On Thursday 30th March Falkirk RFC lost founder member and twice President Jimmy Hardwick. His loss was sudden and unexpected. He’d been at the Club last Saturday enjoying lunch and then cheering on the 1s and our young 2s and then helping out the Wednesday Club the day before he was taken. Jimmy would have been 86 on Monday.
Jimmy was first introduced to rugby in his mid-20s at the ICI in Grangemouth by Bill MacMillan & Lynn Jones who had founded a works rugby team on the site in the early 60s. Jimmy immediately took to the game, playing in a number of positions but most often at fullback.
Jimmy was always a great organiser and was soon involved both on and off the field. As he recounted to me:
"Initially we had very few actual rugby players, but we ended up running 3 XV's. Inclusive to all this activity were the girlfriends and wives to whom we owe a great deal to this day.
We worked equally hard on and off the field and had a range of social activities from skiing, pony trekking, summer football, beach outings with wives and weans etc. The serious stuff like dances and dinners were great successes and it was really quite easy to sell tickets.
We even bought a bus from a scrapyard which still had the markings from its previous role servicing a psychiatric hospital!"
In 1972, worried that the team might lose their access to pitches as the ICI expanded, the Committee, of which Jimmy was, as ever, a member, decided to go their own way and form Falkirk RFC with their "bus, 2 sets of goal posts, some balls & £800".
Jimmy was one of those who built our current clubhouse in 1982 and became President in 1983 having filled pretty much every other position on the Committee. He was elected President again in 1994.
He was one of the Club’s constants, a Founding Father, always there and always wanting to chat and give some candid feedback, advice or praise post match. It’s a testament to the man that many of today's Mini & Midi Coaches & parents know him – not bad for an 85 year old! Ex-player friends have said to me that he was like a second father to them in their youth.
Bottom line, Jimmy cared. He cared deeply about Falkirk RFC. He’d take as much, if not more, pleasure watching our 2's as watching the 1s. He knew the 2s & 18s were our future and wanted to know every new player’s name and background. One of our current 1's maybe best summed Jimmy’s contribution up – if FRFC had a Mount Rushmore, Jimmy would be on it.
Personally, I’ll miss his council.
Once again this season, the ball feels heavier. Our condolences are extended to Jimmy’s wife of over 60 years, Sheila, and his daughter Jan. It’s been a privilege; we’re unlikely to see your likes again. You were a gentleman. Rest easy.
Bill Faulds, President, Falkirk Rugby Club

Jimmy's funeral will be held on Thursday 13th April at Falkirk Crematorium at 2.30pm.