Having first appeared as a four-year-old, been to a National Colts’ Cup final and then helped the first team to Level Three – and so nearly The Championship – Tom believes having 100 to 1,000 plus fans is one of the biggest changes during his time at the club.
He said: “We all enjoy playing rugby, but if there’s no-one watching, it’s not the same. When you go out and have such avid support behind you, it’s like playing with an extra man, another person in the corner.
“That also doesn’t stop after the game – you get talking to the supporters who are there wanting to look after each other. I’ve had friends who’ve got jobs from talking to others, it’s a real community.
“It’s a fantastic place to be a part of and its meant so much to me to have done 29 years. After Henley, I had to finish it where it started.”
Complete transformation of OBR
He continued: “When I started the showers were one combined room with a drip coming out of a pipe in a dingy, not well-lit room, so to be a part of where it’s come from to where we are now is amazing.
“I’m very proud to have been a part of it and it’s been incredible to witness what (Chairman) Andy (Lynch), (CEO) Gary (Reynolds) and everyone else involved behind the scenes have done.
“Firstly, with the clubhouse rebuild, but then everything else like the stand, the lights, the quality of the pitches, there are so many people who deserve credit. It’s been a complete transformation from when I started – you wouldn’t recognise the place from back then.
“I’d also want to say a massive thank you to anyone whose played a part in my rugby career – from the coaches, to directors, Ian Duncan, the backroom staff like Joe (Southwell), Daryl (Watson), Matt Maxwell, Janette (Tichband) – they put in so many hours and while we’re the guys who go out and play, we wouldn’t be able to do it without them.
“It’s been almost 30 years of my life which I look back on so fondly, and now I’ll very much enjoy going down as a supporter and not waking up on Sunday with a sore neck!”
Praise for teammates and fans
And when asked what he will miss the most, Tom was swift to say: “The lads. I’ve said it before, but it’s almost like therapy seeing them for a catch-up – if you’ve had a bad day, you put your boots on and even if you didn’t want to be there, you left feeling brilliant.
“Then the matches themselves. For someone like myself, to have the level of competition was all about going out to battle with your brothers and knowing everyone else had your back. You put everything on the line, hoped to get the win and it was special.”
And finally, reiterating his thanks to the supporters, Vooghty ended: “You have made it what it has become.”
