_{Image 1: 1972}

_{Front row, (L to R): Nicholas Womack, Mervyn Collins, Dave McNamee, Chris Babbs Paul Hazlehurst (RIP) and Tim Darlington.}

_{Back row, Tim Harrison, Mark Colman, Steve Hoyle, Andrew Mann, Bryan Kitchen, Jeremy Garside and teacher Mr John Bisson.}

^{Image 2:}

^{Back Row (L to R): Timothy Harrison, Jeremy Garside, Colin Oldfield, Andy Mann, Bryan Kitchen, Paul Maguire, Mr John Bisson (RIP)}

^{Front Row (L-R): Paul Hazlehurst (RIP), Chris Babbs, Dave McNamee, Merv Collins, Mark Coleman, Paul Miller}

^{Back Row (L to R): Chris Babbs, Jeremy Garside, Mark Colman, Ian Hyde, Bryan Kitchen, and Tony Alex}

^{Front Row (L-R): Steve Hoyle, Mervyn Collins, David McNamee, Tim Darlington, Peter Hamer and Phil White}

This reunion had been arranged through the efforts of Mervyn Collins, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of them playing together in the U14 soccer team. We chatted with Mervyn who describes his motivation for getting the group back together to visit BGS after so many years, and how the day went,

“It all started in June 2021 after I moved back up north and came across Dave McNamee and Paul Miller who both lived locally to me near Huddersfield. Thanks to the power of social media, reunions became an almost monthly ritual with numbers increasing every time.

It was always my aim to reunite the football team that played together from 1969 until 1973 - a goal achieved while along the way, several other former pupils joined our social ranks for gatherings at the Two Tubs in Bury, the Hare and Hounds in Holcombe Brook and The Beach at Hollingworth Lake near Littleborough after an initial gathering of six in Marsden Yorkshire.

Several of our clan made the huge effort in travelling from London, Hertfordshire and Lincolnshire to share stories of their time at the school. Some of whom started in Junior School in 1967 and left in 1976. 

The recent visit to the school, superbly organised the Development Office, was the icing on the cake and the smiles on the faces of the delighted dozen were testament to their enjoyment of a memorable day.

All rounded off in typical fashion as all 12 of us then enjoyed drinks at the Two Tubs to round off a memorable 50-year reunion!”.