Season ending April 2003 (See below)
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2003
Presented at the AGM 2004
Welcome ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to report to you on the progress of the Club during 2003.
The match reports by Roger Seymour both in the local paper and on the web site have kept the Club members right up to date with the working of the Club, and therefore makes my job much easier.
The information and news bulletins on the website have also kept our members all over the world in touch, even when following the English team while touring.
This link has been highlighted with the constant update the Club receives about the condition of Lawrence Penrose.
The final weeks of our first year in Surrey I confirmed our position in the middle of the table. This was a remarkable achievement considering the injuries incurred during the season.
This was achieved in no small part to the coaching of Jon Bower, who prepared the junior players during his training sessions for promotion to the senior side.
All the players rose to the occasions and it was most gratifying to see recent School leavers returning to the Park to play. It fares well for the future.
These promotions did however cause havoc in the second XV making John Winch pull his hair out on many a Thursday evening, which is now well recorded in many photographs. He was ably assisted by another familiar face, that of Ronnie Gummer and between the pair of them they steered the 2nd XV to finish a well-balanced season.
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The final results for the season were
Played Won Drawn Lost For Against
1st XV 27 14 1 12 472 527
League 16 8 8 280 382
2nd XV 19 9 1 9 368 419
3rd XV 3 1 2 87 62
Each year it is reported that the Easter Tour was a great success and everyone had a most enjoyable time, and the names of the Gummer family are recorded as again being responsible for organising the event so well. The reports on our web site only had to be read to see how much enjoyment can be achieved and the whole Club appreciates the efforts made by the Gummers.
The Easter golf tournament organised by Mark Stevenson has also become an established part of the tour and is growing year on year with many members travelling down for the day to participate.
The Dinner Dance was again superbly organised by Pippa Elburn and Laura Morrison at the Grandstand and everyone who attended, even if I am the only person able to recall the event, had a most enjoyable evening.
John Mason as the out going Club President made the Annual Awards. They are as follows
Most Improved Player Warwick Burrows
Player of the Year Chas March
Sweat pot Malcolm Beech
Gibbs Shield David Harn
Colours Awarded T.Barnett G.Mills R.Gummer
Once again a number of players decided to keep light training going during the summer months and were able to start the season in fine fettle against Old Whitgiftians, where in the last quarter the team out ran the opposition.
The season started again with a pig roast but our original opponents were unable to honour the fixture and their replacements did not stay long enough to enjoy the festivities.
The Club started their fixtures against four very strong sides and could have lost their confidence if it were not for the leadership of Richard Butterfield and Dom Smith who both work wonders with a continually changing XV throughout the autumn months.
Such was their success that the team is at this time sitting mid table once again in Surrey 1 with some very large names on the point of being relegated.
The whole Club is indebted to both Richard and Dom for their efforts over the past three years in establishing the Club as a regular in Surrey 1 and a Club that cannot be taken lightly on the field of play.
Andrew Barnard and Stacey Sheldon have worked hard to field a consistent 2nd XV but with the call of the 1st XV they have struggled. Having already played as many fixtures as last season their results at present are just on the negative side, but with fixtures outstanding that situation could improve.
Under the guidance of Alex Tribick this season the Club joined with Effingham in an effort to field a 3rd XV with some success. Both Clubs united with their junior players to field a side on a number of occasions, which led to more O.F. becoming available to play, confirming the concept that if there are games players will make themselves available. However Effingham appeared to have more problems than us with the availability of players causing a number of cancellations. The Committee will analyse the results and look to continue with the scheme next season
One important aspect of the Club dear to all our hearts is the catering. At the start of the season Lisa had to resign and who stepped forward, none other than Irene Gummer.
Not only has Irene fed the teams exceptionally well during the season she has arranged numerous evening with entertainment and food. Recently she ran a taxi service for members following one of her more sedate evenings,
She has become the ‘mother of the Club’ and I would hope the members realise just how much effort both Irene and Ronny put into organising the functions for them.
On that note I would like to emphasis to all the members of the Club your Committee works tirelessly to maintain and improve the facilities available to you. During the season I heard of one Club where the annual subscription was £200 plus match fees.
