This coming Sunday’s appearance in the North Midlands Cup Final ends a 23 year absence from the final of the regional knock out competition for the Bees.

It was 21st March 1993 when the club – then in Midlands Division 1 - last featured in this fixture. I am indebted to Terry Dight for digging out a copy of the programme from that day, when Birmingham & Solihull played Hereford at Moseley’s former The Reddings ground.

1993 seems a very long time ago – John Major was then Prime Minister, a false start led to the cancellation of the Grand National at Aintree and it was also the year that saw the launch of the Vauxhall Corsa (replacing the Nova).

Musically it wasn’t a vintage year – Take That were in their pomp and the weekend of the Cup Final had Shaggy’s “Oh Carolina” at Number One in the charts (knocking 2 Unlimited’s “No Limit” off the top spot the week before). Indeed things went from bad to worse when Mr Blobby was the Christmas “Top of the Pops” in 1993.

Elsewhere, the murders of Jamie Bulger and Stephen Lawrence were to dominate media coverage, as did the IRA bombing of Warrington town centre, which took place the day before the Cup Final.

The Bees class of 1993, captained by Rob Richardson at open side flanker, included Terry Dight at No.8 and John Bentley at blindside. The backs included Neil Perry on the wing and Dave Read in the centre.

Interestingly, the match was refereed by former international official “Fearless” Fred Howard who, two years earlier, had taken charge of the Canada v All Blacks Rugby World Cup quarteri final.

Although age and the cumulative effects of alcohol have taken its toll on his memory, according to Terry Dight the Bees had prepared well against a Hereford outfit who were known for their “robust” style of play. In the end, the game turned out to be a rather one sided affair, with the Bees running out 35-0 winners.

Let’s hope history repeats itself this Sunday, May 8th in the North Midlands Cup Final between Birmingham & Solihull and Newport (Salop), which takes place at Dudley Kingswinford Rugby Club, KO 3.30pm.