Attendees
Alfie Barraclough
Ian Wormald
Barry McShera
Calvin Barker
John Rayner
Roger Castle
Harry Lynch
Jess Lynch
Dean Lynch
Gary Clarkson
Kevin Whitaker
Maureen Cain
Nicola Edwards
Lee Robinson
Richard Peebles
Michelle Robinson
Sean Kelly
Stephen Cain
Carolyn Smith
Darren Barraclough
Domino Mellon

Apologies
No apologies sent through.

Chairman Report
I would like to welcome you all today. Its great to see everybody here and Happy new Year to you all. I would like to take this time to have a moments silence for past members remembered.
Minutes Silence
So, the 2024 season once again was not without is challenges but every team acquitted themselves in a professional manner and upheld the club’s name, and I thank all our coaches and team colleague in their continued support. Of course, these teams rely on our volunteers who unselfishly give up their time for the club and if anyone wants to extend that help to help on our committee. You can either make yourselves known today or attend our committee meeting on the 2nd Tuesday of every month.
It is now confirmed that we are continuing to use the Crown Pub as our post -match home and my thanks go out to France and Lloyd for housing us in 2024. I would also like to thank Kim and her team for providing the after-match food.
Sponsors are key to the survival of any club and may I personally thanks each and every one of them who supported us financially- your help is key to us carrying on. At the same time, I would also like to thank our upcoming 2025/2026 sponsors and the volunteers that help secure these for us.
Last Winter saw us finally secure training times at the Wyke Community Sports Village and I thanks Caz for being tenacious enough not to wither through the red tape and come good for us, which I can now say that we are classed as an official Anchor club- which has given us first refusal of the use of the new 4G pitch which was set to be open last Autumn, but financial constraints within the council have delayed this so far, Allied to this, however, the council are still uncooperative in our request for a RFL compliant grass pitch. But I have not quite thrown the towel in on that one!
Permissions are still in place to have the promised drainage work carried out but as with the 4G WSCV centre, this is now baulked due to the finances of the council. Of course, when work does start, we will have to play elsewhere to which the council have agreed to house us. Or to place the work to be done out of season.
The need to get a pitch that is playable from March onwards is vital as we can only too well remember us using every means possible last April to dispel the waterlogging. Currently I and the senior committee are looking where our future clubhouse will be- whether this will be in the park or at the sports village. Negotiations are ongoing with the help of our Councillors- Tom Hughes and Andy Walsh, but as of yeti have no further updates. However, once I have information it will be communicated throughout the club.
From the Easter Treasure hunt through to the Race night in December we managed to fit in the Summer Gala and Baz Memorial Day along with an evening with for our president Alan Terry. Plus, the Golf and Flappers event organised by a dedicated team which raised over £600 half of which was kindly donated to the club funds organised by a small team of dedicated volunteers, led by Ian Wormald. All of these being done by a loyal band of volunteers.
School visits were again a main source of recruitment to our junior teams. Once again thanks to Roger, Trigger, Sean Richard and others for taking time out of their paid jobs to visit several schools in our area to promote the club and the game. A massive effort which has reaped the rewards for us as a club.