Our members obtain their rugby cheaply and all the Committee is asking, is for the members to help with the jobs round the Club without being “Badgered”
You all know what has to be done, a little help mean so much.
Socially the Club is thriving which is so important for a family Club such as ours and once again I would ask members to consider making an effort in this area.
Volkspeed Engineering in Ashtead Village continued to sponsor the Club by providing a new set of shirts, which arrived mid season due to problems with the suppliers, but will be available for next season.
The Club also received an anonymous donation, which was placed in a Trust Fund to provide Club shorts and socks to recent School leavers registering with the Club.
Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the Club and the Association is considering holding a Dinner in the Club. They will be inviting the people involved with building the original Clubhouse.
Investigations are already being made into the possibility of extending the Clubhouse to improve the changing area, and toilet facilities.
Finally I would like to thank your Committee for their efforts during the pass year, meeting were only called when necessary and everyone responded to the challenges during the year. The results of their efforts are visible for you all to see throughout the Club.
The annual awards presented at the Annual Dinner Dance at the end of the season 2003/2004 were:
Most improved player Neil Brent
Player of the year Tim Barnett
Gibbs Shield Roger Seymour
Sweat pot Malcolm Beech
Colours Rob Tyrrell
Richard Butterfield
John Hobbs
John Winch
Tom Acton
Thank you all for the support you have given this past year, please continue to help the Club to grow in strength year on year.
Ladies and gentlemen it is with great pleasure that I present my report to you for the year 2000 to 2001.
Many
of you will be aware that over the years the Club has spent money, effort and
time on the rugby pitches in an effort to improve the playing facilities for the
school and ourselves. Recently the school has spent a fortune providing
additional drainage to the pitches in an effort to make them readily available
whatever the weather. The work undertaken did cause problems for both the School
and ourselves but from the chaos a better working relationship has been created.
In
all my years I cannot remember a year like we have just experienced. There has
been so much rain that not only were our pitches unplayable but nationally Clubs
renown for playing under any circumstances were having to cancel games. This has
emphasised the problems created by having the larger leagues. There is now a
backlog of fixtures, which emphasises the very point your committee has been
making to the Surrey Committee. Hopefully they will not now pursue the home and
away policy, which has been adopted, by other counties.
Your
Committee met on a number of occasions, regularly monitoring the progress of the
Club. The Officers of the Committee went about their duties with enthusiasm and
skill, which ensured that the Club functioned well. It must be emphasised that
this year their efforts have been greatly assisted by the web site set up by
Theo van Dort. With out doubt this has been one of the best innovations seen in
this Club. It makes our weekly progress available to our member’s worldwide
and has renewed their interest not only in the Club but also in the Association.
The Club is indebted to Theo for all his work on the site.
Another
member of the Committee who deserves mention is the Club Captain Mike Bailey. He
has over the years been an active member undertaking a number of onerous
positions and has often saved the Club from embarrassment. He has decided to
give other members the opportunity to put something back into the Club by not
standing for re-election. The Club is most grateful for his contribution over
the years and hopes that he will still be available for his valued advice in the
future.
The
awards made at the Annual Dinner Dance at Imber Court in May are as follows:-
Player of the Year – Chas March
Sweat
Pot – Rob Tyrell
Most
Improved Player – Richard Dartnell
Colours
– Matt Lister – Malcolm Beech – Jem Davies – Nigel Smith.
It
says a great deal for our Club that the rugby ethos of old has been maintained
with the friendly welcome to visitors, and good social activities and yet a
positive approach to the needs of the modern game.
This
approach lead to the Club winning promotion to Surrey 2 at the end of last
season after finishing second in their league. Nearly all the first team squad,
which achieved that promotion remained for the start of this season, and with a
number of players returning, and new players joining, the Club found that all
the teams were strengthened.
A
concerted effort by the Committee after Christmas saw the 3rd team
take the field again and a number of the older members played and enjoyed the
company of their compatriots, and hopefully they will continue again next
season. Once again finding opponents for the junior teams was a problem because
other clubs were having difficulties in fielding teams, which has been well
documented in the national press with the RFU attempting to find a solution.
