea to draw the attention of the referee to yourself by having white toe caps when the standard colour of boots was black!

“How things have changed when we look at the rainbow colours of rugby boots now. Perhaps Lloyd started the trend?”

The first game at the newly-named Surcouf Park was a fitting 32-3 win by the first team over Blandford, maintaining the team’s unbeaten record so far this season.

The renaming formed part of the vice-president and ex-players’ lunch, where Dorchester recognised and honoured its volunteers with Andrews presenting honorary life memberships to long-term volunteers and former players who since hanging up their boots have continued to serve the club in various ways.

Derek Armitage, Niki Aspley, Sherry Foot, Tony Foot, Sue Gower, Peter Grassby, Nigel Jones, Simon Myers, Liz Meyers, Marty Simpson and Andrew Smith were all congratulated by Andrews on their unstinting service to the club and presented with a certificate to mark the occasion of their honorary life memberships.

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