youngest rugby correspondent in Britain. And given the fact that the side include in their ranks the one and only Duncan Hutton, a former world champion in Cumberland wrestling, he'd better get his facts right. "I try to rep ort the positive things, even when they lose," he says wisely. How Graham Henry must have wished he'd been on the Lions' tour. Ten days ago, Tom and 100 other hardy souls watched Morpeth lose to up - and - coming Bedford Athletic in the first round of the Nati onal Knockout Cup - one of two major competitions that are still without a sponsor three weeks into the new season (and doesn't the continued lack of a maj or backer for the National Leagues beggar belief?) However, the fact that the names of John Player, Pilkington and Tetley have departed the scene, leaving the competition unsullied by commercial branding, recalls those early days of the event when many in the game thought a cup competition of any description was contrary to the ethos of rugby football. Now back in those long - lost days of 1974 - 75, who should have reached the semi - final of the National Knockout Cup, beating London Irish and Bath (at the Rec) among others on the way, but Morpeth. It remains one of rugby's great trivia questions: name the four semi - finalists that season. Well, go on then. Two Saturdays ago, may have been a far cry from those heady days, but for all concerned it was a relief to s ee the team playing at all. From Feb 7 until the end of last season, Morpeth RFC shut down because of the foot - and - mouth epidemic. Not a single match. No revenue. No nothing. Half the first XV are farmers, and they weren't allowed off their land at the hei ght of the crisis. According to Bill Hewitt, who proudly lays claim to having played across five decades, it would have ripped the heart out of many a lesser club, but Morpeth have returned to the fray stronger and re - vitalised, and an integral part once a gain of the local community. "And we're obviously enormously grateful to the RFU for the £1,000 compensation they sent us," he says, with a wry smile. The bar takings will help a bit this weekend with a league game against local