COBS (Combined Birmingham Old Boys) was a select side that played regular matches in the 1960s through to the 1990s when, with the advent of leagues, it struggled to get sufficient levels of interest.

At one time, it was even suggested that COBS play as a Saturday side, drawing on the best players from all of the Junior clubs, with a view to rivalling Moseley, Birmingham and other senior clubs.

The picture shows the COBS side that lost to Staffordshire in 1969, and amongst the palyers are Vic Lilley (AOE) and Ian Wood (Old Centrals).

Vic's comment on seeing the photo this week was " What a miserable
devil I looked. Probably trying to look hard but just looking
constipated!!

The full line up is :-

Combined Birmingham Old Boys XV -v- Staffordshire

Back Row : R. Davenport(Touch Judge,Five Ways Old Eds);R. Casson (Five Ways); R. Brookstein (Camp Hill Old Es); V. Lilley (Aston Old Eds); B. Ayre (Old Centrals); D. Dixon (Old Centrals); J.A.T. Corke (Camp Hill Old Eds); C. J. Todd (Five Ways Old Eds)

Middle Row: A. S. Cull (Five Ways Old Eds); R. M. Walker (Camp Hill Old Eds); K.L Hatter (Old Dixonians);A. R.Packham (Old Edwardians); R. M. Holbeche (Old Moselians)

Front Row: K.M. Baughan (Old Saltleians); D. C. Everest (Old Edwardians) & I.A.M.Wood (Old Centrals)

Staffordshire XV included Sam Doble and Jan Webster who both went on to play for England

Derek Coles tells me that he played in the corresponding game the previous year, in direct opposition to Sam Doble, and that Moseley scouts had gone along to determine which of the 2 they were going to approach to join them. Clearly Doble had the better day, and went on to play for Moseley and England, before tragically dying in 1977 at the early age of 33. A memorial match held at Mosely included virtually the whole of the 1977 British Lions side :-

15 J P R Williams (Bridgend/Wales); 14 P J Squires (Harrogate/England), 13 S P Fenwick (Bridgend/Wales), 12 T G R Davies (Cardiff/Wales), 11 A R Irvine (Heriot's FP/Scotland); 10 P Bennett (Llanelli/Wales), 9 G O Edwards (Cardiff/Wales); 1 F E Cotton (Sale/England), 2 P J Wheeler (Leicester/England), 3 G Price (Pontypool/Wales), 4 W B Beaumont (Fylde/England), 5 A J Martin (Aberavon/Wales), 6 T J Cobner (Pontypool/Wales), 8 D L Quinnell (Llanelli/Wales), 7 A Neary (Broughton Park/England)

Replacements Jan Webster (Moseley/England), A Ripley (Rosslyn Park/England), A G Faulkner (Pontypool/Wales), R W Windsor (Pontypool/Wales), A Old (Sheffield/England)