Club History

Bredon Rugby Club started in 1990/91 season with the junior section being formed. They became known as the 'Buzzards' as there were 2 buzzards perched on top of the rugby posts at the first home game. However, the RFU would not insure a junior team, they had to be part of a senior club. So Dave Taylor and Sam Masters approached Steve Malpass to form a senior team. In 1991 the club was formed and as 'The Star' Inn in Overbury had closed, the then leading players, including Steve Malpass and Neil Evans got together to establish the club.

Years earlier Dave Taylor, Ken Sefton, John Hare and John Dudfield had started 'The Star' rugby club based at the 'The Star' Inn in Overbury. After the pub closed, and as there was money left in 'The Star' bank account, the only way to access it was to use 'The Star' name, therefore in 1992 Bredon rugby club became 'Bredon Star' rugby club.

The first changing rooms were a horse box (including straw) on the car park. Subsequently this was superseded by a Portacabin on the playing field for changing facilities and together with the two rugby pitches enabled the club to play rugby matches in the centre of Bredon.

Initially fielding just one senior team, games moved to being played on a Saturday and were organised against local clubs from around Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. After a couple of years, the club now fielding two senior sides, decided to enter League rugby and formally joined the North Midlands Leagues playing in Division 3. Initially, this proved very tough and sometimes the team went to away matches without 15 players. However, in 2001/2002 season Bredon Star won the League Title and then moved into North Midlands 2 South for the 2002/2003 season. They won this Title in the 2004/2005 season and progressed to play in the Midlands Leagues, Division 5 West (South West).

Throughout all this time, the club has utilised the local playing field in Bredon, moving from the Portacabin in the year 2000 to a purpose build changing room block on the same site. The Parish Council built the block and the club fully furnished the interior, from walls, toilets, showers and boilers. The club is very grateful to the parish for giving us the major step forward and to the club members for their magnificent fund raising efforts at that time.

Since 1991 to the end of the 2008/2009 season, the club had always socialised after games at the Royal Oak Pub in Bredon. A succession of Publicans have run the Pub in this period, and they have all served the club very well, always making us most welcome. A big thank you to Mike Hardwick, the Pub owner, for his support.

However, for the 2009/2010 season we moved into Bredon Village Hall, which backs onto the playing field. Again a big thank you to Bredon Parish Council for purchasing this facility for the Community at large, but also in letting the club be a new tenant and using the bar and kitchen facilities for after match entertainment.

For the 2014/15 season the club opened its first clubhouse above the existing changing room block. The formal opening was conducted by Ian Ritchie - RFU CEO on Saturday, 17th January 2015.

The Senior Club has played in the Gloucestershire Leagues since 2011 as a result of yet another league restructuring within the Midlands. The 1st XV has now progressed to playing in the Gloucester 1 League.

Bredon Buzzards - History

David Taylor, a former teacher, and Sam Masters, the former Moseley and Gloucester No. 8 who lived in Bredon, formed the junior club, in 1990/91. They began with only eighteen youngsters and within the year had them playing under-9 and under-10 matches. David Taylor increased the club in both size and teams helped by his close connections with local schools. Approximately 160 local children from Bredon, Tewkesbury, Pershore, Evesham and the nearby villages around Bredon Hill formed the under-8s to the under-16s.

In 2002, a couple of years after David Taylor stepped down as Junior section chairman, the Bredon Buzzards had grown to hold 9 teams with full training and fixture list for the season. Since then the club has continued to grow, now fielding teams from under-7s through to under-17s and taking part in many individual matches and tournaments each season.

The club has also leased two additional pitches at Bredon Cricket club in Westmancote, where the under-7s to under-12s play. The under-13s to under-17s play at Bredon. For the start of the 2010/11 season, it was decided to fully integrate the 2 sections of the club under a 'One Club' Banner. Therefore from that moment 'The Buzzards' name was dropped and the whole club became known as 'Bredon Star'.