News | Chairman's Message for 26/27 Season

Written : Sunday 23rd Aug 26

The new rugby season is almost upon us – junior rugby starts on Sunday 6 September - and I would like to welcome back all our members and extend a particularly warm welcome to those joining us for the first time.

I hope you enjoy your rugby, whatever form it takes at the friendliest club around!

A challenging start to the season
As everyone will know, we have had a long, hot and exceptionally dry summer. Stoke Park, like many rugby grounds across the south-east, is currently parched and very hard, and the recent rains have made no real impact.

Even if we get persistent rain between now and the start of the season - which does not look particularly likely - it may take some time for the ground to recover. This inevitably affects contact rugby.

Appropriate training will continue, but we should expect competitive contact rugby, and some contact-based training exercises, to be deferred until conditions improve. The club will continue to monitor the ground and follow RFU advice, with participant safety firmly the priority.

We will resume full contact rugby and training as soon as it is safe to do so.

Making the clubhouse feel more like home
Over the summer, we have continued our programme of improvements to the clubhouse.

Improved glazing has been installed in some windows allowing us to make much better use of the great views from the clubhouse. Thanks to some cast-offs from the Harbour Hotel in Guildford, we also have new chairs to replace the brown tub chairs that were well past their use-by date. New pictures have gone up too, and, more generally, we have been working to make the clubhouse feel more like a home for Guildfordians Rugby Club.

There is more to come, but in the meantime we hope you like the improvements.

And if anyone would like one of the old tub chairs, please contact Antony (Dempsey) Makepeace at clubhousebooking@grfc.co.uk.

Remembering Shaggy
Sadly, the summer has also been marked by the very untimely death of our Men's Chair and 1st XV player, Robert “Shaggy” Haggart.

His funeral was a sad and moving occasion, but it was also a powerful reminder of the bonds that exist within Guildfordians Rugby Club. It was wonderful to see so many Guildfordians, past and present, come together to remember Shaggy.

On Saturday 31 October 2026, we will hold a memorial day of rugby to celebrate Shaggy's life and his contribution to Guildfordians Rugby, and to remember and mourn his loss. Details of the day have already been circulated, but if you would like further information, please contact Tom Halsey on 07415 337844.

There will also be other opportunities to commemorate Shaggy. Watch this space.

Luke Potts has very kindly taken up the role of Men’s Chair. Following in Shaggy’s footsteps always was going to be tough, but the circumstances of this change of leadership make it tougher still. I am sure that Luke will do a great job, but please give him all your support.

Looking ahead
May I please remind all members to complete their RFU registration and payment of membership fees via the Game Management System (GMS). You will receive a separate email with instructions in the new few days. Getting this done promptly helps our administration - thank you.

As we begin the new season, I am pleased to report that the club is in a stable financial position. This gives us a much stronger platform from which to invest in the future of the club and continue improving our facilities.

Over the summer, for example, we have invested in new Guildfordians-branded gazebos for festivals and other events - something I know many members have wanted for some time.

We need your help
Guildfordians Rugby Club is run by volunteers, for the benefit of everyone who takes part in the club's activities. We can always use more help, whether on the coaching side or with the management and running of the club.

One particular area where we currently need help is identifying and pursuing the many grant opportunities available to us. At present, we do not have anyone taking this on, which means we are walking away from money that could be invested in the club. An individual or small team willing to take on this role could make a real difference.

There are plenty of other ways to get involved too: bookkeeping, accounts, company administration, DIY, marketing and volunteer coordination, to name just a few.
So, if you - or someone you know, perhaps someone recently retired and looking for a new activity - have a skill that could be shared and are willing to give some time to the club, please let us know.

Every contribution helps, and every volunteer makes a difference.

Referee Coordinator
Kelvin Pryer has stepped back from his role as Club Referee Coordinator and Peter O’Loughlin has kindly agree to take over the role. Our thanks go to both Kelvin for doing a great job in the role over many years, and to Peter for stepping into the role. Out thanks also go to all the club’s referees. Without the referees and someone in a coordination role, the club’s operations would be severely impaired.

Finally, I wish you all a happy, healthy and successful season of rugby. I look forward to seeing you at Stoke Park.