Now that we are half way through our wonderful summer we thought it would be worthwhile resurrecting this News/Snippets post to try and keep our members up to date with what is going on around the club and among our club members.

To achieve this we’ve sent our investigative journalists out and about to try and dig out as many interesting items as we can.

Items will be added to this page on a regular basis so do keep coming back.

If any member has any items they’d like adding please e-mail me with the details. wecousin@tynedale rfc.co.uk

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Kevin Angus Marshall - August 2024 died peacefully after a long illness, aged 56. Kevin was a mobile, aggressive prop who represented the 1stxV and 2nd XV in the late 1980's.

MEMBERSHIP
Membership Help/Support - August 2024
With only a few weeks to go until the season kicks off (first home game v Billingham 14th September), we're keen to complete our membership sign-ups & renewals. You can buy membership by following this link: https://gms.rfu.com/GMS/Dashboard/Organisation

If you need any help there will be a membership help desk at the club on Friday 16th August from 11am and on Saturday 17th August from 2pm (1st XV & Raiders playing warm up games v Heriot's).
If you have already signed up you can also collect your membership card.
The help desk will also be available on Friday 30th August from 5pm before the 1st XV warm up game v Darlington MP.

Reminder, if you would like to book a pre-match lunch for any of the home games this season click on the booking page here: https://events.liveit.io/ian-tynedale/tynedale-rfc-pre-match-lunch-booking-202425-4/

For any membership support please email: becky.stewart@tynedalerfc.co.uk

STAFFING
(30 April 2024) Peter Simpson has retired from his Head Groundsman position after 6 and a half years excellent service and Craig Johnston has been appointed as Peter’s replacement. Craig will be looking to combine his new responsibilities with his roles of Bar 1876 Manager and the Club’s Senior Rugby Fixture Secretary as well as his role at Tynedale Cricket Club.

Our Clubhouse Cleaner, Jane, who has provided sterling service for many years has retired. The cleaning responsibilities have now been passed to a small local business.

CLUBHOUSE & CHANGING ROOMS
Work started week commencing 22nd July 2024 on alterations to the clubhouse. The work will include replacement of the clubhouse brick dividing wall by removable screens, the bricking up of one door and the re-positioning of the bar serving area to allow additional kitchen access to the west side of the bar. It is hoped that by removing the brick wall the clubhouse will be more suitable for larger social events.
The first stage, the removal of the brick wall and the bricking up of a door has been completed and was carried out by local company "Armel Ltd". It is intended that the fitting of a dividing partition will be fitted before the start of the new season.
It looks like the work to re-position the bar may be delayed due to logistical and co-ordination issues.
The next step will probably be the painting of the existing pine clad ceiling and walls to offer a lighter feel to the place.

The Club have bought some round dining tables to use instead of the rectangular ones.

Other clubhouse changes being floated around the rumour mill include:-

Replacement of the old changing room bath area with player toiler facilities.
Blocking off current gents toilets from changing room area.
Outside covered decking area adjoining east side of current function room.
Outside patio area to west of function room with new external door on west side of lounge as access.
Setting up of shower cubicles in the main shower area. (Its not too long since visiting clubs loved coming to Tynedale because of our communal baths!!). Apparently there's not any truth in the rumour that the changing rooms are being partitioned into changing cubicles.

Floor Painted - August 2024
Chris Lynch has painted the 1stXV changing room floor with some special non-slip paint - it does help to tidy the place up.

GROUND
Rat Attack - August 2024
Our small compact tractor has twice suffered from rat attacks in recent weeks. Two separate diesel fuel pipes have been gnawed through with rats either finding the fuel pipes excellent material for maintaining a good set of teeth or perhaps they were desperate for a few drops of diesel in recent hot weather! Steps have been taken to prevent the problem recurring.

Line Marking Machine - August 2024
After 9 years good service our line marking machine is falling apart and not working as it should. Club stalwarts Tim and Karen Tatman have kindly funded the purchase of a replacement machine.

Goal Posts - July 2024
Some of our goal posts have been taken down to allow for the Balloon Festival. Its the ideal opportunity to give them a lick of paint so any volunteers give Craig Johnston or John Austin a shout. (Surprise, surprise - the ever willing Tony Cooke has stepped forward but any other volunteers more than welcome)
Tony has now completed painting the posts and has started rubbing down and painting the gate onto the main pitch which was badly rusted and a bit of an eyesore.

