Haddington
Haddington
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RFC
B
ased at Neilson Park in East Lothian, Haddington RFC currently competes in Division 2 of the BT National League.
They are led by President Peter Brownlee who is supported by Secretary Andrew Cunningham and the club is looking
to progress under their guidance.
We caught up with their President
Peter Brownlee to find out more about
the good work the club has been doing.
He told us, “I’ve been involved with the
club for over 30 years since moving to
the town.
The biggest challenge has been trying
to keep morale high during what
has been a tough year on the playing
front. The most rewarding thing has
been seeing the improvements to the
Clubhouse and facilities which have
been made recently. My biggest thrill
is seeing the smiles on the faces of the
minis on a Sunday morning come rain
hail or shine.
The start to the season has not gone
well at senior level but following a
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tie up with Preston Lodge our Colts
are playing good rugby and showing
promise. Our 2nds doing remarkably
well while our 3rds struggle for
numbers at times but more of a worry
is the struggle they have for opposition.
We aim to win enough games to
survive another season in National
2. Irrespective of our eventual fate it
will be important to build in order to
provide a strong challenge in whatever
league we compete 2015/16.
Developing young players is vitally
important, the youth section are the
lifeblood of the club. Haddington will
not go down the road of "buying a side"
at least not on my shift. We are working
very hard to create a culture and brand
of
"Haddington
Rugby" community
to ensure players
enjoy a smooth
transition
into
the senior game.
Building
bridges
between the local
secondary school Knox Academy and
the club to support Knox's status as a
School of Rugby.
Most clubs in Scotland struggle
financially and given that it costs C
£800 each 1st XV match given the fiscal
times we operate in income generation
has to be a priority. We're all trying to
dip into a shallower pool in terms of
sponsorship etc. Our current standing
in terms of league position is not exactly
attractive to potential sponsors.
Over the next 5 years we want to
compete in the top 25 of Scottish club
rugby, enhance our standing in the
Haddington Community, continue to
provide a top class rugby experience
to the youth and not so young of
Haddington and surrounds.
Although Haddington RFC has not
enjoyed the campaign that they would
have liked this time around, this should
not take away from the good work that
has been getting done at the club. Rugby
Club Magazine wishes them the best of
luck for the future.
www.pitchero.com/clubs/haddington- Twitter : @skerriesrugby