John ‘Taffy’ Roberts (1944 – 2025)

The Boughton Hall Family has lost one of its most colourful, flamboyant and loveable characters with the sad passing of John Roberts.

‘Taffy’ was as strong a supporter as there could be of Chester Nomads FC, (or as he would say – in very pronounced tones),“Chester Nomads Association Football Club”, Chester Rugby Club and Chester Boughton Hall CC. All three were second only to all things Mother Country (Wales), and Alison.

Few of our recent football and cricketing generations haven’t witnessed his spectacular ‘Black Pudding’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘Betty Swollocks’ and perhaps most famously, ‘Cuckoo’ routine.

We all loved him. Who will lead the toast at formal dinners?Who will vehemently defend the Welsh Rugby Team after a 52-3 mauling? Who will – for nothing more than a pint or two– spend a day painting around Boughton Hall HQ or the Rugby Club?

Whether wearing the dashing red and blue rugby blazer at Hare Lane, or the glittering array of stripy efforts at Filkins Lane, Taffy brought the places to life. No shrinking violet here, but certainly a proud leek!

Taffy’s strength of character and zest for life kept him busy to the end. Surrounded by a growing family, it was only in August 2025 he witnessed stepson Edward’s wedding.

And that family was hugely important to him with rarely a weekend passing without a gathering of some sort.

His numerous friends too, many who have been close to him for much of his 81 years, have so many stories and with the 2025/26 Nomads season just about to get underway, there’ll be plenty of Saturdays to share a tale or two. And there are many!

Alas, Taffy takes his stories and raconteur skills upstairs now, but you can be sure he leaves a huge legacy. A lesson – appropriate as he was a teacher for many years – on how to enjoy yourself, how to command respect, how to share a passion so wonderfully and more than anyone else, how to champion both football and cricket across Boughton Hall. (Oh, and how to impersonate a cuckoo…).

Wife Ali and all the family, our hearts go out to you. The Welsh dragon has been silenced for now, but rest assured, it roars on with his spirit.

Duw bendithia, Taffy and diolch

xx