Tony Adkins, 1961-2025
It is with immense sadness that the club pays tribute to a true gent and great Hammer, Tony Adkins, who passed away whilst on tour with the Club in Poland on Easter Sunday.
A true gent and a great Hammer. We will miss you Tony.
Tony was a Hammers’ man in every sense of the word, joining the club some 40 years ago alongside Henry Compton School contemporaries and Hammers legends Ray Bateman, Dick Wayman, Pascal Peters, Dave Clark, and teachers Martin Williams, Ed Naylor, Doug Bone, and John Mathewman. A tight head prop by trade, Tony could be still found pulling on the boots well into the 2000s, and even featured in the club’s 25th anniversary game.
Tony was at heart a touring Hammer, and he liked nothing more than taking the Hammers brand of Rugby beyond the boundaries of London. He represented the club all over Britain and Europe, his first tour being Brixham, before going on to earn touring badges in places as far afield as Barcelona, Prague and Amsterdam.
More than a Rugby player, Tony also found a niche later in life under the bright lights, serving as a long-time bodyguard for Simon Cowell during his time on X-factor, and featuring in the Harry Potter franchise as a giant, which was fitting for those who knew him.
His friendliness and generosity will be missed by all who knew him, and our thoughts are with his family.
Vale Tony
