THREE family members have achieved what may be a unique hat-trick of all playing for Great Yarmouth and Gorleston football clubs, writes Miles Jermy.It is a connection that goes back to 1954 when Ronnie Rumsby, then 17, made his debut for the Gorleston youth team.

THREE family members have achieved what may be a unique hat-trick of all playing for Great Yarmouth and Gorleston football clubs, writes Miles Jermy.

It is a connection that goes back to 1954 when Ronnie Rumsby, then 17, made his debut for the Gorleston youth team.

Half a century later, Ronnie's grandsons Regan and Ryan Harman are team-mates at Emerald Park.

While Ronnie, now 72, left the Greens to join the Bloaters, the Harman brothers have moved in the opposite direction and both currently play for Gorleston Reserves. Striker Regan is the youngest player to make his first team debut for the Bloaters, aged 15, in 2006.

When tenacious midfielder Ronnie crossed the River Yare it was a move that was far from popular with some people.

He said: “My dad called me a traitor and I think he really meant it, although he would still come and watch me at the Wellesley.

“There was one Yarmouth supporter who always barracked me because I had played for Gorleston, and I even remember the fans fighting at matches.

“I played for Gorleston against Gillingham in the first round of the FA Cup, but we lost 10-1. Both teams were in the Eastern Counties League at the time and I left Yarmouth after getting fed up with all the travelling.

“We would play matches against Tottenham A, Colchester Reserves and Cambridge United in those days.”

Retired painter and decorator Ronnie follows the football careers of both his grandsons closely, but tries not to make too many comments on their performances

on the pitch.