Jim Dymock

"When Purdo came to the club he was this young wirey string bean that looked liked he needed a good feed. To my amazement he could hit like a axe and could go all day without cracking a sweat. He was very shy the boy until he got a few pints under his belt, then the real Purdo would rear his ugly head."

"For me to sum Rob up, he is a typical country boy. He has a great work ethic, wears his heart on his sleeve and is very loyal."

"Mate it was a honor for me to be playing in the same side and I always enjoyed them bus trips home from the North especially when we gave it to Wigan." 
 
"Have a good one speak to you soon Champion."

Paul Sykes

"To a top player and a top friend I've known rob since we were little Marra's starting out our careers at the then London Broncos. not many English lads at the club back then so for rob to come to the big smoke from Cumbria must of been like leaving the country."

"We had some good times on and off the field in our time together, 6 years of it to be precise, spider (rob) is a grafter when he's out on the paddock he gets through a whole lot of work (for a skinny guy) and leads from the front just like his dancing on a night out!"

"A top raver with his White gloves on doing the chicken scratch haha, I wish you all the best in your testimonial year."

Tony Rea

"I clearly remember watching Rob play for the first time. He was playing for the National League U21's against the Super League U/21's. Now the Super League's team were all on full time programs so they were highly athletic and there skills were more practiced. But, it was this number 13 from the other mob that, whilst he sort of looked so wrong-all wirey and a bit unorthodox, he looked SO right."

"This kid was tough, he kept going at them, he was effective and he just seemed to have natural Rugby League instincts. I went back to the club and said we have to get this bloke, he is what London is about and we need him. Of course we had to watch him play a few more times for Whitehaven to confirm our thinking. He just kept being the same effective player, so we got him."

"London would not be the club it is without Rob Purdham. He has successfully been an influencer across several era's both on and off the field. He also has had a massive impact of making a collection of Northerners, Londoners, Pacific Islanders, Frenchmen, Aussie's, Kiwi's,,,,feel like one – fact: his influence makes them one. They all like Rob because they respect Rob."

"When coaching Rob, it was a bit of a funny relationship. He motivated the coach. He always inspired me to keep good standards and keep challenging the group."

"It was a pleasure and privilege to have been able to work with such a terrific person."

Danny Orr

"I was honoured when I was asked to contribute to Purdo's testimonial brochure in recognition of 10 fantastic year's service to RL in London."

"Throughout my career I have had the privilege of playing with and against, who I consider to be some of the best players in the world, I rank Purdo alongside these. I was fortunate to have played alongside Purdo for four years at Harlequins RL and his desire to win and attention to details in all he does makes him the consummate professional."

"My earliest memory of Purdo was while watching Sky Sports many years ago. It was one of those moments that will stay with me forever, but it wasn't his performance (4 penalties, 3 knock on's and 6 missed tackles), it was the fact that there was someone playing in Super League with bigger ears than myself, add to that the longest legs in the south and you have one hell of a specimen!"

"It's been an absolute pleasure playing alongside you mate, but an even greater pleasure knowing that I have made a friend for life. I wish you every success with your testimonial year, you deserve it."

"Thanks for the memories mate."

Jon Wells

"Ah Robert Robert Robert – where to start? Well, for me, our first meeting was at Terminal 3 of Heathrow Airport in November 2003. I had just joined the London Broncos and was keen to make a good impression on the new lads. Full of platitudes and niceties, I chatted to Rob and his partner in crime at the time, Paul Sykes, for probably around 10 or 15 minutes. We were all told to eat before departure (it was the 2003/04 off-season training camp in Dubai we were jetting off for) and so I mentioned something about nipping off for some sushi before we flew. I turned to go, only to hear one of my new friends mutter under his breath "Tit. Sushi? Who does he think he is? F**king Oscar Wilde?" and trot off in the direction of Burger King with his sidekick. Not what you'd call an instant spark to our friendship really."

