So welcome Tynedale, welcome back all of our wonderful members and supporters, enjoy the match, remember where you are, who we are and respect players, officials and each other. Rugby is always the winner.

I have achieved many things in my life that I am proud of (my family being top of the list), I have been to many places, seen many things, met many people and overall, I see myself as being very fortunate. I also know that fortune favours the brave, hard work delivers results and being part of a team, a successful team is a wonderful place to be.

The above sums up this club for me. I have been fortunate to be part of this club for 35 years of it’s 100 year history and to be it’s Chairman for over 20 of those. A centenary is a milestone in any sport and in life in general and those of us who are members today, including myself, are fortunate to be part of a club that has been built on the back of many generations of players, members and supporters. We may have started out as a works team but back in the day we were a force to be reckoned with and despite the end of the industrial giant that was ICI, Billingham RUFC has gone from strength to strength.

Of course, we have had challenges along the way, including becoming homeless in the 90s, then nearly going out of business in the 00s, but we have come through to where we are today. Many people have contributed to our survival and our growth and the honours board of Presidents, Chairs and Club Captains are a great example of this, but there are many that don’t have their name on boards who have been instrumental in ensuring we can stand here today, with a soft smile on our faces. We have a plan for them too!

If I look at the last 25 years, from the time before we had our clubhouse to where we stand today, many of the people who have helped with our success, are still here today, every day, every game. This club to many, is a big part of their life. Our club is our community and over time our club has become an important part of the community.

When you have a great team, great things happen, and this year, our centenary year, to be playing in the National Leagues, Level 4 of rugby, in the top 60 teams in the country, in our new clubhouse, yes it is a dream come true, but one that was never in doubt.

We have a great rugby leadership team, we have a great rugby operations team, we have a great rugby development team and we are supported by many volunteers. Not only are we playing in Level 4, but we boast teams from U6 to Colts, 4 senior teams and 3 girls teams, a total of 19 teams. You have heard me say time and time again, if you stand still you go backwards and we have never accepted anything for granted and looked to improve every year.

We look at every part of what we do; coaching, kit, health and well-being support, playing surfaces, changing facilities, club, food, even the beer, and we look to make improvements along the way. Today we stand in a new extended and refurbished clubhouse. We used the have the ‘If Carlsberg made toilets…’ moment (we still do) but now we have the ‘If Carlsberg made members bars’ experience. Yes, I am excited about this, of course I am, and why not, who would not want a private bar, with a private balcony with the best view of the match?

But we are not finished, we want to continue to improve and the next phase is the players, including girls changing and physio facilities. Some might ask how you can afford it and the answer is simple, we invest all of our profits back into rugby but we do not pay players, repeat we do not pay players. They, like every playing member, pay their monthly membership subscription. Some say this will restrict our potential, I say, this is what has got us to where we are, this is the ethos that defines our culture and this is what will ensure our success.

It was John F Kennedy that gave the famous speech in Berlin in 1963, and said that “2,000 years ago the proudest boast was to say you were a citizen of Rome”, and went on to say, “that today the proudest boast is ‘ich bin ein Berliner”.

Today I say to you, the proudest boast is to say, “I am a member of Billingham Rugby Club”.

Mark Armstrong

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