Summer Newsletter – GHA President

Dear Members,

I hope you are well and have enjoyed your Summer. I am writing to update you on GHA’s ambitions for this season but also to provide an update following May’s AGM. I am honoured to lead our club in what promises to be another exciting season, and the aim is to progress GHA on and off the pitch, while building upon the great work that already goes on across our club by our players, coaches, parents, volunteers, sponsors, the Trust and Board in providing playing opportunities and club events for everyone to enjoy.

Club Goals for Season 24/25 and Beyond

My message to the membership is that GHA must “move forwards” on and off the pitch this season. I want our club to build upon the aforementioned fantastic work and have sustained success playing wise and commercially. For that to happen though, we must change our ways and address areas of concern. Our Vice President, Ross Haggerty, with the input of the Board and others has created the attached Club Strategy and Vision for the next 3 seasons. The document is dynamic and could evolve depending on our progress, or if the SRU impose any changes on us. While some of the activities listed are aspirational, the Board and I believe it will help hold the Board accountable in delivering long term positive change, and keeping the membership engaged. Encouragingly, work has commenced on realising longer term aims.

For those not present at the club’s AGM on 29 May where the overall feeling amongst the members present was one of disappointment and frustration, the 3 immediate goals I wish the membership to judge the Board and I on this season are detailed below.

(i) Goal One: improved financial performance

Our primary goal must be improving the club’s financial performance. The last two seasons have returned disappointing financial results, and it is not the Board’s intention to return a hat trick of poor results. The plan to remedy the financial performance is conditional on the Board improving our commercial performance.

Central to this firstly will be scrutinising and controlling costs but also secondly, securing new sponsors, something we have successfully achieved in the off-season. We will disclose the identity of new sponsors in the run up to our Sponsors Lunch on 7 September 2024. A copy of the club’s sponsor package is available for members to review and pass onto interested parties: HERE. Next, we are implementing a new pitch contract for the 3G pitch, as we look to combat late payment and generate increased revenue. A pitch review is also underway so that we utilise the facilities for GHA members in an improved fashion. We have also established a fundraising committee to access grant funding so that the club does not use our own funds to finance projects.

Perhaps most importantly, I would request that you support the club by attending the numerous events the club has diarised up until next July. Our full Events calendar has been published with this message but is also available on our website: HERE. We are a member’s club and therefore please support the hard work our Events Committee put in. If we attain strong backing the aim of increasing the bar profits will also be realised. The AGM minutes, however, make it abundantly clear that more volunteers are required for the club to reach its potential, and our plan is contingent upon people stepping up. On that note, I wish to express my gratitude to Craig Faulds, Paolo Bardelli and the army of volunteers who assisted Kate Finlay in running our Giffnock Beer Festival. Saturday was a tremendous day and showcased GHA at its best.

If anyone is interest in volunteering, please email me at [email protected] or speak to a Board member if you have feedback to share so we can act on it.

(ii) Goal Two: increased transparency of decisions/key developments to membership

Published alongside this newsletter are the final AGM minutes and Budget for 24/25 to show a commitment to greater transparency, which is the second goal. Several legitimate concerns were raised at the AGM, and the feedback has facilitated the creation of a roadmap to assist in realising goal one. The Board intend to communicate frequently so that everyone can understand our successes and the challenges we encounter as a club. Also presented is a basic P&L account to signify what financial benefit the American Football bring to GHA, and that MacPhails are the cheapest bus supplier who offered us a quote. Pitch access has been a recurring issue, and we are now in discussions with a web designer about installing a calendar on the website so everyone has visibility as to who has use of our facilities. A second quarter newsletter will be issued in December. Lastly, I would like to thank Ruairi O’Keefe for offering to help the club with marketing. Ruairi’s Agency 23 have created a LinkedIn page “GHA Rugby Club” and we look forward to seeing more video content and promotion of our events: HERE.

(iii) Goal Three: enhanced engagement with local state schools and maintaining link with private school players unable to play for GHA due to SRU rules

The third goal is to continue past President Euan Greer’s work with our Midi coaches and increase our player pool at Mini level and Midi level by targeting local state schools. As our name signifies it is crucial we preserve strong relationships with both Hutchesons Grammar and St Aloysius but the club cannot solely rely on those schools for players to progress through to our senior teams. At a time when the SRU rules prevent our players playing for both private schools and GHA from under 15 upwards, the club therefore must organically bolster numbers by getting into state schools and demonstrate the benefits of GHA and our great game. We can then ensure that the minis/midis success is replicated as often as possible and there is a conveyor belt of talent into our senior sides. Pleasingly, Woodfarm and Hillpark both wish to work with us, and we are also in positive dialogue with local primary schools.

Senior Rugby News

I am delighted to announce that Calum Forrester will lead our senior coaching team as 1st XV Head Coach. Fozzy has been working diligently all Summer looking at ways to get the team to kick on and has recruited several talented new players to join our existing players as we look to return to the Premiership. The recruitment also extends to our coaching team as Scotland and Glasgow Warriors second row Scott Cummings joins the coaching team as a consultant. This is a tremendous boost to the club and Scott will work under Jamie McCarthy who shall look after the forwards as Assistant Coach. Andrew Goudie as Player/Coach will be responsible for our attack and backs and club stalwart Andrew Gillman shall continue as Strength and Conditioning Coach.

In relation to the 2XV, Kenny Fairbairn shall be our Head Coach and will be ably supported by his trusted lieutenants Jim McCormick and Mike Ryan. There are several young and exciting players under their leadership and having played in the team myself last season, know many of them have the potential to kick on to the 1st XV. Another benefit to the club is the re- emergence of the Lions as our 3XV. Gus Arnott will be Head Coach and I’d like to thank Gus for helping re-establish the team, and to Kenny Fairbairn for engaging with the SRU.

In terms of captains for our seniors, Dario Ewing will skipper the 1st XV from the back row and Michael Fox shall anchor our scrum as our Club Captain.

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This Saturday sees the first team start their Arnold Clark National 1 season away to Boroughmuir while the 2XV entertain Marr at home in the Arnold Clark Inter City Reserve League. The Lions are not in action until mid September. Full fixture lists can be located on our website or the SRU website but please get behind the squad this season – the support is greatly appreciated and will make a material difference as Scottish rugby adjusts to life post Super 6.

In conclusion, while there is much to be done; there is much to look forward to at our club. I look forward to working with stakeholders from across GHA and meeting you all at Braidholm this coming season. Thanks for your continued support of GHA.

Best wishes