"But in the years that we have spent at that great London club, with all the comings and goings and short-term transfers and loan signings, there were a hub of us who were together throughout. Robert was obviously one of these men and I am pleased to say we got on well despite his initial misgivings concerning my culinary choices."

"He was the one that heckled me at my own wedding. Being poor northern kids in the big city, my wife and I decided that the registry office was the way for us. Just our immediate family, plus Robert and Sarah, were present that day. He chose my wedding for the debut of his Armani pinstripe number – or the "Corleone Suit" as it came to be known – as well as a committed attempt to better his "pints in a day" record, culminating in me being shouted down – in front of 15 members of family – in a private dining room in Mayfair as I made my wedding dinner speech. A true gentleman."

"A true DIYer, Robert and I have "worked" on each other's homes down here in London over the past few years. We were the ying and yang of DIY – I provided the brains and the meticulous eye for detail; he provided the hammer – I think I added £50,000 to the value of his house; with the patio, the bathroom and an extensive tiling campaign being the main contributions. Conversely, I think he has wiped £50,000 from the value of my home in London (Correction: I KNOW he has wiped £50,000 from the value of my home in London, as I have just sold it…). "

"In and around the club, Rob has always and continues to lead by example. His professionalism and commitment are unwavering and unquestionable – and if any young player wants to see what is expected of them to succeed in this career then they should look no further than him. And Rob has consistently backed up his professional approach off the field with real achievements on it. As both England captain and an international touring player he has reached the very pinnacle of his sport – and his name is already writ large in the fabric of rugby league in London – but I know that he has a massive desire to captain a London side in a major final. And so you see him pull on the jersey of a London Rugby League player for an unprecedented tenth season in 2011. Well done lad."

"In a rugby career you meet and become friends with many, many people, both players and supporters. Some friendships come and go, lapse as transfers are made. Some endure and stand the test of not only time – but also the realisation that apart from our choice of career – there is not necessarily much that players are forced to have in common. In my 14 years as a professional player, I have made hundreds of friendships and hundreds more acquaintances. But there are only a handful of people I can honestly say that I know I will still chew the fat with when we are old and grey; Robert is one of those handful of people. Universally liked and respected, he wears his Cumbrian heritage with a pride and honesty that is humbling."

"Good luck in your testimonial year mate. If you approach it with the same professionalism and dedication you have for the previous nine years in London I'm sure it will be massive success. And you will once again make your family, present and absent, extremely proud."

"Oh, and did anybody mention that he's got a f**king massive pair of ears on him? Poor sod..."

Chad Randall

"Having been a team mate and close friend of Rob for the last 5 years, I have been truly inspired by his resolve to get the job done. No matter the circumstance Rob will always be there standing tall at the end."

 

 

Billy Peden

"I signed for the then London Bronco's for the 2003 season, the last of my playing career. During the first training session I was introduced to a skinny kid from Cumbria who was enjoying his second year at the Bronco's. His name was Rob Purdham. Rob quickly gained all of our respect through his now characteristically tough but fair & skilful play. What struck me most about Rob was his passion and dedication for the game, whilst keeping a happy knack for entertaining himself and his mates both on the training paddock & in life generally."

"Fast forward 3 seasons to 2007 & I returned to London for 3 years as a strength & conditioning coach. it was in this role that I saw how much Rob had grown as a leader of men. His strength of character, never say die attitude & willingness for the "hard graft" was & is an inspiration to all at the club. His ability to overcome adversity is now the stuff of legend - many times he has fought his way back from serious & potentially career ending injury & in 2008 he received the ultimate accolade - to represent as England's No 1 loose forward in the Rugby League world cup. Robs honesty, loyalty & integrity are his strongest character traits & stand out on a daily basis."

"I don't think there could be a more worthy recipient of a testimonial year than Rob Purdham. He truly is a credit to the Bronco's, Harlequins, England, Rugby league & most importantly his family & friends!"

Lee Hopkins

Player, Friend, Mate

"I had the great pleasure of playing three years of Rugby league in London. During my time there I made numerous friends and acquaintances all of which I treasure dearly, but one of the friendships I treasure the most is the one I have made with Rob."

