In December 2001 Mansfield Rugby Club lost a favourite son, Pete Emberson or Embo to his friends. Our Executive President Byron Edwards and I were both honoured by Pete’s family by being asked to say a few words at the funeral service. Many people have said they would like to see a copy of the words spoken that day as it was difficult to take it all in during the emotion of the event. So, in no particular order, here are extracts from our tributes to a great friend and rugby stalwart that without any doubt helped to make Mansfield Rugby Club what it is today.

There's a photo gallery at the bottom of the page. If you’re having a pint whilst reading this, then smile and drink a toast to Pete – if not – then go into the clubhouse after the game and do it then…

Andy Foster

Chairman

Byron started proceedings by remembering the day Pete and Di decided to fight back.

“They decided together that it was time that they drove cancer and not let cancer drive them. This was the self-belief that he was known so well for coming through. I remember some of his pre-match talks. He would say, “Believe in yourself and repeat, believe in yourself and if you can’t believe in yourself, then believe in me!” Such was the inner strength of the man. Not only did he make us believe in ourselves, which made us better players but, in many cases, better people; that was the impact he had on us”.

My recollection of meeting Pete for the first time was and still is vivid.

“I first met Pete at the Mansfield Rugby Club players meeting in the summer of 1975. He stood for election as first team captain. During that meeting he delivered a heartfelt and passionate speech designed to ensure he got the job. I don’t remember the details of it only the ending when he said, “we may win and we may lose, but I can promise you blood, sweat and tears along the way”. Little did I know at the time, that this type of declaration was typical of him”.

Pete only knew one way to play rugby and it was all about winning as Byron recalls.

“During Pete’s years as Captain, we only lost a few games and those were the ref’s fault! Brian Head-Rapson, a famous Nottinghamshire referee always said, “Whenever I go to Mansfield I never referee the game, Pete always does it for me”.

As I further explained.

“Pete was a master exponent of the tactical injury and skilled in the art of kidd-ology. His mission every game was to get the referee on his side. This was often done by plying them with vast quantities of alcohol after the game to the point where some couldn’t drive home and even stayed at his house. He re-defined the meaning behind the phrase ‘work hard; play hard’ – Pete worked the hardest and when he wanted to play…everyone had to join in”.

There was always a lot of fun, but Pete was deadly serious about his rugby and his club as Byron reminded us.

“Copey always tells the tale about coming on at half time with the bucket and sponge during a Mansfield/Newark game. Pete had cut his eye and there was blood streaming down his face. Copey went to wipe it off and Pete said, “No – I want to show the boys that I will give blood for this club”. Not only did Pete give blood for Mansfield Rugby Club, he gave much more in toil, sweat and guts.”

This was never more evident than in the way he trained and played as I reminded everyone.

“The following years saw Mansfield become a force to be reckoned with in the region, starting with one his proudest moments - our first County Cup win in 1978. He instilled a sense of pride and real integrity his team and although it was great when things went well, he was a wonder to behold when they didn’t! His training sessions were murderous, he did his best to make sure you crawled off the park… and he trained harder than anyone.

If playing for him was hard, uncompromising and bruising then our pre-match warm-up sessions were positively frightening. Pete’s pre-match speeches can only be described as brutal poetry and I remember like it was yesterday the, now legendary, Gladiator speech, when he said, “This is the arena and we are the Gladiators”. Now, I’m sure one or two of the older players in the dressing room may have raised an eyebrow… but I was an impressionable teenager and I believed it as much as he did.

And if things got too intense as they sometimes did… we always had Gary to fall back on!”

Well, remember that I did say there was always a lot of fun and those of you reading this who were in the dressing room this particular day will never forget what happened.

“During the warm up in one County Cup game against Mellish, Pete had us whipped up into a frenzy. The dressing room was atmospheric, an impressive mix of testosterone, sweat and determination. We were running on the spot about to start our final count to 10 before bursting out on to the pitch - and just as we were reaching a climactic 6, 7, 8 … Gary fell over!

As we hit 10, he was lying prostrate on the floor – 14 of us ran out laughing and Pete with a face like thunder – and the crowd trying to work out why weren’t taking this big game too seriously… We won bytheway”.

As Byron put it, “Pete was also brother to the indomitable Gary”. Byron reminded us of the cunning brain that Gary processes

“Pete, as most of you are aware, was a fitness fanatic and he changed us into being the same. We became so fit that we could do things that the 42nd Commando Brigade couldn’t do. It was at this time that he tried to change Gary into an Olympic athlete. He trained Gary so hard that at one stage we thought he was going to become a Biafran. But Gary fooled Pete; little did he know that he had upped his Chinese take away meals from one to two a day!”

The rugby fraternity is well renowned for storytellers and we are blessed at Mansfield with some excellent exponents… but Pete was the finest raconteur I’ve ever known - and like all good storytellers he didn’t always allow the facts to interfere with poetic license. Byron recalls.

“I first met Pete 34 years ago when he had just come out of the Army. We were in the Swan Hotel having a few pints and then he started telling tales – and we got on to his war experiences in Malaya. After a few more pints it wasn’t Errol Flynn who beat the terrorists, it was me and Pete! Such would be the compelling way he told stories, he had you believing that you were part of it as well.”

I then reminded everyone of how stories were told.

“Stories were usually accompanied by “one out of the red tin” which of course was his favourite cigar and the Embo salute…. You know how it goes.”

Pete gave a lot of his time as a teacher, friend and coach especially to youngsters who appreciated his enthusiasm and experience. In closing, my thoughts turned to the qualities that I felt epitomised Pete as a person.

“He was a proud and generous man but didn’t suffer fools gladly - and you never took advantage. I will always remember his two favourite philosophies, which constantly reminded us of this:

“Don’t mistake kindness for weakness”, he would say, and:

“You earn the right to criticise”

We have lost a friend… a character… a real rugby man – Pete cast a big shadow and I was proud to stand in it.

As Byron said earlier, Pete’s favourite rugby song was Sixteen Tons - and the words say ‘Saint Peter don’t you call me cos I can’t go, I owe my soul to the company store’

Well - Saint Peter has called and it is time to go – but he doesn’t owe anybody anything.

I for one, owe him a great deal…”

Lots of happy memories… Byron closed with a poignant tribute to Pete’s character, determination and the legacy he has left us with.

“Pete will never be forgotten by those who knew him – he has left us with a legacy for life – the ‘Embo way’.

During his ordeal and battle against illness he showed us what a Lion heart he was, demonstrating all the time the courage, tenacity and self-belief he inculcated in us, never once saying “why me?” Pete always wanted to win a game; he would have us chanting coming out of the changing room “Win! Win! Win!”

Although he has not won the battle against adversity, by any man’s measure this was a gentlemen’s draw.

Cheers Pete…