All Golds v Doncaster KPL1 2017 Final

Sticking together, the three
friends all transferred to the
University of Gloucestershire
on rugby league scholarships
in 2011, playing for the BUCS
side for two years before all
three made their professional
debuts for the senior All Golds
side in their debut season as a
League 1 club.
Phil showed the toughness
and durability he is renowned
for by being an ever-present
in the BUCS side of 2012
that secured the national
championship and was
instrumental in their Challenge
Cup win over Rochdale
Mayfield, scoring twice in a 33-
14 win. It is no surprise to learn
that in his record-making run,
Phil has missed just 11 games
for the Golden Fern.
He has also amassed 41 tries,
including a hat-trick against
Coventry Bears in 2016, and
seven goals, earning himself a
reputation as being one of the
best finishers in the division.
Having literally kicked off
the All Golds’ rugby league
adventure in their first game
against Hemel Stags, Phil has
been happy to re-sign each
season and has played under
three coaches at the club in
Brad Hepi, Steve McCormack
and, present incumbent, Lee
Greenwood.
“The first game was quite a
shock to be honest, a massive
step up from university
rugby,” he said. “It probably
took us a season to get used
to the speed and intensity of
the professional game.
“As soon as we became
more experienced we started
winning more games. That
month in the summer of 2014
was fantastic, we beat York
and Hunslet, who were two
of the top teams in the league
then.”
Paying tribute, Lee
Greenwood said: “Phil has
been an excellent professional
during my time at the club. He
has played every position in
the backline and given his best
in each, no questions asked. It
is a great achievement for him
to become the first All Gold to
reach 100 appearances and
it is also fantastic for the club
that these personal milestones
are being reached on a regular
basis now.”
Now in his fifth season with
the club, Phil has played in
every position in the backs,
starting off at full back, but
prefers playing at centre and
he has grown from a relatively
inexperienced young player
into one of the senior
members of the squad who
can always be relied upon to
give nothing less than 100%.
Playing against Oldham in
each of the All Golds’ first three
seasons has been a highlight
for Phil as he supported the
Roughyeds from a young
age, was a ball boy there and
played in the same school
teams as prop forward
Michael Ward who has made
over 100 appearances for the
Oldham club. But there have
been other highlights as Phil
explains
“Obviously this season has
been great as well. We’ve
shown what we can do by
beating great teams like
Keighley and Workington (Phil
is much too modest to add
that he scored the winning
try against Workington). No
one gave us a chance in those
two games so to come away
with the win was incredible,
there’s no better feeling. I’ve
really enjoyed this season,
playing at centre has been
great, I’ve struck up a good
partnership with Mo Agoro
who is the leading try scorer
in the division. To be honest I’ll
play wherever I’m asked but I
do prefer centre.”
Almost a West Country native
now, Phil has the dubious
privilege of being a housemate
of second row forward Joe
McClean in Gloucester and
a near neighbour of recently
returned forward Richard
Jones; so what price Phil
being the first to reach 150 for
the Golden Fern?
“I’ve loved every minute of
my time at the All Golds,” Phil
said. “Of course there have
been a few heavy defeats
along the way but you tend
to remember the great wins
more than the losses.
“Rugby League is a brutal
game and playing alongside
your best mates makes it
easier.”
21
Subscribe to our website mailing list to get exclusive All Golds news first.