Padel Courts - July 2024
The club have had a couple of independent enquiries relating to the establishment of Padel Tennis Courts at Tynedale Park. Padel is an outside squash/tennis game which is rapidly growing in popularity throughout the UK. What is Padel?

RUGBY
Dean Richards gets new knee - August 2024
Coach Dean Richards is recovering from a knee operation so he may not be walking with his normal fluidity for a while.

Thorpes' and Fletchers' - August 2024
Two well known Tynedale names keep on producing quality rugby players.
Well done Conrad Thorpe who started at No12 for Newcastle Falcons U18 against Saracens at Kingston Park on August 14th, A tough match with Saracens winning 72-21. The Falcons U18 play Yorkshire next Wednesday at Kingston Park - some people wonder why are they playing so many competitive matches in August.
Conrad has been selected for the Yorkshire match and congratulations to Ted Fletcher who starts at No10 for the Falcons U17's to play Yorkshire.

Ealing Trailfinders Women - August 2024
Premiership Womens side Ealing Trailfinders are visiting the north-east as part of their pre-season preparations and they held a training session at Tynedale Park on Tuesday 13th August at 10am after which they had lunch in the clubhouse. Ex-Tynedale player Barnie Maddison coaches the Ealing side which includes ex-Panther dual international Caity Mattinson, Caity was not with the Ealing squad at Tynedale as she was with the Scotland squad and will join up with the Eaking squad later in the week. The Ealing squad are staying in Allendale.

Colts in National U18 Cup
Tynedale Colts have been drawn away at Houghton in the first round of the National U18 Cup Competition. The first round is on Sunday 22nd September,

Colts Away Day - July 2024
Our Colts held a successful training and bonding day at Tynemouth beach during the last week of July. After some fitness and ball work the traditional rather boisterous game of rounders took over a large amount of the beach giving spectators a good laugh.
The day was finished with an 'all you can eat' Chinese buffet on the way home.!

Moving back to Hexham - August 2024
No sand and sea but our senior playing squad held their training session on the evening of Thursday 1st August at Tyne Green Country Park, Hexham. On a beautiful Summer evening in wonderful surrounds they held a night of fitness and team games with a plodge/swim in the river and then a BBQ with a couple of cans.

Jez Ainsley has stepped down from his lead role within our Youth Section.

Pre-Season training
Senior Pre-Season Training started on Tuesday 2nd July with around 70 players (including 30 Colts) attending. The evening kicked off with an introductory meeting featuring this season’s coaching team: Tom Wilkinson, Dean Richards, Carl Fearns, Bill Laidlaw and Louis Brown

Colts expand
There is a big intake into our Colts from last season’s Under 16’s. To ensure game time for all our Colts we will be fielding two sides this season – a team in the North East & Cumbria League will play on Sundays and a team will play in the Border League on Saturdays.

Gemma Bell
Ex-Tynedale Panther Gemma Bell has been selected for a Senior Scotland Training Squad who will convene for a 4-week training camp on Monday 29th July 2024. Gemma has been a regular visitor at Tynedale Park in the week leading up to the camp putting herself through what looked like fairly intense fitness sessions.

Player Movements
William Jobling has joined Northern FC
Ben Blackburn has moved to live and work ay Macclesfield and he has joined Macclesfield Rugby Club.
Micky Hall has joined Morpeth.

SUMMER EVENTS
Our grounds are very busy, as usual, in the off season.
Events taking place include:-

Beer Festival
7’s Tournaments
Touch Rugby Tournament
Numerous Caravan Rallies
Weekly Car Boot Sales
Overnight Motorhome parking
South Tyne Steam Rally
EGGER UK (Hexham) 40th Anniversary Event
MotorCycle Club events
Northumberland Balloon Festival
Northumberland Classic & Performance Motor Show
Touch Rugby sessions
Pre-Season Training
Random Dog Walking and Dog Exercising!

CLUB MANAGEMENT/ADMINISTRATION

Ian Lewis has stepped down from his role as Adult Membership Secretary and has been replaced by Becky Stewart.

OTHER
SPORT TYNEDALE have set up their own website which includes an entry for our rugby club.