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| Tony Rice |
ILMINSTER lost one of its greatest all-round sportsmen this week with the death of Tony Rice, 75, following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Now, his son Craig has paid tribute to his father, who he described as a “fantastic” dad and husband and here he recalls his career.
He said: “He was a keen and natural sportsman through school representing the county at football. His first senior games were for Ilminster Reserves at 16 in a side that swept all before them.
“Tony’s exploits were soon spotted at a higher level and it wasn’t long before Bridgwater Town came calling with the offer of a contract. Tony soon broke into the first team which was packed with professional players and enjoyed the famous cup runs that Bridgwater embarked on.
“His first game in the FA Cup for them came against Cheltenham as an 18-year-old. He was knocked out in the second minute but got up to score two goals in a famous 2-1 victory which sent them on their way to games against the likes of Crystal Palace, Luton and Oxford United.
“Tony finished that season with 28 goals - a fact that surprised son Craig when he and many local people remembered him at the end of his career playing at the back rather than the marauding forward of those days.
“He soon came to the attention of many League clubs and had games in the reserve teams of Bristol City, West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham. He was due back at Birmingham with a contract in the offing when a serious knee injury put paid to that - probably Tony’s biggest regret.
“Nonetheless, once regaining fitness, his non-league career continued on a high with a couple more years at Bridgwater and short spells at Taunton Town before joining Glastonbury. There, he enjoyed so much success over many seasons, including being player of the year in the Western League title-winning season of 1970.
“Towards the end of his career, he came back to Ilminster as player-manager, bringing many of his friends from across the non-league scene helping them out of the Somerset Senior League and into the Western League for the first time.
“After two years of consolidation, they remarkably won promotion to the Premier Division - still their highest ever level. He also founded the Ilminster Youth football club which he was proud to see grow into the dozens of teams it has today.
“One astonishing thing Tony did as manager of Ilminster was to decide to run a marathon on a Friday night to raise some money for club funds. Unlike the athletes of today, he didn’t refuel with water and pasta but a few pints in the bar and then promptly went out and hit a hundred for Ilminster CC the following day!
“Upon leaving Ilminster he had a season at Weston-super-Mare and then Street before taking over as manager of Chard Town after being assistant for a season prior to that.
“Again, success followed with promotion in the first season to the Premier Division and in the next year led Chard to their highest-ever finish.
“After this, the lure of playing was still strong and Tony dropped down to the Perry Street League for a season with the all-conquering Misterton team before finishing playing in his 50th year at Seavington. “He then, as well as watching son Craig play, coached the young reserve team at Chard Town before returning home to Ilminster. Again success followed with a league and cup double in the first season. In the summer of that year, Tony suffered a stroke and, thereafter, his football was confined to watching Craig following his footsteps at the likes of Bridgwater Town to name but a few.
http://www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk/news/14827778.Family_s_tribute_to_Ilminster_sporting_legend_Tony_Rice/
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