Moving forward into 2025. This is now my second year in office and as I said last AGM there is no “manual” of how to do the job, other than to remember that I do not know it all (especially the RFL stuff) But of course there has been my colleagues whose experience has been invaluable when I have needed guidance. Thankyou – you know who you are. It is also a lonely place at times especially when the “Buck” has to come to rest in my proverbial “lap”. I also realise that the dynamics of the club are complex, and everyone is entitled to their opinion of which I firmly believe, some I have agreed with and others not. But off we go again next year.
I would like to end by welcoming Ian Wormald back to the club and I sure we all wish him great success. If the player numbers are anything to go by then we are once again a force to be reckoned with, and I don’t know about you, but I feel that there is a new enthusiasm within the club and a sense of achievement to come.
I would also like to thank all of our departing volunteer and players and thanks them for their commitment over the years. And thanks to my fellow committee colleagues without whom the club simply wouldn’t function.
Secretary Report
The 2024 season saw a steady growth to both the Junior and open age teams.
We had 136 players signed on over 6 teams for juniors which was an increase of 14% on the previous year. And for open age we had 53 signed on which again was a 17% increase on the previous season.
For the open Age last season even with the numbers that we had signed on they struggled to raise enough number for 2 teams, so the merit league team didn’t get many fixtures throughout the year as the structed fixtures took precedent. We saw throughout the season some attrition from players to other teams in the area and as a club we took the difficult decision to parting way with out head coach Darren Greenwood. We wish him well in his new club and we know that he still a big supporter of our club and the things we are looking to do. And a big shout out to Calvin Barker for his stint as coach towards the end of the season to help us out.
The 15s had a strong year finishing high up in the table. Some struggles with discipline and a stop start season mean that the league finish wasn’t in their control in the end and we know that the team are chomping at the bit to make sure that potentially the last season as junior team they can win the league we thank Paul and Anthony for their ongoing support in that team.
The 13s had strong numbers as at the beginning of the year as they merged with the 12s to make sure that there was enough for a functioning team. This was only going to be a temporary measure but ended up continuing to the end of the season which meant that the team have got good numbers in both age groups to start with the season in their own age groups. None of the kids seemed phased by the change and we would thank the coaches Aaron Roger and Adam for allowing this to happen and for their work in getting the teams ready for the new season.
The 11s finished their primary rugby career string. Both on the pitch and in number. There is a core nucleus of players in that team that have been together for a long time and with some recruitment in the off season looks like they are in for a strong start to their first competitive rugby season. Thanks to Sean and Alfie for another hard year’s work with them.
The Under 10s again had another strong season again a close ream that have built on with some new recruits this year. Tony and Andy work well with the kids and it shows as the rugby they play is strong and consistent.
The under 8s were the new team last year and was a merge of 2 age groups. Not that you would tell watching them as they held their own in every game they played. The success of this team means that this team will split for the start of the season and the kids will be playing their true age group which will show how advanced they are from the majority of that team playing up a year. We Thank Richard and Toby for all their Hard work with that team.
The Zigga Zagga made a welcome return this year and it has been very successful. With up to 25 kids at the session. This is a lifeline for the club as it produces ready made junior teams and Jordan has done really well this year to make sure that there is an under 6s to start this season from it. We thank him for his hard work throughout the season.
The new rule changes that came in last year were takin well by the teams, and we haven’t seen anything major in the future we must be mindful that we are developing as a club. One change we have in our remit in discipline, we paid out a lot in fines last year and was up in front of the discipline committee on a couple f occasions. This will as always be at the forefront of the league this year as well as touchline behaviour so out teams will be reminded of the importance of this through out CWO and CDO. Which are both new people for this coming Season. Domino Melly and Roger Castle will be fulfilling these roles Dee has a wealth of Knowledge from her day job in Social work to assist in ant CWO issue we have and Roger will be assisting her alongside taking up the Role as CDO which will be mainly focusing on recruitment by going into schools as he has done so well in the last couple of years. He will be working in house with our coaches in providing any extra training they or the club think is needed. and will be helping out on any areas of improvement within the club. Keeping us up to date. We welcome them both on board in their new roles.
We are hoping for similar numbers for open age again this year which will give us the ability of putting out 2 teams in structured leagues. We welcome Ian Wormald back as Head coach. The feedback has been great, and we are looking forward to what can be achieved by him John, Barry and Warren throughout the season. The Zigga zaggas been a permanent comeback and the Masters team entering a league this year then our 2025 season will be a biggest year with us fielding 13 teams. Which is a huge achievement for everyone that have been involved.

Treasurer Report
Figures from 2024
Income - £38,844.09
Expense £37,011.92
Profit £1,832.17

We have an increase income due the number of players that we have had signed on and the sponsorship opportunities that we were able to take.
We made some great saving on our utilities this year which meant that our expenses were down on last year.
Event income was down on last year making these not as profitable as they normally are so there needs to be a bigger focus on these in this coming year.
Upcoming and proposed changes
As touched upon in Chairmans report the senior committee are looking at ways in which the club can grow and be sustainable. There are a lot of cost that arise from the shed in the park and with the current set up of Wyke sports village meaning that we currently don’t have the ability to play matches from down there. Then there are few things the team are doing to look into our options in the future. These are as follows.
Liaising with the RFL about potential funding streams for the club. But these are somewhat thwarted because of the fact we don’t have tenure on the “shed” and the pitch. We are currently speaking to the council to see if there is any way that we can request a transfer of assets so that the ability to open up these funding streams. This would allow us to make any amendments to the shed that we see fit and open up the funding streams that allow us to be more viable.
We also have the opportunity to extend our playing space for the junior section to the sports village. But until there has been further extensions down there then the availability isn’t there. There is a plan for a 2nd 4G pitch to be built down there with the predominantly for Wyke rugby use. But as of today, then we are not aware for the timescales of this build.
Our preference as a club and the recommendation from the RFL is that we keep our space in the park and look at ways we can enhance the building to for our current club structure and incorporate other things from the community to make it a community hub. Which means it would be well used and produce an income that means it could open up more financial opportunities for our club. So, we are looking into the asset transfer from the council and also the details about the use of the extra pitches at the sports village and will continue to update the committee and the club on progress made with both options.

Re-election of officers
There have been no applications for any of the roles of Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer. So, if there are none from the floor today are we happy to re elect the current officers. Voted in by the people in the room. Steve Cain, Carolyn Smith and Sean Kelly will serve another year in the current roles.

AOB/Further question
-Maureen Cain- Would the changes you are looking to make in the future affect peoples been able to use the greenspace in the park. As you mentioned cordoning off the pitch with barriers.
No this wouldn’t affect the use. Hopefully it would make people a but more mindful about the use of the pitch for dog fouling but there are no plans to cordoned off the pitch for no usage of it as it still would be a public park.
-No further questions