Season’s greetings to all Hawks fans. Your dedication and vocal support in 2014 was absolutely outstanding and much appreciated by us all but especially the players. Long may it continue as we all pull together to keep the Club moving forward.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our main Sponsors and Business partners, old and new, over the last 12 months including: PIMS / Paley Groundwork Civils / BarterCard / Leeds College of Building / Pure Mobile / Radio Aire / Leeds Brewery / Yorkshire Signs / Gibbs and Dandy / Woods Building Maintenance / Re:Work and Flexseal your support is vital to our cause.
Thanks too to my fellow Directors who have shown outstanding commitment and desire in their respective fields in the last year and have played a major part in strengthening the foundations of our Club. Let’s also not forget our Wives / Husbands / Partners without whose support we would not be able to deliver our roles effectively, and our outstanding group of staff and volunteers. In fact I’m proud to say that two of our most long standing volunteers, Margaret Gibbons and Pat Benatmane won well deserved National awards for their efforts.
Last year at this time we had just been relegated but such was the feel good factor at the Club we retained the core of our playing squad and were confident of being in the mix for promotion in 2014. At times the mantle of favourites did seem to sit heavy on our shoulders but full credit to Daz Williams, Barry Eaton and his coaching staff and players who always believed in the long term game plan and delivered the Championship one trophy in such thrilling fashion. It was an incredible day for us all and many thanks to John Carr for supplying the Grand Final Suits which really did make us look the part on the day.
Off the field we continue to grow and we are confident of exciting news in the near future which will see us strengthen our base at South Leeds Stadium and offer us a real opportunity to grow our business. On the community side we raised over £1000 for our chosen Charity SiTRAN, set up our own Hunslet Rugby Foundation bringing in Martin Flynn as manager and introduced a new Development Officer, Darryl Robinson.
We look forward to an exciting competition next year with the long awaited and welcome return of promotion and relegation across the sport which will bring triumph and despair in equal measures as every game now counts. Let’s hope that encourages those fans we lost back in 1999 to return to the fold. Our main priority next year is to stabilise the Club in the Championship competition and we are looking forward to the challenge with relish, having already made significant additions to our playing squad.
So let’s get behind the club in 2015, buy your season tickets and memberships and help us take the club forward. Your support does make a massive difference.
Have a fabulous Christmas and a wonderful New Year and I hope Santa puts a few Hunslet goodies in your Christmas stocking!
Neil
Neil Hampshire, Chairman / CEO
