This was a period of innovation both on and off the field at Kingsholm. The 1950s commenced with the Club introducing the first public address system. Prior to its installation the crowd had been entertained by Cinderford town band before matches.
More off the field activity continued with the Worcester Street terraces being constructed in 1951. They were to stay in place for a further 53 years before being replaced by the Buildbase Stand in 2004.
Floodlights were installed at Kingsholm in November 1967 and Gloucester Rugby Club's opponents when they were switched on were the Bosuns who were defeated by 34 points to eight. In this period the Club had at its disposal a Ladies Committee who resigned 'en bloc' in 1962.
On the field of play advanced tactical and skills training was introduced by England full back Don Rutherford who had joined the club. This was aimed at reducing the forward dominated style of play for which the club had become renowned.
Don was a member of Percy Park RFC when he was first capped by England in January 1960. He joined Gloucester in 1964, and was capped as a Gloucester player versus Wales in 1965. Don later became a technical advisor to the England Rugby Union.
The season 1969-1970 saw a record 57 fixtures fulfilled under the captaincy of Dick Smith. 33 of those were played at Kingsholm. The Club experienced their longest run of home matches without defeat in this period of 51 matches from 10 October 1970 to 23 September 1972.
Not all was plain sailing in this period, for a 45 points to nil defeat at Coventry in the 1964-1965 season meant the Club encountered it's heaviest away defeat.
Off the field the Club incurred a trading loss of £1,000 in consecutive seasons in the 1968-1969 and 1969-1970 seasons. In the 1969-1970 season the Club played a record 57 fixtures.
In 1972 the Club rejoiced in the fact that they had won the first ever National knock-out competition defeating Moseley in the final at Twickenham by 17 points to 6.
It was a match marred by the sending off of Nigel Horton of Moseley. Gloucester had defeated Bath 12 points to 3 (away), Bristol 15 points to 4 at the Memorial Ground, and London Welsh 9 points to 4 at Old Deer Park. They then drew 6 points all at Coventry, but as the team playing away, Gloucester had been deemed the winners according to the rule book and then recorded that historic win at Twickenham, a truly magnificent achievement under the captaincy of Mike Nicholls.
Not one match at Kingsholm! Gloucester was awash with excitement. The opposite emotion in the Midlands according to the Birmingham Post of Monday 2 May 1972.
"The cost to Gloucester, if they notice and if they care, was the respect of the thousands of people who saw this ugly final on television and in the flesh. If Gloucester's ten-man rugby ever gets them into the final again, they might as well keep it at Kingsholm for the benefit of their own supporters. No one else will want to see them. The intimidation and the filth was one thing - and after the opening salvo it was exaggerated. But the joyless, unrelenting junk that Gloucester served in the name of rugby football was unforgivable!" (Ed - remember Moseley lost!)
Sour grapes and fish and chip paper immediately came to mind, not one person in Gloucester cared one iota. Gloucester had made domestic history and not a single second of play at home, plaudits won the day here in the city.
