A MINUTE'S silence was held in memory of club legend Billy Hardy prior to Pocklington's weekend victory over West Hartlepool.

Mr Hardy, who scored a club record 3,000 points during his ten year career at the club, had passed away the night before when watching rugby on TV.

His son Billy is now a first team regular at Percy Road and Mr Hardy, 67, was always a regular on the team bus with players and officials.

At the start of his sporting career, Hardy was a leading local footballer in the York League for Wilberfoss and Pocklington and also played for York City's reserves.

At the age of 28, he decided to seek a new challenge and took up rugby union. He was renowned for his corners and free kicks as a footballer and this ability smoothed his transition to rugby. His powerful goal kicking and strong running made him an instant success on Pocklington's first team wing.

Hardy was committed and passionate about life, family, work and sport. He was a devoted family man and a successful businessman who was the director of a leading Pocklington company, Bond International, for 25 years.

He also tried his hand at rugby league and was a key member of Peter Warters' Locomotive side that won the end-of-season Interworks competition in the late Eighties.

When his playing career finally ended, Hardy made a notable contribution as a junior sports coach, first with rugby at Percy Road and then football at the Balk.

He never missed a Pocklington RUFC game after his son, 'Young Billy', followed in his footsteps, initially with Pocklington Town AFC and now Pocklington RUFC.

After returning to from Hartlepool on Saturday night, players and supporters headed to the Pocklington clubhouse to raise half pints of Guinness, Hardy's favourite tipple, in his memory.