TRFC - Meet the people

Meet the People

John Austin (President)

From Kent
Makes a living out of breaking rocks.
Sacrificed his rugby career at Percy Park - played on with knee ligament damage in case the opposition reversed a 50 point winning margin. (On the recommendation of the match medical expert of the day - J B Shotton Esq.)
Favourite Meal: Raw sausages after 9 or 10 pints - just before bed time.

Immediate Past Presidents

Richard Halford and Ian Blyth President

Keith Johnson (Captain, 2nd Row)

DOB: 09.11.76
Ex-Colts Captain
South Tyne Farmer
Fittest player at Tynedale but spends a lot of time with the Physio.

Steve Olivier (Coach)

Character assasination "under construction"!

Alan Gledson (Chairman of Senior Rugby)

First XV Coach
Tynedale's 1st XV hooker and captain for many years - also played for and captained Northumberland for umpteen seasons.
Coached Tynedale Colts before becoming a successful coach at Northern and has coached Northumberland for the past few seasons. Came home at the start of the 1997-1998 season .
Hard-up ex-farmer from Wark.
Strong, charismatic personality - a legend in his own lifetime.
Greatest achievement: Becoming a successful rugby coach at Northern without anyone being able to understand a word he said.
Favourite player: Steve Bainbridge
Pleasures - drinking a lot of beer and smoking a lot of cigars.
Favourite song: "The Blaydon Races"
Contact details

Keith Laidler ( Management Committee)

Ex-mountaineer who damaged himself bouncing off cliff faces.
No of replacement body parts: unknown.
Hobbies: Rugby, Fell Walking, Drinking, Spilling Drinks.
Has strong anti-Conservative political tendancies. (haven't we all?)
Tynedale RFC's main peacekeeper.

Neil Foster

Age 31 - going on 43.
A Southerner - migrated up north from Lancaster.
Unpromising rugby career cut short by injury - renowned for the games he missed rather the the ones he played in.
Playing career at TRFC lasted only 3 minutes before dislocating his knee.
Nickname: Lord Corbridge, Shedfull (eh?)
Hobbies: Hunting, Shooting, Fishing, wearing stupid trousers.
Favourite Music: Travis, James, Paul Weller.

Tony Coates

Past-President
Local Tycoon.
Strongly challenging Keith Laidler for the 'Bionic Man of Tynedale' title.
Greatest Sporting Achievement: Taking 10 wickets in a match and getting a mention in Wisden. (I can only assume they couldn't handle his stock delivery - the 'full toss').
Holds the world record for the most times a cricketer can blow his nose during the course of a match.
Sporting Hero: Tiger Woods - he does in fact model his own golf swing on that of Tiger.
An ardent Newcastle F.C. who fan used to support Sunderland F.C.!!!!

Douglas Hamilton

Life member of Club
Past player, past Captain, past Coach, past Chairman of Selectors, past Treasurer, past County President, past Club President, past Chief Executive, ~~past it~~, etc etc - basically Douglas has done it all.
Known as : "Duggy"
Semi-retired Accountant, Company Director
Previous Clubs: Tynedale only - a lifer.
Hobbies: Bird Watching, Walking, Drinking.
Contact details

Andrew Cuthbertson

"Cubby"
A very promising full back whose career was cruelly halted at a young age by a severe knee injury and an unsympathetic surgeon.
Contact Details

John Shotton (Vice-President)

Chairman of Senior Rugby
Very promising playing career halted at an early age by serious knee injury.
Past Club: Durham City - Played only 20 minutes for Tynedale before being sent off. (unfairly for head butting opposition player and knocking several of his teeth out)
Education: Expelled from Durham School
Sales Director for Agma Chemicals Plc
Married to Karen and Tynedale Rugby Club.
Hobbies: Phoning people up, making chutney.
Strengths: Energy, enthusiasm, a hard forehead.
Weaknesses: Prone to slight exaggeration plus occasionally swears in public.
Pleasures: Posing, Blaydon losing, Newcastle Falcons losing.
Favourite sayings: "He' got more chance of a knighthood", "He'll never kick this as long as I've got a hole in my a***", "If that's for me I'm not here!"
Contact details

Mathew Carter (Coaching Coordinator)

Durham County YDO
Played rugby for Liverpool, Durham City, Northern and Tynedale

Wallace Cousin (Chairman of Selectors)

The perfect gentleman - what more can I say
Contact details

Andy Deacon (Chief Executive)

Chairman of Youth Rugby & Under 15's coach.
Older than what he looks.
Runs A.D. Sports and Leisure.

John Clark (Colts Chairman)

"Clanky"
Life Member
John is the man behind Tynedale's successful Colts setup. For the past 25 years John has succeeded in providing true Colts rugby for youngsters in the Tynedale area - a feat envied and admired by many. John is responsible for the life line of Tynedale Rugby Club.
Contact Details

Peter Robertson (Deputy Chief Executive)

A mainstay of the Club - ex-President, currently on the Executive Committee
Nicknames : Peter gets called many names - none of which are printable here!
Peter introduced Tynedale to coaching in the early 70's - filling the head coaching role for many years. During his 30 years at Tynedale Peter has missed very few training nights.
Another Tynedale "Jock", Peter hails from the Borders and represented Hawick with distinction before losing the sight of one eye. A member of Hawick's all-conquering 7's side Peter was also close to international recognition before his career was cut short.
Took up refereeing and became one of Scotland's top referees - he now occasionally assesses referees in Scotland.
Hobbies: Moaning, upsetting people, generally being a dour 'Border' Jock.
Favourite saying: "He'll have to have his card marked"
Weaknesses: Smelly feet
Pleasures: Taking his shoes off, Watching players vomit during training
Contact Details

Martin Hastie (Team Secretary)

