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A message from Club
President, Mark Powell
I know there has been
considerable disquiet amongst the supporters about the lack of information
that has been coming out of the Club in the last couple of months.
That disquiet is rivalled almost by the disquiet that we who have been
running the Club have felt, by the fact that we have had no home
competitive rugby before last Sunday since the middle of November.
It is not rocket science to think how a business runs if it can’t sell
its product. However it has not been possible for us to keep you informed
as we had to respect the privacy and confidential nature of our
discussions.
Fortunately
there are significant pieces of good news that I can tell you about and I
am not just talking about the magnificent display against Bedwas, when
every player on the field gave their all. In passing I should say that
part of the good news is the appointment of Rowland Phillips as the Head
Coach and the way that he, Matt and Christian motivated the team to
produce a performance that they knew could be instrumental in securing
premiership rugby at Ebbw Vale next year was remarkable.
The
other significant news is that Marcus Russell has generously agreed to
give his shares in the Club back to the Club itself so that Ebbw Vale can
return to be not the personal property of any one individual but can be
truly a community club in the way that it was before professional rugby
started. I cannot speak too highly or Marcus’ generosity because
his actions open the way to the development of plans which will restore
the Rugby Club to the heart of Blaenau Gwent. There will be a new
Board set up to run the Club and the intention is that we should field
more than just a first team. It seems ridiculous that with our
facilities we do not encourage age group rugby in collaboration with all
the other Clubs in the area. I would like much greater co-operation
between ourselves and the other Clubs in Blaenau Gwent. The
generosity of Tredegar and Brynmawr in lending us players on Sunday was
evident and we need to reciprocate that.
Whilst
all of the above is positive, I do not wish to play down the very real
challenges we face as a club to ensure our survival financially and on the
field to remain in the premiership. With the loss of the significant
financial backing we have received in the past we have to re-double our
efforts to raise the profile of the club to sponsors and increase the size
of our gates. The majority of Premiership clubs face the challenge
of generating sufficient revenue to fund what happens on the pitch. Our
position in the League reflects the budget we have been able to put
together this season to fund the playing side.
We
have put together a new Management board who are working hard to but Ebbw
Vale Rugby back at the heart of the community. We will be launching a new
initiative to ensure that we can develop our own talent. We have at the
moment a small group of people working tirelessly to ensure our survival.
We are extremely fortunate to have the services of Peter Thomas who has
considerable experience in helping London Welsh. Peter has spent
most of the last three months, with his daughter Victoria, driving from
Northamptonshire to Ebbw Vale and further afield to help us and his
experience will be invaluable in the times ahead. We are also fortunate
that local businessman and long-time supporter Jonathon Jones is part of
the new team and his passion and commitment to the club, together with his
knowledge of local business, will be invaluable in our search for new
sponsors.
We
have already had meetings with the leader and officers of Blaenau Gwent
Council in the hope that we can access help to improve the facilities.
We have also had meetings with the Welsh Rugby Union who will be similarly
helpful.
At
the risk of being controversial I believe that the time has now come to
bury the hatchet with the Dragons – and I don’t mean what some of you
will no doubt be thinking. It is all very well to complain about the help
that the Dragons give other teams but I am not sure that we have been
seeking their help. That has to change if we are to secure first class
rugby in Ebbw Vale.
How
can you help? Well firstly by using the facilities at the club, come to
eat and drink at the club before matches, stay on after the games and if
you know someone who has stopped attending matches encourage them to come
again.
Our
message is simple: Ebbw Vale is your club, use it or lose it!
As
I hope I have made clear, this is a wonderful opportunity for a new start.
I would like all those who have quite rightly been critical about the
deafening silence coming from the Club to now roll up their shirtsleeves
and come forward with real offers of help.
In
days when money counts for so much, we will only be as successful as the
efforts that our supporters put into the Club.
Mark
Powell
President
Ebbw Vale RFC
February 20th, 2010
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