Dubai Exiles Guest Book
Please click above to add a new message to our guest book or browse the messages below to see what the club's been up to the last couple of years. Thank you.
I was also saddened to hear that Chris Conway has passed away. Chris and I were very close mates during my time at the Exiles from 1983 to 1990. His bravery in fighting his illness was truly astonishing, and typical of Chris never wanting to create a fuss.
I have so many memories but the ones that come to mind most often are the outings of the "Three Amigos" , Chris, Brownie, and Sutty. The Club fund- raising discos, the tours (especially Ireland in 1985, just brilliant), the sing-songs, New Years Day at the club, Ravi's Revenge, Lucifers after the traditional Friday piss up on Jumeriah Beach and of course Cavaliers!
Chris we will remember you always. Sincere condolences to Angie and Luke.
John "Sutty" Sutcliffe
Posted by John Sutcliffe. at 06:12, 09/02/09
Congratulations on reaching 40. I came across the Exiles' name by chance the other day, and as I played a small part in the Club in 1969 - 1971 (I was Secretary for 16 months) I was delighter to find it still going, and successful beyond anything we could have dreamed of.
I joined at the start of the 1969/70 season, and the Club had been playing in black & white as the Exiles before that, so it is quite possible that the Club started in 1968 as William Rumboll suggests in his entry of 25/9/08. He is certainly correct in saying that early meetings were held in the BBME bachelor's mess (above their bank on what was then Cinema Square in Deira).
Here are some things that you definitely can celebrate this year -
12/2/70 First game of B team (in which I played). Beat RAF Sharjah B 9-0.
3/9/70 Clubhouse opened by site of proposed Country Club in the desert at the head of Dubai Creek. (This was a small galv. iron shed, furnature - one bar. Cost QDR 5500 plus what we could scrounge and much labour by ourselves).
Sept. 70 - I draft a constitution for the Club.
29/9/70 I show British Political Agent Dubai the Club's site, and get his agreement to give Club a permit to sell alcohol there
9/10/70 First game on new pitch by clubhouse. Lost to RAF Sharjah 3-21. (The Club previously played on a pitch near Sheik Ahmed's palace in Dubai. Club members put in much work to move the goal posts and prepare the new pitch's surface).
23/10/70 Beat Abu Dhabi 6-3 in Abu Dhabi. I'm not sure if this was the Exiles' first inter-state game or not; possibly not.
30/10/70 Beat a Scotts Guards team 13-0 at home. Visitors seriously breached etiquet by not staying for the booze-up.
19-20/11/70 Sent team to Bahrain; airfares subsidised by Club.
I hope that this might be of some interest to you. I wish the Club and all the present members all the very best for the future.
Posted by Jeremy Bonnell at 00:13, 07/02/09
Deeply Saddened to hear the news of Chris Conway. I have very fond memories of the "good old times" of the Exiles from the 80's - late 90's. Watched & supported Chris and the whole exiles rugby team for many years. Even trained with the guys...
We all celebrated many "St. Paddy's nights" with the rugby crowd and partied as hard as we could for a very long time! Great fond memories. Chris was a big part of the Exiles and everone's lives way back then. We were all a close family and had some great times.
RIP Chris, will think of you often.
Love
Teresa
Posted by Teresa McIntosh at 20:13, 04/02/09
Dear Exiles gals & Lads
thanks a million for supporting our touch tournament last Friday - it was great to have such a turn out and to hear that everyone enjoyed themselves. thanks to your support, the UAE falcons Ladies team will be able to carry on this season and to host their own tournament on the league Calendar. We are all very grateful.
see you soon,
Posted by Laurence - Manager UAE Falcons Ladies team at 08:02, 03/02/09
CHRIS CONWAY
For those of you who have no idea who I am, I played for the Exiles, on sand, in the 80's & 90's before moving to Bahrain & thence to South Africa.
During my time in the Middle East I had the great honour of meeting, & playing rugby with, & against, Chris Conway.
I got a message from Sean Kelleher, (Chris' colleague & also an ex-Exile), yesterday informing me that Chris has passed away yesterday morning in hospital in the U.K.
I don't want to go into details here, suffice to say "Elvis" was a true gent & great tourist!
Sadly missed. R.I.P.
I do hope some of the guys using this site remember Chris - without him & people like him there would be no Dubai Exiles today!
Anyone with pictures from the 80's/90;s?
Thanks,
Burkey
Sean's details are: sean.kelleher@financial-partners.biz, (or me on mike@winedotcom.co.za)
Posted by Mike "Burkey" Burke at 15:58, 15/01/09