Rugby player

BORN: January 17, 1938;

DIED: September 23, 2015

JOHN Miller, who has died aged 77, was a well-known rugby player for Stewart’s FP in the 1960s before going on to fulfil a variety of roles off the pitch for the club and its successor, Stewart’s Melville FP.

He also played for and captained Scotland’s only invitational side, the Co-Optimists and in the 1980s was a selector for Edinburgh District. As a scrum half, he was small for that position even by the standards of the day but what he may have lacked in physique he more than made up for in size of heart.

This quality was noted at an early stage of his career while still at Daniel Stewart’s College playing for the 1st XV when the school magazine reported “Special mention must be made of John Miller, surely one of the pluckiest and most diminutive scrum halfs to play in the 1st XV. He has served his backs ably and has withstood the fiercest onslaughts from the opposition.”

When Miller joined the FP rugby club in 1956 initially he found it difficult to break in to the 1st XV as the FP team then was very strong. It won the unofficial Scottish championship in 1957/8 and in that era could boast several internationalists and future ones, such as Grant Weatherstone, Keith Macdonald, Gregor Sharp and John Douglas. Alongside them, the team also featured a number of Edinburgh District players and international trialists, including Gordon Robertson at scrum half who in effect barred Miller's route to the first team, apart from an occasional game.

However, by 1961 Miller had succeeded in establishing himself and from then until 1968 was an ever present in the firsts. He was a consistently valuable team member highly rated by fellow players, particularly when captain through much of 1965 and also enjoyed a lot of success in seven-a-side tournaments, winning the Edinburgh 7’s at Murrayfield several times, as well as Langholm, Jedforest and others.

Former teammate and British Lion John Douglas recalled John fondly. "He was such a nice guy who everyone liked," he said. "As a player he always gave 100% and his lack of stature never deterred him, his nippy style was particularly suited to 7’s”.

Scottish international, Ian Forsyth, who played with John from 1964 on, remembered a particular occasion at the Melrose Seven’s. "In 1965 we played London Scottish in the semi final. At one point John attempted a smother tackle on J.C. Brash, a Scottish cap at wing forward. This was a catchweight contest with Brash effectively dragging John along for some 30 yards as John held on grimly, all the while sliding slowly down, till his grasp settled round Brash’s ankles to finally stop him, amid great cheers from the crowd.”

Once he hung up his boots in the late 60s, Miller at various times acted as club coach, was the ‘magic sponge’ man and ran the line at 1st XV games. When the club amalgamated to become Stewart’s Melville, he acted as match secretary from about the mid 70s to mid 80s, and then joined the general committee till the early 90s during which time he also served on the Edinburgh District Committee as selector.Thereafter he was a loyal supporter of the club till retirement to Duns in about 2001. He was the epitome of the ideal club man.

He and his twin brother Michael, also a good rugby player, were brought up in the Trinity area of Edinburgh where he would continue to live till the Borders beckoned in retirement.

On leaving school he trained as a quantity surveyor and when he qualified, joined Wimpey Construction with whom he spent his whole career, retiring from a senior position in 2000. In 1967 he had married Anne Davidson from the Duns area and the couple enjoyed 48 years together.

He enjoyed retirement, followed sport on Sky Sports, played some golf and resumed playing bridge. Son Duncan remarked, "My dad was exceptionally sociable and loved being in company. He would never keep his own counsel but always wanted to be involved in conversations. I used to think of him as being mischievous and when he and his twin brother celebrated their 70th together they reminded me of two young lads misbehaving. We used to go on summer holidays up north with other families and these were marvellous times. He was very honest, hardworking and loving.”

In many ways, John Miller was the archetypal rugby man of the amateur era - fun on the pitch and off it. And when the time came to hang up the boots, he put back into the game what he had taken from it.

He is survived by wife Anne, daughter Jane, son Duncan and six grandchildren.

JACK DAVIDSON