IT was sixty-years ago that I first stood in the Shed. No true Cotswold lad can ignore the magic of Kingsholm and so it has been through the years.

Mickey Booth was scrum-half and Peter Ford a rampaging forward. The County Championship meant something then and I witnessed magnificent games both for club and county. In my recent sofa bound life I noticed two stunning fixtures to be shown on TV. The first was against Leicester in the Championship, then against Munster in the premier European cup competition.

Gloucester were thumped in both and deservedly so, but it was worse than that. they lost both games for the same frustrating reasons and they were basic ones! Handling was poor as was catching and performance in lineout and scrum. There were too many infringements at key moments of the game. There some good players at Kingsholm, but good team performances are too rare. Coach Johan Ackerman says he knows what is the problem. The same platitudes emerged after both games but there was no improvement. In the visits of my youth and middle age the team was always better than the sum of its parts and furthermore they they got the basics right. That is not happening now. there a fine legacy at Kingsholm. Messrs Burton ,Blakeway, Fidler saw to that, and who can forget the mighty Mike Teague.Home fans provide a magnificent atmosphere and everyone deserves better than displays recently. Happily I think my breathing problems will allow me to attend the New Lawn or the Corinium Stadium. Exciting are ahead at both.