First lady appointed to Dalziel RFC Committee

Jul 27 2011 by Andrew Weston, Wishaw Press

Image 2 for 'Dalziel RFC vs Stirling RFC' gallery

DALZIEL Rugby Club held their annual general meeting on Monday, when the first ever lady was appointed to the senior club committee.

Carole Barclay, husband of new club secretary Les, has been selling programmes at the club for a few years now and has also been behind the successful Ladies Day, held over the past number of seasons.

She will take up the mantle as the new social convenor this season.

Dalziel had a Ladies Section in the early 80s to mid-90s but this was merely affiliated to the club and didn’t have a committee position.

Graham Calder has been named the new club captain.

Calder left the club in 2002 to join Heriots then played for Peebles in 2003 and Currie from 2004-2007, winning the League Championship in his last season.

He also played for Glasgow Warriors in a friendly match in 2005.

The half-back joined Stirling County in 2007 before coming back to Dalziel midway through last season.

Graham’s father Alan was club captain in the late 1970s and was instrumental in the development of the club’s long-established Youth Rugby Festival.

Back-row forward Craig Simmonds has been named vice-captain.

The Austin Memorial award presented at the AGM went to Davie Jamieson.

He has been fixture secretary for many years and was the force behind restarting the Dazzlers side back in 2004.

Davie has guided them to successive promotions in the last two years.

Other awards: top points scorer, Robert Simpson, 166 points; top try scorer, James Baxendale (17 tries in his first season with the club after

moving from Aberdeenshire); Player of the Year, Steven Findlay; 2nd XV Player of the Year, Andy McLaren; 3rd XV Player of the Year, Barry Davidson; Under-21 Player of the Year, Euan Stewart; Team of the Year: 3rd XV.

Honorary Life Memberships were also given to Willie Aitken and Glen Forrest.

l Dalziel 1st XV begin their RBS Premier Three campaign with a trip to Fife to face Kirkcaldy on August 27.

Their first home fixture is against Ardrossan Academicals the following week.

They end their season with a tough trip to Howe of Fife on March 24.