Around the touchline Feature:

 
 
A visit to Haywood Lane to watch Tenby United play rugby is a treat because there are so many former players and other smashing characters to bump into and enjoy a chat - and one of those is someone who arrived in the town from Stockport, near Manchester, 25 years ago, and been heavily involved ever since.
 
That man is Russell Millns, who currently has the double role of being the first team touch judge for league matches and the kit manager on match days and training evenings.
 
He also played regularly for the second string for a number of years and can also say that he made one league appearance for the first team when Nicky Allen was captain and Russell admits it was because the team was due to travel a man short and he had to go home quickly to gather his kit and turn out in the second row!
 

Fancied a change of scenery – and has stayed ever since

 
Russell arrived in Tenby in 1998 as he fancied a change of scenery - and he had met his partner Anne Draper, who is from this area, in a trading camp in the Peak District for scout and guide leaders. He was a sea scout after previously being a beaver and cub and enjoyed being involved as he got into his late teens in activities like gang shows and camps.
 
He initially worked for Pembrokeshire County Council as a driver/support worker and over recent years has worked with facilities like ‘The Anchorage’ in providing medical commitment, commodes and walking frames.
 

Started his sporting days as a footballer – but then switched to rugby

 
In his young days in Stockport he played football for a village team called Romily on Saturdays and The Rising Sun on Sunday mornings; starting out at right back and then turning out in almost every position from goalkeeper to centre forward.
 
He was 26 when he started playing rugby for Marple RFC.
“We played on a parks pitch which had a river running alongside where balls often flew into the water and someone had to wade in with a net to stop the ball going down the river - and none of us wanted to do that but I must admit that I was ‘volunteered’ a few times and got wet feet!
 

Became a Seasider and has been involved ever since

 
“I carried on playing until I was 42 with Tenby Seconds and really enjoyed it, although it was a lot more physical than in Manchester, and I really enjoyed playing alongside genuine characters like Chris Brace, Mike ‘Penfold’ Lewis and Jimmy Davies.              
 
“Then I damaged my ankle in a ruck in the same game as Ed Pritchard dislocating his knee and so we travelled together to hospital - and it was the last time I pulled on a Seasiders’ shirt.
 
“I spent seven years on the committee but by then I had got involved helping the first team by running the line over the past decade - although I have to admit that I missed the first game this season because I was back in Stockport for a football players’ reunion at my old school, Bradbury Comprehensive.
 

Loves being involved with the Tenby first XV

 
Russell’s other involvement with the first team is as kit manger and he attends training on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, where he sorts out the practice balls, puts out the training cones and other equipment like the tackle bags and shields, with the youth team also training at the same time under Andreas Jeremiah and Mark Heywood.
 
He does the same thing on Saturdays but also takes responsibility for the jerseys, shorts and socks.
“It is a pleasure to help coaches Jonathan Evans, Andy Barlow and Ossie Boswell, and the players also help because on match days they take it in turns to collect all the playing kit in, with two more charged with sweeping out the changing rooms. It might seem a small thing but we think it encourages being part of the group.”
 

Head coach Jonathan sings his praises

 
Club head coach Jonathan Evans was first to sing Russell’s praises as he told us,
“Russ is a true club man in every sense of the words and if we had to write a job description it would be hard because nothing is too much trouble and he works really hard.

He is well respected by all the players, including the youngsters, officials and supporters and is almost part of the furniture here. Everyone needs a Russell Millns but we are lucky to have him at Tenby United.”                                          
 
We could pay him no bigger compliment and there is no doubt that he really enjoys his part in the club and from our point of view at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk it is always a pleasure to bump into Russell Millns around the boundary because he is ever-ready to chat about anything to do with Tenby United, including team lists and half-time scores, alongside other sporting matters, and always with a typical smile that makes us feel a bit more cheerful then before our touch-line encounter!