Recently, 15 former Glamorgan players met to have lunch at the Halfway Pub on Cathedral Road to meet up with their former teammate and Glamorgan legend Tony Cordle, who is over from Canada.
His return to Cardiff was unfortunately due to the very sad passing of his son Gareth at the University hospital.
However, the former player’s group surprised and welcomed Tony to lunch before he returned to Canada.
There was a really warm Welsh welcome for him and we are all looking forward to seeing him again.
Some of the 15 players were, along with Tony, members of the memorable 1969 championship squad who, that season, were undefeated.
Those players were Ossie Wheatley, Alan Jones, Eifion Jones, Roger Davies, Kevin Lyons, and Graham Kingston.
Other players who know Tony well but from a slightly later playing period, Stuart Harrison, Michael Llewellyn, Arthur Francis, Gwyn Richards, Alan Lewis Jones, Bob Dudle -Jones, Michael Cann, Kim Davies, and John Steele.
Ossie Wheatley, who was Tony’s captain when he first played in the first eleven. ‘’He was a fine cricketer, and more importantly a top man’’.
Kevin Lyons said ‘’ Tony was a wholehearted cricketer who was genuinely proud of representing Glamorgan’’
Eifion Jones said “A player you would always want in your team and had a terrific personality ensuring excellent team morale’’.
Finally, from Tony himself. ‘’Seeing all my former playing colleagues has really meant so much and helped me recall the very many, many enjoyable moments I experienced during my eighteen-year career with the daffodil county! ‘’
The thoughts of everyone at Glamorgan Cricket are with Tony at this trying time, but it is amazing to see the friendships and camaraderie that cricket can have over several decades.