TRIBUTES have been paid to a Herefordshire rugby legend who led Ledbury against a Pontypool team including Welsh internationals.

Neville Manning, from Moreton on Lugg was educated at Hereford Cathedral School before serving three years in the army.

After being demobbed he returned to Herefordshire and started playing for Luctonians. After marrying his wife Pauline and moving to Canon Frome he started playing rugby in the early 60s for Ledbury.

He joined the great Ledbury team of the 1960s captained by Martin Hooper. Ledbury rose to become one of the best junior club sides in the North and West Midlands regularly beating the likes of Stourbridge and many of the top Gloucester sides.

When Martin Hooper moved on with his job Manning took over the captaincy of the first team. He always claimed he was lucky to take over the side that Hooper had built.

During his season as captain Ledbury were undefeated playing all the top junior clubs. Manning felt they were fortunate to recruit David Sainsbury, a brilliant number eight who had been playing for Gloucester and was tipped for an England cap.

In that season, Ledbury’s reputation was such that Charlie Knipe, the Pontypool Rugby Club President challenged Ledbury to a game at the end of the season.

The Herefordshire side took on a full strength Pontypool team complete with the Welsh internationals of the day and a famous British Lion.

In a very competitive game, Ledbury lost by just four points and so lost their season’s unbeaten record.

However, Manning was always proud that he had gone 80 minutes in a fierce front row battle against the player he believed was one of the best props to ever come out of the British Isles, Ray Prosser, otherwise known as Bulldozer.

Manning always retained his interest in Ledbury RFC and wanted to hear how they were playing rugby in subsequent years, particularly through his nephew and former firsts captain Rob Manning and in turn his great nephew, Tom Manning, who is currently in the Ledbury firsts.

After hanging up his rugby boots, Manning was frequently to be found at Hereford United and became a vice-president. He suffered ill-health for several years and died recently.