1st Team News

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From the Touchline – Saturday 31st March Programme

Welcome to everyone who has made it here today for the first of our last 3 home games of the Season at Newcastle Falcons. Work has commenced with startling speed on our Artificial Grass Pitch and today will be an opportunity for our players to adapt to a surface that we ourselves will have for the start of next season

This is as ever an important game in the League being postponed from 20th January when snow and ice took over, but with relegation looming over both Clubs, it is vital that we play to the best of our ability today. Luctonians will be buoyed by their late victory last week at home to Hinckley

We visited our “northern” colleagues from Herefordshire at the end of September, and although we lost a close game, I was very impressed by their overall hospitality and the warmth of their Club in general. Although they are relatively isolated as a location they have a strong following of supporters and are a fine example of what Rugby clubs should be today. Their supporters, officials and players are very welcome especially having made the long trip on an Easter Saturday.

It was great to see the Falcons attract such a large crowd to their game last week at St James Park and get the win against Northampton. Clearly there are plenty people around the area who want to enjoy rugby and it would be nice to think this may help our own crowd numbers in future.

I hope you all enjoy the holiday break and hopefully a Blaydon win today

Bill Locke

1st XV Rugby News

Remaining Blaydon 1st Team, home games to be played at Kingston Park

Below are the dates of our remaining HOME games to be played at Kingston Park, the home of Newcastle Falcons, as they have started the development of Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP)  at Crowtrees, to ensure it’s ready for the 2018/19 season:

  • 31st March – home game, to be played at Kingston Park against Luctonians – Kick off 2pm
  • 14th April – home game, to be played at Kingston Park against Sale FC – Kick Off 2pm
  • 28th April – last game of the season, home game, to be played at Kingston Park against Hinckley – Kick off 3pm

Access to the ground on Saturday is via the East Stand only which is next to the ticket /shop and adjacent to the main car park, the car park will be free on the day.

Entry can be paid at the door on the day, Match Day Entrance Fees (price includes match programmes)

Adult – Non Member £10
Adult – Member £8
Concession £7
Under 16 Free

All persons then go upstairs to the bar area and thus gain access to the stand through the bar. Food will be available to purchase over the bar, which is a cash only Bar.

It’s all set up for what could be, a very exciting run in, get behind the team, come show and voice your support, Pump the Crow!

 

Thank you

The Executive at Blaydon RFC

 

 

GAME ON, Pitch inspection complete, game against Huddersfield goes ahead

Light dusting snow only overnight, Kick off 2-30

Get behind Blaydon 1st Team in their run in, to the end of the season

There has never been a more important time to support our Blaydon team than now, starting with their home game on Saturday against Huddersfield, please come along and show your support.

2017/18 has been frustrating, in effect a rebuilding season with Blaydon unexpectedly in a 2nd relegation battle following the loss of the majority of the our pack at the end of last season, but right now the outcome of the season is still in our own hands. Blaydon have 7 games remaining, 5 of which are at home, so a possible 35 points still to play for this season.

Matt Thompson has taken over as Head Coach, the rebuilding is underway as we look to the future at Blaydon. It’s strange for our Blaydon team to have a lighter, more mobile pack and its taking time to be successful with the new approach, we have certainly struggled recently on the heavy winter pitches. The positives, the grounds will harden and we have a back division that can reap havoc on the best of teams in National 2 North, with ball in hand.

Aligned with a more mobile team, we are starting the development of our Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP)  on the 26th March so it’s ready for the 2018/19 season. To give our team the best chance of success on a good surface this season, we are moving the last 3 home games to the Falcons ground, Kingston Park.

It’s all set up for what could be, a very exciting run in, get behind the team, come show and voice your support, Pump the Crow!

 

Thank you

Bruce Costello, on behalf of the Executive at Blaydon RFC

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Below are the dates of our remaining games:

  • 17th March at home to Huddersfield
  • 24th March at home to Sedgley Park – Our last game on the grass pitch at Crowtrees.
  • 31st March – home game, to be played at Kingston Park against Luctonians
  • 7th April away to Sheffield Tigers
  • 14th April – home game, to be played at Kingston Park against Sale FC
  • 21st April away to South Leicester
  • 28th April – last game of the season, home game, to be played at Kingston Park against Hinckley

From the Touchline – Bill Locke – Saturday 17th March

I think I timed my holiday rather well and enjoyed hearing about the cold and snow deluge from warm foreign parts. Its good to be back though to support the team and welcome our guests Huddersfield to Crowtrees.

