Keith Board - "Mr Firebrand"

Memories of Boardy from David Harris.

Back in the days when County hockey was prestigious and Somerset hockey was particularly strong, the mens team was asked to give the womens team a “warm-up” game.
Keith was in goal and when a one-on-one situation occurred with a fairly large centre forward he backed off (being a gentlemen) and she scored!
His team mates told him that next time he was to give no quarter and so when she next advanced on his goal he came out and in the resulting collision the lady executed a somersault leaving Keith still upright.
In those days keepers had steel tipped kickers and opposition forwards didn’t come back after making contact!


In Firebrands early years, Keith was our first team goalkeeper, then seconds and by the time I captained the third eleven about 1975 he was my goalkeeper.
Most of our games were on grass (weather permitting) as very few redgra surfaces were available.
One match we looked forward to was at Morlands where the pitches were like billiard surfaces unlike our own.
The playing technique was totally different from todays’ astro-style, no passing back, offside to remember, roll-ins from the side line and a bully to start after a goal was scored.
Keith was having a storming game and the score was nil-nil with a few minutes to go, when Moorlands took a shot. Keith appeared to miss and I could see the opposition scoring when all of a sudden he flicked his left heel and diverted the ball out to our left back.
It was a save I’ve never forgotten!