MIKE COULSON Our President, Mike Coulson, went into the Freeman Hospital on the 1st August for a triple heart-bypass operation. I am pleased to report that the operation appears to have been very successful and he was out of the Intensive Care ward the next morning. Mike hopes to leave hospital on Monday or Tuesday 8/9th.August, so long as his good progress continues. Everyone associated with the club would ,I know ,like to send him their best wishes for a speedy recovery.
CLUBHOUSE RE-OPENING. Once the damage caused by the January storms which flooded the buildings, stand and playing fields at Tynedale Park had been repaired, the main clubhouse and bars were re-opened in time for the Mini/Junior end of Season Ball on 19 April and the Club Ceilidh on 30 April 2005.
Remedial work is being carried out on some of the club's memorabilia. These and the Honours Board and International Shirts etc. will be reinstated in due course. There are still repairs to be carried out in the Colts hut, under the stand and around the playing area, but we hope to have these completed before the start of the 2005/2006 season.
ALI JOHNSON APPEAL. Both the Ball and the Ceilidh mentioned above were organised to raise funds for Ali's appeal. There have been innumerable functions and fund-raising events, and in August the marathon running event by six players to all rugby clubs playing in National League Division 3 North in 2004/05 will take place over six days.
Tynedale Cricket Club 1st XI will play a Tynedale RFC XI at Prior's Flat, Hexham, on Sunday 7 August 2005, with proceeds going to the Appeal fund.
TRAINING. Training started on Thursday 7 July 2005 and will continue each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the season, at 7pm.
The senior coaching staff is:-
The medical support team is:-
The focus in pre-season training was concentrated on the perceived weaknesses of individuals and teams last season' fitness, individual skills and defence. Squad members were given fitness targets in June. Tests included bleep tests, 30m sprints, burpees and timings over a 1½ mile run.
They were also given a general schedule of weight training and exercises to be completed at least twice a week from June to mid-August on an individual basis
PRE-SEASON PRACTICES
TYNEDALE v NEWCASTLE FALCONS. Sunday 28 August - K.O. 3.30pm.
The Falcons will comprise those players who do not feature in their pre-season friendly at home to Glasgow the previous day, and many of the club's academy stars. Tickets £3 - all proceeds to the Ali Johnson Appeal fund. Barbecue afterwards, and the return of the six runners in the 700-mile, 6-day run .
EARLY SEASON FIXTURES.
SENIOR RUGBY - OFFICERS APPOINTED
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2005. The AGM Part I was held on Monday 27 June 2005. At that meeting the minutes of the previous AGM's were confirmed, namely:-
The Annual Report for Season 2004/05 of the Chief Executive, the Ali Johnson Appeal committee, the Senior Rugby report, the Membership Secretary's report and the County Representative's report were all accepted and approved.
The following officers of the club were elected:-
Management Committee Mike Coulson (ex officio), Douglas Hamilton, Bill Stewart, Alex Kerr and Tony Curtis were automatically members of the Management Committee. To these four were added three other members:-
Other posts
TYNEDALE 2nd XV - (RAIDERS) 2004/05. For the last 3 years the Raiders have competed in the Border District League, finishing third, first and then second last year. Last season the Raiders also finished second, behind Berwick Bears in Northumberland League 2A. They won the Northumberland Senior Shield.
These results seem satisfactory, but in reality many of the fixtures were no real test, and the Raiders only played 23 matches in the season. We have withdrawn from the Border League, and John Shotton and Craig Johnston have been responsible for setting up a new league, to be called the CANDY 2nd XV league. It is to be sponsored by UBS Wealth Management (formerly UBS Laing & Cruikshank Ltd.). The name CANDY derives from the Cumbria And Northumberland, Durham and Yorkshire teams which have established the league - Alnwick, Blaydon, Carlisle, Darlington, Darlington M.P, Morpeth, Middlesbrough, Penrith, Tynedale and Westoe.
NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION 3 NORTH. Newcomers to the league for season 2005/06 are Leicester Lions, promoted from Midland I, and we welcome back Preston Grasshoppers and Hull Ionians - who were relegated from the National Leagues in the last two seasons, and Nuneaton, relegated from National 2 after two seasons at that level.
GRASSHOPPERS, HADRIANS AND VETERANS. The club's third XV, the Grasshoppers, finished last season in third place in Northumberland League 2B - but they retained the Northumberland Junior Cup and had a successful season. The Hadrian team played very infrequently, but we were encouraged that a Veterans team played a number of games and won through to the final of the Northumberland Junior Shield, and we expect the Vets to play more fixtures this coming season.