Our recent links with their Club include our former players in Fran Entressengle, their hooker, and our joint former centre Matt Clark who watched our game in November, and now plies his trade at Doncaster. Both sides wish he could be playing for them today!

We didn’t do ourselves justice in November when we played them on a nice sunny day losing 48-22, but as we approach the final part of the season we know that we must continue our improvement and have 5 home games from our final 7 to get the points needed to banish our relegation fears. Your unbiased support is welcomed by the players , so please get behind the team again today !

Disappointingly I didn’t receive a single e mail with a proposed company for our new pitchside adverts, when I returned from holiday, as requested in the last programme. I had hoped that somebody might have responded and gained a mention. The offer of £100 per Board is still there and my e mail address is on the website.

From the Touchline – Saturday 24th February (Programme extract)

A good afternoon to one and all today as we tackle our visitors from South Leicester in this rearranged fixture from 16th December. Their players and officials are very welcome today and it is a pleasure to have them here..

Although I know little about them, the Club was established in 1919 and certainly in recent seasons they have been consistently successful close to a City that not only has a strong interest in Rugby but also a rather more successful Football team that one across the Tyne from us!

I hope they have time to stay after the match and watch the International game/s with England at Murrayfield against Scotland and Ireland in Dublin to host Wales.

We were all delighted to see the boys win last week against Sheffield and lets hope we can push on today against another difficult team.

Can I also welcome all former members of 47 Regiment RA who have come from throughout the country and will be playing a match against Blaydon Crows (our Vets)  at lunchtime on behalf of Help for Heroes (all donations gratefully accepted). They meet I different locations each year and its a massive thanks to them, and Paul Strachan in particular, for coming to Blaydon. I hope you have a great day lads and enjoy our hospitality and the International matches

We met with the RFU representative, design team, and contractors this week and were able to finally agree a start on site for the new pitch with a date of 26th March. All the detailed matters have now been sorted and so we should be able to look forward to next season with great anticipation and an amenity that will enhance the Club.

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One thing we do need is more sponsors around the pitch. The RFU are putting boards around the perimeter at their cost and thus we will reduce the cost to advertisers to £100 per board . Frankly this is as cheap as chips considering the publicity the sponsors will get. PLEASE try and find one sponsor from each supporter and send me their e-mails. I will do the rest.

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I will be away for two weeks and am unfortunately not attending today’s game but I look forward to returning to a revived league position and plenty of e-mail addresses!
Bill Locke

Andrew Baggett Cup – Saturday 3rd February

 

 

 

 

Andrew Baggett (or more affectionately Baggy) made 409 National League 1 (or it’s previous incarnation) appearances for Wharfedale and Blaydon between 2001 and 2017. This stands as a record by over 90 games ahead of Neil Dickinson, a Wharfedale legend. In fact, due to their consistency over recent years Blaydon and Wharfedale players make up over half of the top 20 appearance makers of all time with names such as Hodgson, Lister, Wearmouth and Kalbraier featuring in the top 10.

Baggy made his Wharfedale debut in September 2001, a narrow loss to Rosslyn Park at Threshfield. His Blaydon debut proved slightly more successful, an influential performance in a 46-8 win at Waterloo in September 2008. Baggy also holds another all time record as top scorer at level 3 with 1707 points. Again, this is quite a way ahead of his nearest challenger Neil Hallett of Ealing (1404).

A notable point here is that Baggy was not always his club’s first choice goalkicker, and in fact was only a back up kicker for 7 of his 16 seasons at level 3. Were this not the case his points tally could have exceeded 2500! Baggy recounts his Wharfedale highlights as “any time we beat Harrogate ” and in a similar vein in a red shirt “any time we beat Tynedale”. His disappointments include losing a number of Yorkshire Cup finals and being relegated from National 1 in his final game for Blaydon.

