A pioneering and highly-successful local football club came together at the weekend to celebrate its triumphs and legacy in Rugby sporting circles and the wider community.

Current and former players, managers and officials of Community Relations FC (also known as CRC) came together with their family and friends at Rugby’s Benn Hall on Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary since the club’s formation.

CRC first started in 1974 and was the brainchild of John Obie who brought together local black footballers in Rugby with the intention to meet and play football; this at a time when it was difficult for black players to sign for a club.

The formative years were sadly difficult with the abuse that the players had to endure all those years ago, but despite those constant challenges the club and its original members defied the odds and the club movement began to gather momentum. Over the decades that followed CRC would prove to be a highly successful and dominating team on-the-field in Rugby’s Sunday footballing circles and an integral focal point off it with a far-reaching effect within the local community thanks to the social and friendship circles they created.

Having initially started in the Rugby and District Sunday Football League (RDSFL) with one team, CRC’s growing popularity was such that a first-team was joined by a reserve team to cater for the club’s growing numbers. For a short-time that also developed into a Colts team who would then go onto become equally as dominant by succeeding their peers and continuing the club’s footballing success and legacy.

A total of 12 league titles along with numerous cup triumphs have been celebrated in the RDSFL over the years making CRC one of the most decorated clubs in Rugby’s football history, in doing so breaking several league records along the way. In 1995 under the management of Steve Vassell, CRC became the only club to win "the grand slam" of all four leagues and cup competitions in one season; a feat which is unlikely to be surpassed. The early 2000's then saw a ‘treble’ of league and cup triumphs completed, a run of 60 games unbeaten and five league titles in a row under player-manager Mark Taylor; who would then also achieve a run of three further league titles back-to-back from 2018.

In addition to Vassell, Taylor and John Obie, managers and players of note and distinction over the years have included names such as Orville Clarke, Sedley Reid, Cecil Vernon, Mark Hinds, Paul Hinds, Robin Alexander, Adrian Cumberbatch, Darren Manning, Nick Obie, Trevor Forrest, James Taylor, Justin Marsden, David Hazell and Daniel Nelson.

Today, CRC’s first team are still in Division 1 of the RDSFL with the Veterans team - which the club introduced in 2021 - being the current champions of the Veterans League.

Whilst the majority of CRC’s on-field success has been on the local pitches in and around Rugby, the club also competed regionally and nationally in the prestigious FA Sunday Cup. They reached the latter stages of the national competition on several occasions in the early 2000s, going as far as the quarter-final stage on two occasions.

‘Speaking about Saturday’s event, organiser Mark Taylor said, “The anniversary event was a wonderful occasion and a culmination of many people’s efforts which in many ways epitomises what CRC is and has always been all about when teamwork and friendship come together.

“It’s with that I would like to also extend particular thanks to Steve Vassell, James Taylor, Daniel Nelson, Trevor Forrest, Kelvin Pugh and Pete Cleaver for their help in making the evening such a great success.

Taylor added, “It has been great to look back at the club’s achievements over the last 50 years, a legacy which paves the way for future generations of players and club members of CRC for we hope many more years to come”.