John grew up in Sheffield and after grammar school became an Accountant. Early club rugby was played with Sheffield Tigers and Rotherham. He joined the RAF playing for them during his service years during which time he captained Signals Command (1965). A dubious claim to fame was packing down in the Henley front row.

He moved his family to Princes Risborough in 1967 and joined Chinnor, playing until 1970, his final year in a strong XV.

John left the RAF in 1971 and worked in Oxford until retiring in 1992. John played many sports, but his main love was for rugby and tennis.

The first mention of John Besley in the official records of the club comes in the 1968-69 season when he captained the 2nd XV. Played 24, W 14, D 4, L 6 300 pts. scored.

In the 1970-71 Season John became Chairman of the club for that year. Little did we know that it was the start of many years of administrative service to the club which included seven years as Treasurer during which his influence and stewardship was to accelerate the development of club, both on and off the field.

In the 1973-4 season he was President of the club.

In his first year as Treasurer, mini rugby was introduced and to quote the then Chairman, Colin Kent, John, together with John Maskell, were the real creative people in ensuring the mini's success.

During these early years, we played on rented pitches and used pub’s and Bledlow Cricked Club’s facilities for entertaining. 1n the 1970-71 season we were given the opportunity to buy a redundant large wooden hut. A condition of purchase was we had to dismantle and remove the hut with two weeks but it had to be stored as we had no ground. Through John’s contacts, a reporter at the Oxford Mail wrote an article on a “club with a Clubhouse but no ground”.

This was read by the Chairman of Towersey Playing fields who had playing fields but no changing facilities. And the deal was done. After a massive ‘self-build’ by members the clubhouse opened on the 1st September 1972 and became our home for the next 16 years.

John’s influence over the fledgling years in establishing a sound financial structure for what was then an ‘amateur’ club cemented our ability to move forward to what is now our excellent benchmark club facilities.

As part of his programme to achieve stability, the club, under his guidance, appointed our first salaried employee in February 1978. Our first Club Steward brought significant control over expenditure, and stability to facilities management and a guarantee of stable opening times.

John was also a key financial player in the purchase of our first own freehold ground. This was a drawn-out process that ran for several years starting with a public enquiry into the change of ownership of Whites Farm. We formed a partnership with Thame Show Committee to purchase the 110-acre former farm. 10 acres of which were to be owned by the club. The planning office ruled in our favour in April 79 and a club EGM approved the purchase. It was 1988 when the club had its formal opening.

Outside of the club, in the early 70’s he worked for BBC local radio and broadcast commentary on two Varsity matches from Twickenham.

John leaves behind his children Tim, Corrine, and Richard and all involved at Chinnor Rugby Football Club pass on their deepest condolences for the loss of their father. The Club has also lost a wonderful man.