ILMINSTER NEWS: Ilminster has lost a true sporting legend

TRIBUTES have poured in over the past few days following the announcement that Ilminster had lost one of its greatest all-round sportsmen, Tony Rice, following a long and brave battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Mr Rice, 75, died on Wednesday (October 19, 2016) and will be hugely missed by wife of 50-years Ann, who had cared for him so wonderfully in the difficult last few years of his ill-health, and his children Claire and Craig and other family members.

Craig said: “He will always be remembered as a fantastic husband and dad.

“To others his prowess on the pitch will of course live on, but what perhaps will be most remembered about dad was his friendship and character. Team-mates and opposition alike will always remember him chatting in the bar and the last to leave without doubt! He will be missed by many across the sporting scene.”

It was not long after the sad news of Mr Rice’s death was announced that people were paying tribute to the man who had such great links with both Ilminster Cricket Club and Ilminster Town Football Club as a player, captain and manager.

Chairman of Ilminster Cricket Club, Paul Knight, said: “Tony was a legend of local sport playing cricket for his beloved Ilminster CC for many years.

“His commitment to sport was second to none and he coached many of us – not only in sport skills, but also in life skills.

“Tony will be sadly missed by many, many people. Our thoughts are with the Rice family at this sad time.”

Cricket club president Stuart Shepherd added: “I suppose in the modern era of Ilminster CC, Tony led the way in creating the current spirit of the club.

“He was an outstanding sportsman in both cricket and football.  I first played cricket with him in the early 1960s and he was a dogged opening batsman, patient and determined.

“His popularity with his own players and the opposition was always evident by his friendly nature, his enjoyment and enthusiasm for everything he did was appreciated throughout the county.

“He was a long-term captain of Ilminster CC and his memory will be remembered for many years to come; not only by those who played sport with him, but also by those whose legacy he has left.”

PHOTOS – TOP: Tony Rice (left) during his younger sporting playing days and (right) Tony Rice at Ilminster Cricket Club’s 150th anniversary dinner at the Shrubbery Hotel, Ilminster, in 2010.

PHOTO – RIGHT: Tony Rice was a true sporting hero for Ilminster.

Former cricket club chairman Jim Sainsbury, speaking on social media, said: “A genuine, nice guy who influenced Ilminster cricket for many years and was a keen support for as long as he was able.”

Eric Fish, secretary of Ilminster Town FC and a long-standing member of the club, said: “We are all very sorry to hear the sad news that Ilminster Town legend, player and manager Tony Rice passed away on Wednesday.

“All our thoughts are with the family at this sad time.”

And the Mayor of Ilminster, Cllr Val Keitch, added: “Tony Rice will always be a very big part of Ilminster’s sporting history and my thoughts are with his family at this terribly sad time.”

Mr Rice was a keen and natural sportsman right from the off and represented the county at football while still at school. His first senior games were for Ilminster Reserves at 16 in a side that swept all before them.

His exploits were soon spotted at a higher level and it was not long before Bridgwater Town came calling with the offer of a contract.

He soon broke into the first team which was packed with professional players and enjoyed famous FA Cup runs that Bridgwater embarked on in the early 1960s.

His first game in the FA Cup for them came against Cheltenham  Town as an 18-year-old in a Fourth Qualifying Round Replay in the 1960-61 season when he got knocked out in the second minute, but got up to score two goals in a famous 2-1 victory. Bridgwater went on to beat Hereford United 3-0 in the First Round, but then lost out at Oxford United 2-1 in the next round.

Bridgwater made it to the Second Round of the FA Cup the following season in 1961-62 when they lost out to Crystal Palace and to the First Round in 1963-64 where they were beaten by Luton Town.

Son Craig said his dad finished that opening season at Bridgwater with 28 goals which he felt would surprise many as people would probably remember Mr Rice more as a defender in the twilight of his playing days rather than a marauding forward in his early years.

PHOTO – RIGHT: Tony Rice during his football playing days.

Mr Rice’s form at Bridgwater soon caught the attention of many Football League clubs and he had games in the reserve teams of Bristol City, West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City. But bad luck struck when just as he was about to sign a contract with Birmingham he suffered a serious knee injury and his dream move was over – probably the one thing he looked back on in his sporting life with huge disappointment.

Nonetheless once he regained his fitness his non-league career continued on a high with a couple more years at Bridgwater Town and a short spell at Taunton Town before joining Glastonbury where 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 football playing career he came back to Ilminster Town as player-manager - bringing with him many of his friends from across the non-league scene and helping them out of the Somerset Senior league and into Western League football for the first time. After two years of consolidation they remarkably won promotion to the Premier Division of the Western League which is still the highest level the club has played at.

One astonishing thing Mr Rice did as manager of Ilminster Town was to decide to run a marathon on a Friday night to raise some money for club funds!  But unlike the athletes of today he did not refuel with water and pasta, but a few pints in the bar and then promptly went out and hit a century for Ilminster Cricket Club the next day!

Upon leaving Ilminster Town 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 and 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 Mr Rice 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.

PHOTO – RIGHT: Tony Rice, a Life Member of Ilminster CC, at the 150th anniversary dinner of the cricket club in 2010 along with the then Mayor, Margaret Excell.

He then, as well as watching son Craig play, coached the young reserve team at Chard Town before returning home to Ilminster again and success followed with a league and cup double in the first season. Sadly in the summer of that year Mr Rice suffered a stroke and thereafter his football was confined to watching Craig following in his footsteps at the likes of Bridgwater Town to name but a few.

Mr Rice’s other great passion was cricket and his involvement with Ilminster CC lasted some 60 years including 17 successive seasons as captain. He was also groundsman for more years than can be remembered and supporter to many on the pitch and in the bar where he loved to talk long into the night about all things sporting.

He ended up with 11,000 runs and countless wickets and catches for the club. How proud he was of all the club’s recent successes with Craig following in his footsteps and playing a key role in Ilminster CC of today.

He also played for Dowlish Wake on a Sunday and there too he scored plenty more runs and Craig said his dad loved those afternoons of cricket at Dowlish.

The funeral service for Tony Rice will be held on Thursday, November 3, 2016, at 11.30am at the Minster in Ilminster. It is expected that the Minster will be packed with well-wishers.

PHOTO - TOP: Tony Rice (fourth from right) with other Ilminster CC life members, club members past and present, and guests - including former England and Somerset bowler Vic Marks (far right), at Ilminster Cricket Club's 150th anniversary dinner in 2010.

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