Supporters Association Latest

reidy wrote:

This should be a sticky Mark.....

I have asked!!!

Thanks.

I'd like to thank Nigel Wood for the excellent talk he gave to the Huddersfield Giants Supporters Association the other night. Please follow the link for a report on the evening. Nigel Wood

Ken Davy has just confirmed that he will attend our April meeting [Wednesday 20th].

However, please note:
1. Turnbridge WMC has a fire limit of 75 hence the event will be all ticket;
2. Exclusive – and free - to members until the end of February [request one now!];
3. March 1st will see the tickets available to anyone – still free to members but £2 to guests [so why not pay the extra £3 and become a member?!].

Membership forms [on-line and downloadable paper] are available here:
Membership.

Ivor C&G Scarf wrote:

reidy wrote:

This should be a sticky Mark.....

I have asked!!!

There we go, I'm outta the country 2 days and all of the organisation disappears lol!!!

Thankyou Ponner kind sir!

reidy wrote:

Ivor C&G Scarf wrote:

reidy wrote:

This should be a sticky Mark.....

I have asked!!!

There we go, I'm outta the country 2 days and all of the organisation disappears lol!!!

Thankyou Ponner kind sir!

reidy wrote:

Ivor C&G Scarf wrote:

reidy wrote:

This should be a sticky Mark.....

I have asked!!!

There we go, I'm outta the country 2 MONTHS and all of the organisation disappears lol!!!

Thankyou Ponner kind sir!

(edited for perceived accuracy!!)

bloody globetrotter!!

Photos of the Games Night are here [& on Facebook – want to be my Friend?!!!]:

Apologies for not being top-notch quality – my flash’s batteries were dud so I had to use ISO 3200 on my camera [for the techies amongst you!].

Next meeting is March 1st.

Wednesday March 16th – Heritage Centre [George Hotel] – meet 7:30 pm in the Players Bar. Free to members, £1 otherwise.

www.GiantsSupporters.co.uk will keep you informed.

Please remember that members have until the end of February to ensure their place when Ken visits us on Wednesday 20th April; tickets will then be available to one and all [still free to members but £2 to non-members.] Book your place by e-mailing me or telling a committee person when you see them.

Finally, what do YOU want from the Supporters Association? PLEASE let us know. We want to be as successful off the field as the team will be on it.

Next meeting is March 1st. Speaker is Paul Kilbride [on behalf of RL Benevolent Fund]. [Change of speaker due to David Howes having to work dahn Sarf.]

Wednesday March 16th – Heritage Centre [George Hotel] – meet 7:30 pm in the Players Bar. Free to members, £1 otherwise.

www.GiantsSupporters.co.uk will keep you informed.

Please remember that members have until the end of February to ensure their place when Ken visits us on Wednesday 20th April; tickets will then be available to one and all [still free to members but £2 to non-members.] Book your place by e-mailing me or telling a committee person when you see them.

Finally, what do YOU want from the Supporters Association? PLEASE let us know. We want to be as successful off the field as the team will be on it.

I know this is long, but PLEASE read it.

What a night!

A packed Turnbridge listened in awe to 3 great, unsung heroes of Rugby League. Paul Kilbride and Stewart Walker gave their accounts of their life-changing spinal injuries.

At the age of 17, Paul got up and had an unexceptional day - until half-way through his rugby match. He woke up the next day in hospital with a totally paralysed lower body. That was in the days before the Rugby League Development Fund had been formed.

Thankfully his club raised a substantial amount of money to help Paul start to put his new life in order - a wheelchair, changes to his house, care, etc.

Around 2005, whilst playing for London Broncos, Matt King also broke his neck. Matt can now only move his head. This resulted in the Rugby League setting up the Rugby League Development Fund with the aim of helping players through times of adversity.

Each year Paul and other wheelchair-bound ex-players attend the Cup Final where they are wined and dined in style. The Grand Final and Huddersfield Giants have also taken this idea on board, giving Paul and his friends a chance to remain in touch and fraternise with the world of Rugby League.