The
first team squad under the inspired leadership of Chas March continued to
surprise their opponents in Surrey 2 with aggressive yet controlled and exciting
rugby. The number of spectators at the games has grown throughout the season
because the standard of play has been exceptional. The training sessions
attended by many of the players has made it possible for them to be promoted
from the junior sides and blend into the team efficiently.
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The Club was very fortunate with their choice of captain three years ago because
Chas March has been a magnificent. He has forged the players into a team, which
will continue to strike fear into our opponents. He has decide not to seek
re-election this year in order that the new captain can bring a fresh ideas to
the squad, and hopefully be prepared to stand for several seasons creating the
stability enjoyed of late.
I
have been immensely proud and privileged as the Club Chairman to watch the squad
with stand physical intimidation on several occasions and yet not retaliate.
Their sole objective was to show their opponents that they are no longer soft
touches and could win the games in style by playing good open rugby.
It
would be difficult to select any games in particular, but two should be
mentioned. The first being the Law Society where the team lost the first game
heavily and were unlucky to lose the second fixture narrowly in the cup
competition. The second being the exceptional game with Battersea Ironsides who
were the league leaders where one penalty separated the teams.
The
results for the season up to this date are:-
Played
19 Won 13 Drawn 1 Lost 5 Points for
505 against 178.
The
squad is lying fourth in the league with two fixtures to play.
The
second team under the leadership of the perennial James Tremaine assisted by
Mike Von Speyr has had a good season considering that they have also been
promoted by following the first team in the fixture list. They are playing
teams, which not to many years ago were opponents for our first team, and yet
they acquitted them selves well.
Their
results are as follows:-
Played
19 Won 10 Lost 9 Points for 442 against 285
After
Christmas the third side lead by Tom Innes played five fixtures, winning two and
became a most successful social side, which looks promising for the start of
next season.
So
ladies and gentlemen the Club is progressing well and all looks well for the
future, but of course to achieve
any success will require effort on your part, so I leave you with that thought.
Ladies
and Gentlemen I start this report on the understanding that all of you will have
received the two bulletins which have been circulated with the Old Freemen
Association News Letter.
The
whole object of those bulletins is to keep all the members of the Rugby Club
abreast of the Committee policies and progress of the Club, and copies of those
reports will be attached to the minutes of this meeting for future reference.
Having
said that there are still a number of items, which need to be reported to this
meeting
When the
AGM of the Club used to be held after the end of the season that was the time
the Club awards were made. With the AGM now being held before the end of the
season the awards are made at the Annual Dinner Dance.
Last
year at the Dinner Dance the following awards were made:
The
Sweat Pot went to Stephen BEEBE
Most improved player went to Stephen BEEBE
Player of the Year went to Jeremy DAVIES
Club Colours were awarded to Matthew BENNION, James TREMAINE, and Tom INNES
The Gibbs Trophy was awarded to William SMITH
There
was one person whose influence over the years had not only been appreciated by
the Committee but by all the members of the Club and for that reason the
Committee decided that Ali LAW should be made an Honorary Vice President of the
Club.
The Club
finished third in the League at the end of the season and had a very good run in
the junior Surrey Cup.
The
results for the season were:
1st
XV
2nd
XV
3rd
XV
As usual
the Easter tour to Bournemouth was a great success and the gentle guiding hands
of the Gummers and Smiths appeared to ensure that every-one had a good time.
Following
the Tour the Annual Dinner Dance was again held at Imber Court and everyone had
a most enjoyable evening.
We have
been fortunate over recent years to have our club shirts provided by our sponsor
Bar Brickworks, which ensures that our teams turn out every weekend looking
smart. The additional work put in by the Gummers has also ensured that the most
of the team members now have monogrammed shorts and training tops. The provision
of the equipment for playing and training is one of the many undertaken by Ali
Law for which all the players are most grateful. Another sponsor who regularly
subsidises the Club is Sutton Rebore Services and our thanks should be recorded
for the help received over the years.
The
preseason training was well attended and under the watchful eye of Grant Holmes
and Nick Oliver the players approached the season in good fettle for the games.
This was soon obvious in the win over London Media in the first round of the
National Cup, which was the beginning of our best run to date in that
competition.
