Southport Rugby Football Club new season starts after 546 days

John Vandermeer Chairman of Southport Rugby Club said,

This weekend brings much excitement to Waterloo Road as we kick off the new season with great hope and optimism with a first team home game, as we welcome our local rivals, Tarleton, in what promises to be an exciting closely fought match. The second team are away to Tarleton and the third team have a match, away against Vale of Lune. Numbers have been good this summer, but we will require a strong turnout to get the three teams out this weekend. For those of you unaware this seasons Captains are as follows:

1st Team - Ewan Thompson
2nd Team - Joe Mawdsley
3rd Team - Jason Fitzpatrick
Ladies Team - Louise Gray
Club Captain – Gareth Lang

The match this Saturday is a special one as we pay our respects to Alan Havard, a stalwart of the Club, contributing to our success over many years. Alan sadly passed away earlier this year and his family and friends will be in attendance at the match with Rosemary Harvard awarding the inaugural Alan Havard memorial trophy to the winners. We will also be entertaining our club sponsors who we thank and acknowledge as vital to the ongoing success of the club.

More details about the club as a news season commences ...

Patron/Social memberships

This year we are looking to significantly increase our membership and have taken the decision to reduce the cost of patrons/social membership to £40. At the moment we have less than 40 patron members so with our 150th next year we are looking to reach the appropriate target of 150 Patron/Social members by the end of the season. In order to achieve this, the membership benefits have been improved and enhanced and are shown below:

• 2 International tickets will be drawn and given to a lucky member for a 6 Nations match.
• Automatic inclusion in the raffle drawn at the conclusion of the home match.
• Members discount at the bar.
• Invitation to members functions, including the old boy lunch
• Invitation to organised golf and cycling events.

Just to remind members that we have a healthy allocation of International Tickets, and they can be applied for and purchased as a member. If the ballot is oversubscribed, the tickets will be drawn at random. If you are an Ex-Southport Player and looking to support the club please join as a Patron/Social member and come down and experience the welcoming atmosphere of Southport Rugby Club.

150 Sticker Book

Training for Mini’s and Juniors starts this week but next weekend is not to be missed. In readiness for our 150th next year, we are producing a Southport Rugby Club Sticker Book. Photos for the book will only be taken on the weekend of 11th and 12th September so please ensure that you get yourself down to Waterloo Road. Photos will be taken of ALL OF THE TEAMS – yes all of the teams, and you will be able to buy a sticker book and then buy photo stickers online. The book will be a fantastic memento of our 150th year so please support this event and turn up so your photo can be taken. More details

Volunteering

We have fantastic volunteers at Southport who do an amazing job for the club, and I would like to thank them and acknowledge the tireless work they do. At the moment we are currently looking for someone to take on the role of membership secretary at the Club. This Role can be shared with somebody else and will require some computer skills but more importantly attention to detail. If you are interested, please come, and see me or one of the other Board Members. We would be delighted to tell you all about the role.

Finally

Southport Rugby Club like most other clubs has been badly affected by Covid-19 with a heavy toll inflicted on the Club’s finances. Closures during the lockdowns of the past eighteen months have cost the Club and normal income streams have dried up. The Club have been financially prudent in managing its affairs and receiving grant support wherever possible, but the Club has had no ‘normal’ income for more than a year. Members are the life blood of the club so please come down, become a member, and support Southport Rugby Club.

I look forward to seeing you down at the Club.

John Vandermeer
Chairman – Southport Rugby Club