Stewart decided early on that he did not want to give up his beloved game. He became a RL wheelchair player, being a crucial member of the extremely successful Halifax side. He adapted so well that his efforts were recognised by the fact that he was selected for the England team to play in the RL Wheelchair World Cup held in Australia.

England reached the final where they beat the much fancied Australians. Stewart's World Cup medal is proudly on display in the Heritage Centre at the George Hotel in Huddersfield.

Craig is the odd one out in this trio.

He was a local amateur player whose fledgling professional career ended with a cruciate ligament injury whilst at Batley Bulldogs.

Since then Craig has pushed himself to the limits of fitness: rowing marathons, triathlons, and, in 2012, an Iron Man contest. What makes Craig a role model for youngsters is that he finds sponsors for himself and then donates the money raised to the RL Development Fund.

These three made a huge impression on the audience and, hopefully, more will spread the word of the excellent work the fund does. The downside of the evening was the fact that the only Super League club to invite wheelchair-bound ex-players is the Giants. Come on SL, it doesn't take much.

More details about the RL Development Fund can be found at www.tryassist.co.uk.

Reading that made a huge impression on me. Sounds like I missed an amazing night.

You certainly did.

We're glad we went, it was informative and enjoyable........and the Giants Bitter was really good!

Tomorrow [Wednesday]: visit to Heritage Centre, George Hotel. Meet Players Bar at 7:30.

I'd go to this but i've got tag rugby at 7pm

Change of speaker for next week [5th April].

Billy Thompson is substituting for Richard Silverwood [RS is the ref for the Warrington game and Mr RS waon't let him attend].

Heritage photos & the Billy Thompson report are online.

Very limited accommodation for Ken’s night on Wednesday 20th April. [Meet 7:30 for a 7:45 start.]

Fez sales going so well that a 2nd batch is being ordered.

The latest addition to our merchandise is a selection of hand-crafted cards.

Me & Durham Giant [+ Big G].

The run of outstanding guests continued with the club Chairman Ken Davy talking and answering questions at the Supporters Association's meeting on Wednesday 20th April at Turnbridge WMC.

The evening opened with Ken being presented with a certificate in recognition of his, and Jennifer's, acceptance of being Honorary Presidents of the Association. Oliver and Georgia made the presentation.

Oliver then asked Ken what the best match was that he had seen. Ken's reply was that it was the semi-final against Leeds at Headingley in 2007. He also explained how he was the victim of a friendly hoax after he had joined in the Giants' fans celebrations at the sight of the Leeds fans leaving early!

Continued & photos at:
HGSA website.

Coming Soon:
Tuesday, 3rd May, 7:30 pm for 7:45 pm start at Turnbridge WMC - David Howes.
Tuesday, 10th May, 7:30 pm at Turnbridge WMC - Committee Meeting.
Thursday, 19th May, 6:00 pm at Galpharm Stadium for stadium tour.

Full details of the calendar for 2011 are listed here.

Makes you think of what will be once Ken and his family stop bankrolling our club.

This Thursday [19th May] - tour round Galpharm Stadium - 6 o'clock at stadium - £4.50 - ALL WELCOME.

Turnbridge WMC
Guest Speaker – ex-player Brian Blacker.
Meet 7:30 for 7:45 start.

Wednesday, 22nd June
EVENT CHANGE
7:30 pm for 7:45 pm start at Turnbridge WMC - our annual Big Quiz.
£5 per team of 4.
Winning team receives half the evening's takings.
Example of quiz can be found HERE
There will also be a picture round.
Entry forms are HERE
This event is both competitive but with lots of fun thrown in.
Spread the word – the more teams entering, the more the winnings and more to the club.

Both events are open to members AND non-members.

To promote once again, a FUN event OPEN TO ONE AND ALL....

....Wednesday, 22nd June
7:30 pm for 7:45 pm start at Turnbridge WMC - our annual Big Quiz.

£5 per team of 4.

Winning team receives half the evening's takings.