"When you travel to the other side of the world away from home, family and friends, you take the chance you will find friends. I had no idea I would find a great mate for life."

"I first met Rob in my first week at the London Broncos and had no idea who he was, but I was told he knew how to play the game by a number of people and boy how they were right. As a footballer I have never played with a tougher man or a player willing to put his body on the line time and time again, play through injury and work so hard at what he does best."

"Rob's achievements on the field speak for themselves, but it's the small things that he does on and off the field that makes him who he is. Off the field he is a gentleman to everyone he meets and is always generous with his time. He is always available for teammates, supporters and strangers to help in anyway he can. The fact I can call Rob my mate makes me proud. The only regret I have is that I am not there to play one more game with him during his testimonial year."

"Rob's loyalty to rugby league in London is only surpassed by his loyalty to teammates, friends, family and his wife Sarah."

"Rob you deserve all the praise and respect you have earned during a career that you should be extremely proud of. The best compliment I can give him is that every person that has played with him became a better player and person for having done so."

Louis McCarthy Scarsbrook

"Robert Purdham. How can I describe my former captain for the last 4 years?? Where to start.... well,he has big ears, wears his trousers far too high and he has the longest limbs and shortest body ever seen on a man- add these together and you get Ron Durdham (oh, i mean Robert Purdham- Ron only comes out after 8pm..)"

"From our first training session together he has been an inspiration to me-not just as a captain and team mate, but as a true friend as well. He is always on hand to have a chat with the young lads coming though, and certainly helped me along and gave me some good advice when i was that young lad. He was always the one to come and calm me down before a match and to tell me what he expected from me in that game, even if he wasn't playing himself (which was quite frequent...).He has a warrior like presence in the changing rooms and on the pitch A man with such great qualities does not come along often."

"It's really fitting that he is the first player to be awarded a testimonial for playing 10 years at Broncos/Quins, as he is as passionate about Rugby League in London as he is about farming in Cumbria! Some people may think " how has he lasted all these years playing Top Flight RL?". I'll tell you how he managed it- he only played approximately 5 games in the last 5 years!!"

"I know that everyone is very proud of what he has achieved over these last 10 years,from representing at the highest level in the 2008 World Cup to proudly captaining a Cumbrian side at the end of last season, and no one is prouder than me."

"Even though we now play against each other rather than alongside each other, I will never forget that he is a true gentleman, a great leader and one of the best players I'll ever have the fortune to know."

Brian McDermott

"This year Robert Purdham has a benefit year to celebrate his service to Rugby League in London. Testimonials are something every player should be proud of and the club even more so. But one has to say that any player who achieves a benefit year in recognition of long and outstanding service to the London based club should be recognised above and beyond the normal. I'm hugely honoured to have been asked to write a few words to celebrate Roberts benefit year."

"My first task when taking over as the London coach was to gel the team and club together and get them to challenge themselves and set high standards of themselves. To do this I needed help and leadership from within the team so Robert was chosen to take over as skipper but to be honest I did not know too much about him. Of course I knew of him and as an opposition coach I knew that he was a quality player but I knew nothing of the man. But in the early days there were stand out players who not only embraced some of the changes we made but set even higher standards for themselves such as Randall, Temata and McLinden but 'Skip' was the main man in a time that needed really strong leadership."

"Since that day he has selflessly put his mind, body and soul first and given his all in what can sometimes be a very challenging environment. All these qualities meant that he was a 'no brainer' when selecting a captain for the new era of London rugby league...oh and the fact that he's an outstanding player that regularly makes the most tackles, gains most metre's and has more than a hand in some of the teams tries and wins."

"Every player has to over come challenges in their career..some more than most but Robert, regardless of what has gone on off the field has always put the club and team first. For this reason I would ask all who have the chance to get involved and go above and beyond for a small period in their life to show thanks to a man that has done it for all of us for so long."