It is with great sadness that we have to tell members that long-time captain of the Derelicts Mark 'Skip' Witkowski passed away last night at the age of 70.
Skip, a much-loved fixture of the club for decades, was the embodiment of social rugby and sportsmanship, galvanising generations of older players and ex-players to turn out for the club's vets. He marshalled a happy band of men who eagerly rolled back the years on the pitch and then re-lived them again afterwards over a pint or two and some top quality banter. For many it proved the most enjoyable rugby experience of our lives... and we can't thank Skip enough.
Captaining a side can be a thankless task, but Skip always carried it lightly. His cheerfulness and enormous enthusiasm for the game never abated and indeed, despite advancing years, he was still lacing up his boots on occasion this season to help out in the engine room of the pack.
He died after a short illness and will be much missed.
Our thoughts are with his wife Helen and daughter Lee who sent out the following message:
'We wish to thank you for your enduring and compassionate support, that has given us great comfort over the last six weeks. Mark so much enjoyed visits and messages from friends, and the companionship was a welcome distraction that lifted his spirits.
With all of our love
Helen & Lee”
RIP Skip x
