TRIBUTES have been paid to ’real gentleman’ Ian Seymour, the ex-Berry Hill captain who led his side through their greatest era.

Affectionately known as ’Sedge’ across the Forest and Gloucestershire rugby scene, Seymour passed away at his Edge End farm home on December 22, aged 59, after a long battle against prostate cancer.

Seymour captained the club on eight occasions between 1978 and 1991, including in matches against the likes of Bath in January 1985.

It was a period when the Hillmen also turned out against the likes of Harlequins and London Irish.

Seymour began coaching as early as 1976, when he helped John Belcher’s Under-16s side win the county cup against Coney Hill.

He spent many years at Monmouth RFC, having been a student at Monmouth School, before returning to Berry Hill to coach from last season.

“He returned at a time when there was a lot of discord and pulled us together,” Belcher said.

“He was a very calm person. He never seemed to lose his temper and he had a great empathy with players.

“He was a very dedicated coach, not to mention a very good rugby player.

“He had played all along the Gloucestershire set-up, including for the county, and represented the University of Reading when he was a student there.

“It was a great period for us as a club then and he was a big part of that.

“It’s a very close knit community in the Forest with rugby clubs and before the Combination Cup game against Bream we held a minute’s silence for him, when players from clubs all over the Forest came to pay their respects.”

Berry Hill’s first team manager Rob Lane called Seymour ’a true clubman’, adding: “He gave 100 per cent on anything he was doing on and off the pitch.

“I’ve known him for 30 years and in the last two or three years got to know him really well as Sedge was the head coach for the last two seasons.

“He had a few passions in his life; farming, his family and it is no doubt that rugby was one of those passions.

“He was not only a great rugby coach, he was a great person as well. Several words I would use to describe Sedge would be integrity, honesty, loyalty and commitment.

“He was a true gentleman who was well respected in the rugby community both locally and further afield. There weren’t many places you would go to that didn’t know Sedge.

“His rugby knowledge was second to none and at times his ability to recite the events of a game played 12 months ago in fine detail was incredible.

“He will be sadly missed by a lot of people but his legacy will live on in the club through the young players he was developing during his time with us. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.”

Seymour’s funeral took place yesterday in a packed out Christchurch Parish Church.