The Clubs Are Under Concerted Attack

A WEE TOPIC – well, when you get into it not actually that wee – I have been meaning to discuss for a week or more, before I got side-tracked into the Keith Russell Affair, is the SRU's seeming determination to side-line the clubs. Let's face it, if we don't have small clubs, the SRU will be nothing.

 

 Action from Cumnock v Greenock Wanderers - without matches like this we don't have Scottish Rugby

When I have raised issues such as Stupid-6 and Agenda-3 with ordinary club members, or with officials of Regional League clubs, the normal response is: “Aye, that's about Ayr/Melrose/Heriot's etc, it doesn't concern us.” Then, when the issues are explained, the penny drops – this is about us, all of us.

One of my regular btl (below the line) commenters signs-in as “pegj”, he is secretary of a small club and he talks a great deal of sense. Today's blog is based mainly on a btl comment he posted, which read:

“When the Clubs approved the Presidents motion at the SGM on 28th October 2016, they gambled the heritage of the sport with the lure of jewels and riches which come with pro sport.

Unfortunately, their eyes were on the prize and they forgot about the risks involved:

'Increasing costs in professional rugby, if not matched by improved revenue streams from professional rugby to pay for them, will ultimately place pressures on other income streams which might otherwise be devoted to the Union’s core activities in domestic and international rugby. This in turn could lead to difficult choices having to be made in future over the prioritisation of funding between the professional, international and domestic aspects of the Union’s activities'
We are now at the stage where the "difficult choices" are having to be made.

Clubs - I know we tried to take your ticket allocations off you at the last AGM, but you rebelled. Well we're doing it anyway, just through our new Club ticketing strategy and not an AGM motion.

Clubs - all that development money that we put into premiership rugby, and we promised would "cascade" to the rest of the Clubs, well we're taking it off you and putting it into Super 6, which the Board controls.

Clubs - all the facilities funding which is crucial to the development of the Club game, well that's now going to be prioritised to the Super 6, which the Board controls.

Clubs - those players who you develop and move on to become pro players, and you get compensation payments for, well now they're going to be identified directly from within schools, and given direct links to a Super 6 franchise, which the Board controls.

Clubs - see all your players who are members of your Club - well they're going to be part of our marketing database now, called SCRUMS, and we'll have direct access to them.

Clubs - see the development officer network and MA scheme, that's no longer going to happen based on Union funding.

'Article 92.2 of Scottish Rugby Union plc’s Articles of Association states that the Company cannot dispose of the whole or a substantial part of the business, assets or undertaking of the Company without obtaining authorisation from member clubs at a properly convened general meeting.'

Dodson, McKie, et al, it's their job to chase the cash, but it's the Councils role and the role of the non-execs to provide oversight to ensure what is being done is in the wider interest of the stakeholders (including Member Clubs).

It appears the Council (elected by the Clubs) have been more than happy to see this transfer of resources from the Club game to the pro game - and that whilst the guy in charge promised the Clubs he would "hold the Executive to account".

Now, let's play Devil's Advocate on this. It might well be that pegj is one of life's natural pessimists, there is a certain type of Scot, let's call them the Private Frasers of this world, for whom the wind is always in their faces, and who think: “We're awe doomed.”

But, suppose he is right? Let's look at the charge sheet:

1. The clubs, at an AGM, stopped the “suits'” scheme to gain control of how international and big game tickets were allocated. The “suits” did not accept this demonstration of stakeholder power, instead they came back with a new system, which they felt didn't need to face the possibility/probablity of AGM defeat.
   
   
2. Development money being prioritised towards the chosen gilded six francheses.
   
   
3. Facilities funding, also being prioritised towards the gilded franchises.
   
   
4. Youth development of the identified young talent being slanted towards the gilded franchises.
   
   
5. SCRUMS - A marketing database which bypasses clubs and aims to give the Union direct marketing access to club members being established.
   
   
6. Funding for youth development via the Development Officers and Modern Apprenticeships being curtailed.
   
   
7. The paid officials being granted authority over SRU assets which allows them to bypass the clubs at AGMs or SGMs.
   
   
8. Gross failure of the Councillors and other elected officials to hold the “suits” - “The Executive” to account.

Individually, these eight charges are bad enough, but, the pattern is apparent – the “suits” - Dodson, Howat, McKay & Co want to be allowed to run things their way, without the ELECTED officials on the Council having control of the reins.

And if you don't believe this is what they are after, remember Keith Russell's comment in his Offside Line interview:

“I wanted to hear about what he saw as the key issues, the big challenges, we faced,” recalls Russell. “And the main thing he [Dodson] talked about for an hour was wanting to keep the [SRU] Council quiet. He had a problem with the Council getting involved in things. This wasn’t all that long after the AGM where they’d knocked back the Super 8 proposals and he said the Council was just getting in the way.”

I cannot repeat that paragraph often enough, particularly the final ten words: “He said the Council was just getting in the way.”

 Mandy Rice Davies - might well be Mark Dodson's role model

If challenged on this, Dodson might well deny ever saying it. It would be his word against Keith Russell's; it would also be a clear case of Dodson relying on the “Mandy Rice Davies Defence.” For those of you too-young to remember the “Profumo Affair”, the much-missed Mandy's response to something Lord Astor said in the witness box was: “He would say that wouldn't he?”

But, read the Industrial Tribunal judgement, and it is patently clear, Mr Dodson wants to do things his way – and to Hell with SRU by-laws and protocols if they appear to prevent this.

Again I say this – I cannot say it often enough. The Executive (“the suits”) run the day-to-day business of the Union, but, ALWAYS under the authority of the Council. The buck stops with them.

Sure, if Dodson or any of the other “suits” fucks-up, and the evidence of the Industrial Tribunal proves beyond any doubt – in sacking Keith Russell, he fucked-up badly, then, he has to pay the price.

However, in not holding him to account. If he is allowed to survive, then it will not be Dodson who will have fucked-up badly – it will be the 18 members of the Council who will have failed in their duty and let Scottish Rugby down.

On their heads be it.