Example of quiz can be found here. There will also be a picture round.

Entry forms are here.

This event is competitive but with lots of fun thrown in.

Spread the word – the more teams entering, the more the winnings and more to the club.

We have a trophy to present to the player who, in the Association's opinion, is the club's 'Most Valued Player'. Please rank 3 players in order, number 1 being your first choice, 2 - 2nd, & 3 - 3rd.

Whilst the definition is purposely left wide open, if you work along the lines of 'who would I least like to leave the club' then you won't go far wrong.

Please note that only votes from members of the Association will be counted.

The voting form can be found online here.

A paper voting form will be available in the near future.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday 6th September featuring that top referee, Mr R Silverwood.

Please consider bringing something to the ‘Memorabilia Night’.

Remember, the Ossett Brewery trip is limited to 30 members [booking form here].

The Christmas Reindeer Race Night will be a family event. The cost is £5 [for buffet supper]. We need people/organisations to buy 36 reindeer at £5 each. We need 7 races sponsoring.

2012 membership subs will remain at £5. New members can join from 1st September for £5 through to the end of 2012.

Speaker - Dave Wood [BBC RL Expert]

Dave readily admitted that he had the best job in the world. Why?

Dave's father was a farmer whose day off was spent working! He also made the transition from watching soccer to being an ardent fan of The Greatest Game after watching Leigh play Wigan. From there on in he started the young Dave [at the age of two] along the path of supporting Wigan.

When he was in the 6th form at school, his teacher told him to read 'There Is A Happy Land' by Keith Waterhouse who was a journalist with the Daily Mirror. This immediately made Dave realise that he also wanted to be a journalist. A journalist specialising in Rugby League.

Shortly after, he somehow he obtained Alex Murphy's home telephone number and rang him asked if he could have a story. Alex had just been made redundant from Wigan but gave an in-depth interview. Dave contacted the Bolton Evening News with the scoop. This was syndicated around various national newspapers - and a career was born.

After leaving school he joined a freelance agency in Wigan reporting on rugby and soccer in the West Lancashire area.

After one piece of investigative journalism, Dave was banned from Central Park for life by Maurice Lyndsay! David Stephenson was about to join Leeds because Wigan would not increase his pay. Because Wigan would not give him an interview, Dave obtained the ins and outs of the situation from David which was syndicated around the world!

A somewhat displeased Maurice rang Dave up telling him that David was NOT in dispute with the club: Wigan had made David an offer which he had refused to accept! Maurice informed Dave of the sentence but rescinded it the following day when he wanted Dave to publish a story on a different topic!

When a job for 'News & Sport' was advertised at BBC Radio Leeds, Dave applied for it. Due to being a little unprepared for the interview, he failed to land the position which went to Peter Drury. However, he was given a news reporter's job the week after which eventually led to him becoming breakfast show presenter - and the start of his next career phase.

When Harry Grayshon moved from 5 Live to become Rugby League's Public Relations person, Dave stepped into his shoes.

One of his first jobs was to commentate on one of his least favourite sports - football! However, this was to give Dave the opportunity to travel the world and work with many of his heroes.

Dave is still with 5 Live, but as a freelance reporter. He now includes Channel 5 and the Rugby League as his clients.

But Rugby League is still his first love.

He remembers that his first Challenge Cup Final was in 1974 and he has not missed one since. However, now, when he attends, he feels like a child waking up on Christmas Day: he commentates on the match for the BBC! "What an honour" he said. "There have only been 3 Cup Final Commentators: Eddie Waring, Ray French, and now me!!"

After an outstandingly entertaining talk, Dave went on to answer questions from the audience and gave some interesting thoughts about how, in his opinion, Rugby League should move forward in the immediate future.

Mick Beevers gave a heart-felt vote of thanks to Dave for such an insightful and humorous evening.

Tony Johnson will be our next speaker on Tuesday 1st November. A trip to Ossett Brewery will be on Friday 18th November, and a Reindeer Race Night will be on Friday 2nd December.