PETER TELFER - TYNEDALE DISTRICT COMMUNITY RUGBY COACH. We have employed Peter Telfer, in conjunction with Leisure Tynedale who are administering the post, and Sport England under the Community Sports Coach scheme. Peter is promoting rugby union in schools and clubs amongst 6 - 18 year olds. Schools have been contacted and offered the opportunities to receive coaching sessions and participate in Rugby festivals, tag or contact rugby during curriculum time or after school.
Peter will also be assisting Tynedale RFC and other clubs with coaching programmes and developing local rugby coaches. (Tel: 07759 732363)
NEW MARKETING STRATEGY. A joint committee formed by Gordon Dodd (Marketing), Ian Lewis (Communications) and Mike Fieldhouse (Fund-raising) has drafted proposals for raising the commercial returns of the club with a new marketing strategy. The aims are to provide members, guests and visitors with the best possible rugby club experience and develop the image of the Club within the Tynedale community. This will be done by making effective use of the clubhouse, grounds and facilities.
EDWARD PARKER. "Touchline", the official newspaper of the RFU, contained an interesting article and photograph of Edward in its June/July 2005 edition. It said:-
"Northumberland stalwart Ed Parker has announced his retirement from county rugby after a lengthy affiliation with the representative side. Parker's final appearance against Cheshire at Macclesfield saw Northumberland successfully stave off the threat of relegation from the top tier of the County Championship with a nail-biting 15-13 win.
During a career that has spanned over a decade and a half the 38-year-old Tynedale hooker represented Northumberland in two County Championship finals, including a memorable victory over Oxfordshire at Twickenham in the 2002 Shield final.
"Ed has been the backbone for Northumberland rugby for 15 years" said his front row colleague, Peter Southern. "It's been a real privilege to play alongside him for both club and county. I can't imagine a Northumberland side without a Parker on the team sheet. Ed will be missed and his boots will take some filling"."
No decision has yet been make about whether Edward will continue to play for Tynedale next season. Whatever happens, he has been a marvellous servant of the club and an excellent role model for young aspiring players.
NEIL MACPHERSON. We were sorry that, because of work commitments, Neil Macpherson felt unable to continue to serve on the club's Management committee, and he did not stand for re-election at the recent AGM. Neil often had difficulty combining committee work with his business duties but his attendances were always welcomed for his sensible comments and interest in the club's development, and we thank him for his contributions over recent years.
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
1) Emma Johnson the club's former physiotherapist is expecting twins in November. We send her and her husband, Keith, ex-club captain, all our best wishes.
2) Congratulations to Chris Davy, still a member of Tynedale RFC and a former player for Tynedale (at full-back) on his election as President of the Northumberland Rugby Union at the county's AGM on 22 June 2005.
3) Johnny Williams was picked for the English Counties Summer Tour to South America. The 26-strong 2nd tier national squad played two games against provincial sides in Argentina and one game against the Uruguay national side in Montevideo. Results - Argentina XV 36, E.C. 10; Rosaria 0, E.C. 38; Uruguay 0, E.C. 29.
4) Tynedale U17 Girls team lost to Morpeth in the final of the inaugural North East Regions' U17 Girls Rugby Tournament at Darlington Mowden Park, in a sudden death play-off after drawing 5-5 at full-time.
5) Like all other clubs, hotels and public houses serving alcohol, Tynedale needs to comply with the new Liquor Licensing Act 2003 and is seeking to convert the existing licence by the 7th August deadline.
6) Newcastle Falcons Development/Academy held successful U16 and U18 squad practices at Tynedale Park on Sunday 3 July, and intend holding further events as follows:-
7) Spirit of the Horse - Europe's largest equestrian theatre entertainment will put on shows at Tynedale Park from Thursday 27 April until Monday 1 May 2006.
8) Congratulations to Andrew Robson on his marriage to Laura at Bellingham on Saturday 30 July.
9) Tynedale RFC's cricket team still does well, with a resounding victory at Scorton this Summer, and progress in the Tynedale Knock-out competition thanks to good batting, especially from Ian Donkin and Gordon Dodd, and some good catching.
NORTHUMBERLAND RUGBY UNION
Douglas Hamilton.
Chief Executive.
30 July 2005.