Team Secretary, Player (anywhere when short), Referee (if required), Chauffeur (if needed), Barman (when necessary), Groundsman (when wanted), Team Manager (when lack of), ~~Cook~~ Chef
Martin epitomises the type of person on whom traditional rugby clubs depend
Martin likes everyone (apart from Thatcher and ...........)
Achievements: Martin has founded 6 different Leek Clubs to date and arranged 357 Leek Club social outings (he is yet to grow his first leek!)
Talents: A limitless enthusiasm for socialising and enjoying himself (how the hell does he afford it all). The ability to work a maximum of 4 hours every day and have a minimum of two hour lunch breaks in the pub.
Favourite saying: "I've been saying that for years but nobody listens to me" (We do really Martin)
Weaknesses: Can't resist the latest in Sports Designer fashion
Contact details

Jimmy Bell (Chairman of Ground)

Life Member of the Club - Jimmy present duties are "Chairman of Ground" and Colts touch judge
Connoisseur of fine wines and cheap plonk
No, its not a wig - just a dodgy photograph
Contact Details

John Lee (Groundsman)

Jimmy Bell's partner in drink, prefers whisky
Tynedale CC's scorer in the summer

Mike Coulson (Membership Sec, Vice-President)

Semi-retired teacher
Fully retired referee (thank God)
Mike is a tremendous club man - he'll collect glasses, compile match reports, referee Junior matches, etc. etc.
Likes to talk - has been known to send Peter Robertson's glass eye to sleep
Contact Details

Peter Simpson (FirstXV Manager)

Ex-Soccer player
Yet another possessor of a dodgy knee.
Personal chauffeur to Epi and Soa
Honours: "Most improved cameraman of the year - 1999/2000", "Find of the Season (1999-2000)"

Huw Mainwaring

Welshman
Editor of our excellent Newsletter

Emma Hopkins (Physiotherapist)

Fully qualified Physio who is now a fully qualified Dentist.
From the Coventry area.
Honours: Backside(biggest) of the Year 1998, Slimmer of the Year 1999.
Favourite Players: ??
Favourite Club: Doncaster and their humble Physio.
Favourite Coach: Mick Mahoney
Greatest Achievement: Fitting on the loo seat of a Wrights Executive Coach(1998).
Weaknesses: Pace over the first 20 metres, the second 20 metres, etc
Strengths: Ability to put up with crap like this.

Simon Allen (Stand Off)

DOB: 26/11/79
Cumbrian !

Aaron Charlton (Hooker)

DOB: 17.02.76
Ex-Blyth
Nickname: Savros

Mark Clark (Second Row/Back Row)

DOB: 28/11/78

Simon Clayton-Hibbott (Ex-Scrum Half)

Scrum-Half
DOB: 10.04.70
Product of the Mini/Junior section and Hexham HS.
Previous Clubs: Bath, Ohaeawia (club in New Zealand)
Driver for Mathew Charltons
Known as: "Hibby", "The Ginger Ninja", "That Ginger Bastard"
Single, girlfriend Kathy plays second row for Novos Ladies.
Hobbies: Irritating people, trying to run through 16 stone forwards.
Ambition: To go through a season scoring more points than penalties conceded.
Strengths: Tackling, Physical contact, Tackling, Physical contact, Tackling ........ Simon is someone you'd always prefer to have on your side.
Contact details

Ian Donkin (Scrum Half)

"Donk"
DOB: 24.03.68

Keith Dungait (Scrum Half)

DOB: 24.07.1976
Previous Club: Morpeth

Scott Ferguson (Full Back, Winger)

DOB: 30.11.71
Ex-Colt
"Scotty" - the flying postman
Scotty is as "hard as nails!"
Hobbies: moaning, whinging
Ambition: to play in the back row for Tynedale
Favourite Pub: The Tap and Spile, Hexham

Gary Fleming (Centre)

DOB: 13.04.72
Ex-Colt
Haltwhistle lad
Ambition: To play for Northumberland

John Fletcher (Centre)

DOB: 14.03.71
Ex-Colt
Nephew of the one and only "H. G. Fletcher" - who?
The second best centre to have played for Tynedale called Fletcher.
John toured Canada with England whilst a Tynedale player.
Ex-Northampton and Newcastle
Playing career cruelly dissrupted by a serious leg fracture whilst at Northampton.
Northumberland YDO.
Ambition: To be as big as his brother.
Personal Secret: He's not as old as what people think or as overweight as what people think.
Brother of Mark.

Ed Holmes (Back)

DOB: 27.05.78
Position: Winger, Scrum-Half, Flanker or Hooker!
Ex-Hexham H.S.

Chris Irving (Raiders Skipper)

DOB: 25.12.70
Position: 2nd Row

Simon Jewitt (Back Row)

DOB: 26.10.77
Ex-Mini/Junior
Previous Club: Dundee University

Alistair Johnson (Prop)

DOB: 20.08.80
Ex-Colt
Brother of our skipper

Craig Johnston (Winger & Fixture Secretary)

DOB: 17.02.68
Ex-Colt
Ex-Club Captain
Teacher
Physical Feature: The deepening and strengthening of Craig's voice as the night progresses.

Micky Lee (Back Row)

DOB: 22.03.63
Ex-Colts captain
Millionaire farmer from up the Shire
Made his 1st XV debut in 1981 (as a tearaway flanker!)
Hobbies: Rugby, rugby and talking about rugby (+ drinking)
Strengths: Self Analysis
Achievements: So far this season Micky has attended 32 training sessions but only trained for 53 minutes
Weaknesses: Micky hasn't got any
Most Memorable Moment: Micky remembers once breaking sweat in a match against Middlesbrough in 1987 (Nobody else remembers it!)