John Sambrook enjoyed a memorable afternoon in matchday hospitality at Welford Road on Saturday as Leicester Tigers kicked off their European campaign with victory over Pau.
With a father and uncle who played for Tigers in the 1920s, John is well versed in the history of the club and he was at Welford Road to celebrate his 90th birthday in the company of friends and family in the 1880 Suite.
John’s father, Harold, originally played for Northampton before making 34 appearances for Tigers in the mid-1920s while his uncle, Claude Sambrook, played 215 times for the club up to 1930. Claude won a County Championship title with Leicestershire and played in two England trials. He ran the line in games for Tigers up to the end of the Second World War and worked in the printing company run by club secretary Tom Crumbie.
On Saturday, as well as enjoying hospitality in the 1880 Suite, John met Tigers internationals Tom Croft, Rory Underwood, Martin Corry, Jonny May and Kyle Eastmond, and former England cricket captain Graham Gooch who was the day’s guest speaker in the lounge.
