What's happening at Old Y's?
AGM
The following officers will be serving the club for the 2008/2009 season following elections at the AGM:
- President - Steve Sidwell
- Chairman - Tony Fitzgerald
- Hon Secretary - Mark Baldwin
- Hon Treasurer - Mike Hughes
- Hon Fixture Secretary - Richard Withey
- Match Secretary - Richard Withey
- 1st XV Capt - Steve Cunningham
- 2nd XV Capt - Sean Byrne
- 3rd XV Capt Tony Fitzgerald
- Youth Development Officer - Shannon Killarney
Plus Committee Members: Shannon Killarney, Steve Painter, Sean Tootill, Steve Price, Kim Hemmings, Sean Byrne, Steve Cunningham, Catherine Dowe, Brian Collingwood and Tim Russell
Thank you to all of the above for the time they will be putting into Old Yards over the next twelve months.
New Coach
Welcome to Les Barwood the new club coach for the 2008/2009 season. Les has coached at Moseley and recently at Aston Old Eds. He brings a wealth of coaching experience to the club. Let's support him and Captain Steve Cunningham by attending training to build on our end of season form that if repeated for a full season would see us promoted.
Presidents Day
- Old Yards Vets defeated the Presidents Vets by a few points in a high scoring game.
- Old Yards 1st XV easily beat a weakened Presidents XV
- The evening entertainment of a live band laid on by Steve Sidwell was a good night.
Annual Dinner
Held at the clubhouse the Annual Dinner was a great success even if short of a full house. Ben Honey was named Player of the Year with both Ian Walker and Richard Withey receiving their club colours. It was more of a marathon than a sprint with the last of the revellers leaving the club around 9am the following morning. Other highlights were the three on three scrummaging sessions in the bar that were dominated by Brains. He followed that up by winning the 3am Sumo competition. I've seen a video of him flattening Nick Allen and will try and get it on the club website.
Minis & Juniors Presentation Night
Another successful event. Yet again thanks to Shannon and Pat for their hard work in organising the kids section.
Vets Game vs. Ashby Away
The final game of the season saw our Vets go over to Ashby and win to see them remain undefeated for the season against other Vets teams. A night out was then had in Ashby for the victors.
Future Club Events:
Friday 4th July
80th Anniversary Summer Ball at the St. Johns Hotel in Solihull with tickets competively priced at £40 each. Contact Steve Painter or Gail to get yours now.
Players Meeting
Date to be announced soon around the end of June.
Saturday 16th August
Moss Goode Memorial 15 a Side Tournament at Old Yards. A full day of rugby between local sides followed by a club BBQ in the evening. Make sure you are there for the first event of the new season. Tony Fitz has promised me the new changing rooms will be completed for the opening so it will give you a chance to see the new and finished Old Yardleians clubhouse.
WORKING PARTY REQUIRED EACH WEEKEND OF THE SUMMER
We intend to complete the bar and changing room extensions this summer. To do so we need your help on a weekend. Please attend on a Saturday from 9am onwards to help Tony, Pricey and the team. Don't worry if you have no building skills you can help knock down walls as part of the Oompa Loompas. Then around 4pm we drift off to the bar for some real Old Yards socialising. Even if you can only help for a couple of hours turn up as many hands make light work.
Current Plan - The bar toilets are being changed over the next five weeks. The ladies will become the gents and the gents will become the ladies. The old 1st XV changing room with access from the bar will be divided in two to give a disabled toilet and a kit store.
Got anything to say
Please email me details of any Old Yards information, trivia or jokes so I can add them to the next update.
Mark, 26th May 2008
Hon. Secretary
mark.xc@blueyonder.co.uk