Adam Vander lived through some exhilarating highs and shuddering lows as one of rugby union’s “guinea pig” professionals.

So no wonder the local boy is happy with a bit of stability as head coach of Haywards Heath these days.

Vander, who was forced to quit the Guinness Premiership by injury, still recalls the rollercoaster world of Richmond back in the 1990s.

Ashley Levett pumped £7million into the club, which does not look much in a sporting context these days but was unheard of back then.

It all ended in tears though as the club went bust and stars like Agustin Pichot, Scott Quinnell, Allan Bateman and Ben Clarke were forced to bail out.

A young Vander was caught up in it, learning from the stars as he went.

All of which contributes to the wealth of experience he can pass on to Heath in what looks like a challenging season in National Three South East.

Looking back at that early pro era, he said: “The clubs and coaches and players were learning together. We straddled the eras of amateur and professional rugby.

“We were like guinea pigs. They were high octane days although you heard some horror stories.

“We were suddenly full-time professionals. Somebody would say a certain type of training would work and you’d say ‘let’s do that then’ but no one really knew.

“I was there the day we had a players’ meeting. Ashley Levett came in and handed out P45s to some of the players. I thought ‘if this is how professional rugby is going it’s quite sad’ but fortunately a lot of the boys were snapped up by other clubs.

“It’s so different now. It’s uniform. Everyone knows better and every club has more or less the same regimented approach. Back then we were second guessing.”

Vander, who went on to enjoy some good years at Bath, would have no hesitation in recommending any of his Heath youngsters to go down the professional route.

He said: “We’ve had Roy Winters, we’ve got Ross Chisholm doing well at Harlequins right now but Heath will always produce good players.

“It is such a good junior section. It has been like a rugby magnet in Sussex for two decades.”

Vander’s side scored their first win in five attempts last week and now face a tough trip to ambitious Jersey.

That means the chance to catch up with former Richmond colleague Ben Harvey, who now coaches Jersey, and maybe get a reminder of more extravagant times.

“Jersey have brought players in,” Vander said. “The way I’m going to dress it up to our players is that we’re the bunch of local lads playing for each other and they’re the ugly ringers.

“We go over for two days so it will be a good team-building trip.”

While two Richmond old boys meet up their successors will be taking on Sussex opposition in the shape of Worthing Raiders in National Two South.

Raiders have a good record at the atmospheric old Athletic Ground, to which Richmond returned playing local league rugby after the professional days came to an abrupt end.

Chichester look to bounce back from a first defeat of the season, at Gravesend last week, when they host Maidstone in London Two South while most other Sussex clubs are returning to action after a week off.

They include Brighton Blues, who were due to meet Sandown and Shanklin in the Senior Vase last week until the visitors cried off.

East Grinstead will no doubt turn up and offer a really tough test at Waterhall tomorrow in what looks an attractive London Three South East fixture.

Blues are without John Fordham and Ash Hallett, both of whom have knee injuries likely to rule them out for three weeks.

Whoever wins that, or the various other fixtures tomorrow, Vander would no doubt urge players and coaches to appreciate what they have got in local rugby.

He said: “It was like kids in the toyshop when pro rugby started and I’d come down whenever I could to watch the Heath boys.

“It was a total contrast. The boys were doing it for nothing and playing from the heart. I’d get a bit homesick sometimes.”