I doubt that the nineteen lads who attended a meeting in the Eastleigh Town Hall in the summer of 1931 would have envisaged that 75 years later the Club they formed would still be going, and residing in a brand new purpose built clubhouse. The first Chairman was B Coates, first captain was LJ Woodward, G White took on Hon Sec with LO Scott as Hon Treasurer. A young Bill Saffery sat in the corner and kept his hand down. Weekly match fees were agreed at one shilling and nine pence [ not even 20 pence today ] and the Town’s colours of black and amber were adopted for the shirts. Red was added in 1935 in order to avoid a clash with most other local clubs who also wore mainly black shirts. The first pitch was at Fleming Park, now covered by the Leisure Centre, and the first clubhouse was at The Home Tavern. Prior to 1931 rugby in Eastleigh was probably played under the name of Pirelli General, who had a team up until 1964. However, the first known photograph of any team playing under the Town’s name was taken in the 1891/92 season they played Portsmouth RFC in the Hampshire County Challenge Cup Final Tie in March 1892. Eastleigh Town lost the game by 7 points [ one goal, one try ] to 2 points [ one try ]. Another early photograph of around 1910 shows an Eastleigh team in white shirts with a ‘skull and cross bones’ badge. It was thought that a team calling themselves ‘The Pirates’ played in the area during the 1870’s. Some also think that the now Trojans RFC, the oldest Club in Hampshire, may have been formed in 1874 by some Southampton based members of ‘The Pirates’. Whatever the actual facts are, rugby football has a history in the Southampton/Eastleigh area, and long may it do so.