HAWICK RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB 150TH ANNIVERSARY
Season 2023-2024
HOW MOST FITTINGLY TO CELEBRATE THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLUB ENGAGED THE MINDS OF OUR HRFC 150 SUB-COMMITTEE FOR THREE YEARS BEFOREHAND. THERE WERE MANY DREAMS AND SCHEMES SUGGESTED AND MANY IDEAS DIDN’T COME TO FRUITION BUT MANY DID. THE MURAL, UNVEILED BY GREENS’ LEGEND KEVIN REID HAS BEEN MUCH ADMIRED. THE RE-ENACTMENT OF THE FIRST EVER GAME AGAINST LANGHOLM WITH PLAYERS IN PERIOD DRESS PLAYING, OR AT LEAST SUPPOSED TO BE, TO THE LAWS OF 1874 DREW A LARGE CROWD TO THE CRICKET FIELD AND WAS GREATLY ENJOYED BY PLAYERS AND SPECTATORS ALIKE
THE TWO GREAT EXHIBITIONS CELEBRATING WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BILL MCLAREN’S 100TH BIRTHDAY AND HAWICK RFC’S SESQUI-CENTENARY ATTRACTED APPRECIATIVE VISITORS TO HAWICK MUSEUM. CURATOR SHONA SINCLAIR AND HER STAFF, MURRAY WATSON AND PAST PRESIDENT ROSS CAMERON PUT IN A POWER OF WORK TO MAKE THESE EXHIBITIONS TWO OF THE FINEST EVER MOUNTED IN HAWICK MUSEUM. MURRAY WAS ALSO CO-EDITOR WITH IAN LANDLES OF THE “VOICES OF HAWICK RUGBY” BOOK IN WHICH OVER 170 FOLK ASSOCIATED WITH THE CLUB DOWN THE YEARS SHARED WHAT HAWICK RFC MEANT OR MEANS TO THEM. THE BOOK HAS SOLD WELL AND HAD GREAT FEEDBACK
APPROPRIATELY ON THE 11TH OF NOVEMBER A MEMORIAL BENCH WAS UNVEILED TO REMEMBER THE MANY CLUB PLAYERS AND MEMBERS WHO PAID THE SUPREME SACRIFICE IN THE TWO GREAT WARS OF LAST CENTURY. NOW THANKS TO BERNIE ARMSTRONG THEY HAVE A SUPERBLY CRAFTED MEMORIAL SEAT OVERLOOKING THE MANSFIELD TURF WHICH MEANT SO MUCH TO THEM.
OUR CELEBRATORY DINNER IN THE MARQUEE ON THE PITCH WAS YEARS IN THE PLANNING AND WAS TRULY A NIGHT WHICH THE ALMOST SIX HUNDRED PEOPLE PRIVILEGED TO ATTEND WILL NEVER FORGET – A TRULY SPECIAL OCCASION. THE MAIN SPEAKERS WERE SEAN FITZPATRICK AND ANDY IRVINE. A HUGE THANK YOU MUST GO TO THE DINNER SUB-COMMITTEE FOR THE COUNTLESS HOURS OF PLANNING AND ORGANISATION THAT WENT INTO ORGANISING THIS EVENT. THE BIG RAFFLE, THE LECTURE BY RON SMITH AND ALLAN MCCREDIE, AND CLUB CAPTAIN SHAWN LAYING A WREATH AT THE GRAVE OF ROBERT MICHIE WHO CAPTAINED THE FIRST EVER HAWICK TEAM ALL ADDED TO THE COMMEMORATION. IT HAD BEEN INTENDED TO PLAY A HAWICK V THE SOUTH MATCH TO CULMINATE THE CELEBRATION BUT SADLY FATIGUE AT THE END OF A FAR TOO LONG SEASON PUT PAID TO THIS. WE STILL HOPE THROUGH TIME TO BE ABLE TO GET THE LAST PIECE INTO THE 150TH JIGSAW IF HAWICK’S FLOOD PROTECTION SCHEME IS EVER COMPLETED. WE INTEND THEN TO INSTAL AN ENTRANCE PATHWAY WITH ALL OUR INTERNATIONALISTS NAMES ON INDIVIDUAL STONES ALONG THE LINES OF THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME.
IT IS OUR HOPE THAT OUR 150TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION HAS DONE JUSTICE TO THE PLAYERS WHO PULLED ON THE HAWICK JERSEY IN THAT FIRST EVER GAME ON FEBRUARY 7TH, 1874. I AM SURE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN PLEASED TO KNOW THAT A CENTURY AND A HALF ON FROM ITS FOUNDING THE CLUB WOULD STILL BE GOING STRONG AND BE RENOWNED THROUGHOUT THE RUGBY PLAYING WORLD