Concordia 2025

Concordia Winter 2024

John Pallant at 80 S port lies at the heart of the public-school ethos and Merchant Taylors’, as one of the ‘Clarendon Nine’, is no exception. If one were to look at the history of modern games at MTS, then two figures stand out as the architects of sport today. The first was Frederick Bampfylde, who served the school from 1875 to 1918, when modern cricket and rugby were formalised and playing grounds acquired at Bellingham. His association was to last the rest of his life, as he mentored the newly formed Old Boys’ association and he is still remembered by his donation of the Bampfylde Shield to School Athletics. If Bampfylde laid the foundations for school sport, then John Pallant was the inspirational figure to take the School’s games into the modern era. Like his illustrious predecessors, JNP’s association as teacher, coach and supporter of the OMT Society has lasted over 50 years. As he

prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday, I met up with him to reflect on his long career. The early days John is a talented all round sportsman. At primary school, he played soccer as a goalkeeper for Nottingham under-11s on the City and County grounds. He would have been a tough challenge to beat. During his secondary school days at High Pavement Grammar he avoided playing rugby in his first year to focus on football, until spotted by a new PE teacher who persuaded him to play rugby where his speed could be put to better use. He played in all of the back positions, including fly half, but was put in the forwards when he was promoted to the First XV two years early. He went on to play for England Schools, in the same team as former MTS Head Master Jon Gabitass.

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England team to face Ireland, 1967; JNP is fifth from the left on the back row