The Club
has had a number of new members join this year and at present are able to field
three sides on a regular basis. I say field, because we are having difficulties
in providing opposition for the third side because of the lack of Clubs fielding
any more than two sides and in some cases one and a half.
It has
been regularly reported in our bulletins and the national press the controversy
which surrounds the league structure and whether clubs should play home and away
or just once. Well the matter came to a head for this Club when we had such a
good run in the Surrey Junior Cup. On reaching the semi-finals, and losing to
Merton, we then had great difficulties getting the league fixtures played
because of a cancelled fixture before the School needed to carry out work on the
pitches. Luckily it would appear that Surrey are staying with the one fixture
framework already enjoyed.
The Club
has enjoyed a good social season with a number of enjoyable evenings at the
Club, which has helped to create good team spirit. Many Club members enjoyed the
New Year celebrations.
At the
end of last year there was a vacancy for a catering officer although the
Committee trawled the Club there was no ready volunteer. Into the breech stepped
Bill Smith, who is always ability assisted by Dawn, and although they provided
the food for the teams, the big step forward was the arranging of the ladies
into a rota to serve the food after the game.
The
Committee has decided that to show the Club’s appreciation of their efforts it
will re-institute the Chairman’s Ladies night at the end of the season in
order that the players can personally thank all the ladies involved.
Your
Committee has met when it was deemed necessary, which is a reflection on the way
members, have carried out their duties on your behalf. The season has progressed
without any major problems other than the interpretation of competition rules
issued by the RFU.
At
present the Club is posed to win promotion if they beat Egham or Old Bevonians
in the last league fixtures which are the coming fixtures at Ashtead.
Finally
it should be mentioned that the leadership of the Club by Chas March, ability
assisted in the 2ND XV by James Tremaine has created a vibrant
atmosphere in which the Club can look forward to the future with great hopes. It
is a credit to them that the ethos of welcome always shown by this Club is still
very much evident today.
Finally
there are dates for you to put in your diary
Sunday
April 16th Spring cleaning
Saturday 13th May Dinner Dance
As usual
the Easter tour in 1998 went very well and I am pleased to know that the Club
and their families can go away together and all enjoy themselves.
The
Annual Dinner Dance was held at Imber Court for the first time and was a great
success. The Annual awards made during the evening were:
The Sweat Pot – Simon Fraser
Most Improved Player – Matthew Forrest
Player of the Year – James March
Club Colours – Jeremy Davies, Alex Trevillion, Richard Young and Iain George.
The Gibbs Trophy – Ali Law
The Club
loaned the Old Freemen’s Association £5,000 when the Brewery decided that it
could not honour its promise of a loan for the bar re-furbishment. Thanks to the
Association starting repayments and by being economical we have managed to
re-build our finances.
Whilst
on finances I would like to thank Theo van Dort for his efficient running of the
Super Hundred Club. Theo is also to be congratulated on his organisation of the
Jersey Tour and I understand that next year (2000) will be the 25th visit to the
Island.
The
training programme put in by Grant Holmes and Nick Oliver during the summer had
the Club ‘ up and raring to go’. Injuries have been less this year and that
is due to the training. As is our strong finish in the games.
We are
in the quarterfinals of the Surrey Cup and that is due in no small part to the
army of supporters who have made such a great difference.
The
Selection Committee have tried to run a squad rotation. However the league
requires that we have a reserve on the touchline, so some one only gets 20
minutes on the pitch. It is unfortunate but out of the Club’s hands.
The
results show that the Club may have turned the corner:
1st
XV
Played 23
Won 14
Lost 8
508/371
2ndXV
Played
17
Won 12
Lost 5
528/223
The
running of the third side has been a great help to the Club for which thanks
must go to Tom Innes. He has re-established the side and the outlook is bright
for the future.
The
Rugby Football Union have decided on Leagues of 12 with home and away fixtures,
which means 22 league games in a season. This would preclude sking holidays,
Jersey or Easter tours. We have registered of our wish to retain the status quo
but at this time it is out of our hands. We can only await their directive. This
could become effective in the 2000/2001 season
Finally
I wish to thank Ronnie & Irene Gummer for the sale of clothing, which apart
from the profit it has made for the Club, has meant that our players look really
smart and an integrated team.