Baggy continues his rugby career back at his hometown club Middlesbrough where he is currently pulling the strings as player coach. They are extremely lucky to have someone of his experience, talent and character. Unfortunately this is lkely to exclude him from being at the game to make the first presentation of the Cup named in his honour.

Baggy’s talents as a player require little citation. It s not necessary to do so, you don’t get selected for 16 straight seasons in key positions without being a special player. What makes Baggy truly unique is his character. He possesses a number of qualities that are somewhat immeasurable and increasingly rare in modern rugby. Courage, resilience, self organisation and integrity are all attributes that are synonymous with Baggy. He is also one of the most determined and committed individuals you could ever have the fortune to meet. His thrice weekly commutes to Grassington and Blaydon for training and matches over 16 seasons equates to over 9 times around the equator!

Baggy is quite literally a legend and we will be fortunate to see another like him. The Baggett Cup is a fitting tribute to the man, from the two clubs where he gave so many people so much joy.

TEAM NEWS 27/01/18

TEAM NEWS 27/01/18

Stourbridge Away

1. Andrew Steinberg
2. Matthew Thompson
3. David Kilpatrick
4. Liam Wright
5. James Zino
6. Matthew Charlton
7. Drew Davidson
8. Robert Lenderyou
9. Andrew Miller
10. Joe Whyman
11. Jack Appleton
12. Tom Small
13. Daniel Marshall
14. James Cooney
15. Nathan Bailey
16. Cameron Bell
17. Sean Pyle
18. Joe Melia
19. Adam Redman
20. Hugh Mongan

FROM THE TOUCHLINE – Saturday 20th January- as we welcome Luctonians to Crowtrees for the first time


  Versus

A very warm welcome to our guests from Luctonians Rugby Club today on what is no doubt not a very warm day.

It is their first visit to Blaydon having travelled up overnight from their base near Leominster in Herefordshire so they are our most southerly opposition this season. Whilst we lost there in a close fought game at the end of September we were royally treated to a fine well attended lunch and pre match entertainment.  Whilst I like the sound of my own voice it was impossible to get a word in edgeways down there as they have so many outgoing individuals from their local rural surroundings in attendance. I gather that they are well supported by many of their followers whom I hope will find the delights of the North East to their liking this weekend.

They are struggling a bit in the League at present, as are we, and it is thus a very important game for both Clubs today.

We have had a difficult couple of weeks beaten at home by Macclesfield and last week away to Otley. However there is an excellent spirit in the camp and we remain a very dangerous side with the ball in hand.

Disappointingly we have lost our Captain, Keith Laughlin for many weeks now due to a bad shoulder injury incurred at Otley and Jack Davidson is also likely to be out for a while.

 

Rugby in the North East appears to be struggling at the moment with fewer playing members than I can ever remember and consequent regular cancellations of matches below 1st team level which is a frustration for those players wanting regular rugby. Unfortunately we are no different and the demise also seems to be spreading into our Juniors as well. There may be a number of reasons for this, and we all have our own theories, but a common thread is the reluctance of individuals to show any commitment to their own, or any other, Club. We are short of helpers and qualified coaches for Juniors, and of volunteers to help on match days. Jim Huxley has announced that he is stepping down as Secretary at the end of the Season although he will continue in his role as 1st team organiser/administrator. He will leave a big hole but it must be filled. I ask again that if anyone wants to commit a little time to some of his former duties on a sharing basis they will be most welcome. Please let Bruce Costello or Phil Partington know.

 

On a brighter note lets enjoy the game today and the attractive rugby that we continue to play

 

Bill Locke

TEAM NEWS 13/01/18

Starting 1st XV away @ Otley  2pm kick off

1. Jack Beckworth
2. Matthew Thompson
3. David Lyall
4. James Zino
5. Harry Borthwick
6. Drew Davidson
7. Jack Davidson
8. Keith Laughlin (c)
9. Andrew Miller
10. Joe Whyman
11. Jack Appleton
12. Tom Small
13.Daniel Marshall
14. James Cooney
15.Ben Stevenson

16. Sean Pyle
17. David Kilpatrick
18. Robert Lenderyou
19. Andrew Richardson
20. Josh Stoker