Tributes paid after death of Dudley rugby club legend
Tributes have been paid to a popular former rugby player and club president who has died at the age of 78.
Dudley Kingswinford Rugby Club (DK) stalwart Richard Connett died at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, after a period of ill health.
He leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Marlene, and four sons – Ian, Ben, Edward and Mark. He also had seven grandchildren.
Richard enjoyed a long playing career with DK from the late 1950s to the 60s. He was captain when the club moved from Penzer Street, Kingswinford, to Heathbrook, Wall Heath, in 1963.
In his younger years he moved from Devon to Dudley to study and work as an accountant.
He later turned his talents to coaching and enjoyed a successful period with the club before increasingly moving behind the scenes into the world of the committee. He was club president from 1977 to 1980.
He was also valued at North Midlands where he had a spell as chairman of selectors for the senior side.
A spokesman for DK said: "The whole of Dudley Kingswinford extends their deepest condolences. It was at DK that he really made his mark.
"He was a leading figure in a group of like-minded forward thinkers who masterminded DK's rise from a club struggling to improve its fixture list in the amateur days to a side that progressed to the national leagues.
"The mark of the man was surely the proud dad who coached a young Ben, who overcame a shortage of players by organising weekly transport from DK's spiritual home in Tipton down to Heathbrook every Sunday.
"This led to a strong team spirit amongst the lads and they became a tight group who later developed into a fine team.
"A victory over Moseley when they were under-15s was a fine day for all involved.
"Ben was the number eight who went on to follow in his father's footsteps to captain DK in the national leagues.
"One of the Tipton lads went on to play scrum half for DK with Ben. He then turned professional and eventually played 14 times for England – that was Shaun Perry.
"A fitting epitaph would be, 'What's going on at DK, ask Connett'."
His funeral will be held at Gornal Wood Crematorium on February 24 at 11.40am.
