CLUB NOW LOOKING TOFUTURE Outgoing chair’s thanks for efforts during difficult time
Blairgowrie and Rattray Community Football Club has a new chair following its AGM, held online on Sunday evening.
Eck Petrie was elected to the helm after previous incumbent Greg Morgan stepped down from the role.
Greg remains on the committee as development officer.
Other office-bearers elected included: Donna Watson (vice-chair), Steve Booth (treasurer), Ian McGregor (secretary), Lee Macdonald (coach co-ordinator), Eddie Clark (child protection officer), Claire MacKenzie (girls’ representative and minutes secretary), Bob Dryburgh (boys’ representative) and Marc McFadden (adults’ representative).
In his report for the AGM, outgoing chair Greg said that it had been a difficult year.
He said: “The new committee was only elected last year and then Covid struck a couple of weeks later and everything was shut down so it was a very difficult time.
“But although there wasn’t much football, the committee continued to work tirelessly behind the scenes throughout the year.
“Many of the teams did online sessions for players during lockdown and everyone was pleased to get back to training and playing when we were able to last year.
“Along with everyone else, BRCFC had to make significant changes and follow strict guidelines as set out by the SFA and Scottish Government to ensure the safe return to football.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the coaches, volunteers, players and parents for their support, patience and dedication shown during the pandemic.
“We understand it has been frustrating for everyone and want nothing more than to get the ball back at the feet of the kids.
“The first lockdown was tough on us all but for our children it must have been awful.
“But when we were given the green light to get back to football, albeit with restrictions, we made a success of it, making it enjoyable, competitive and as normal as possible for our members.”
Greg said that the club had taken a number of steps to help support members during the last year, including reducing the monthly subscription fees – which had a knockon effect on the club’s finances – and donating water bottles to activity packs for youngsters provided by the Blairgowrie and Rattray Coronavirus Coordination Group.
Looking to the future, he said: “As a club we want to have a good relationship between our youth and adult teams, working with the Amateur teams and the Juniors and getting the youth teams involved in match day activities and help and support.
“We lost our 2006 team – our oldest team – last year which made us realise we must work harder to encourage football to continue through from youth level to Amateur/Junior level.”
And as part of this, the club is looking to employ a full-time development officer.
Incoming chair Eck Petrie thanked Greg and the committee for their efforts over the past year, and said that he was looking forward to the future for the club and further developing its role in the community.