Berwick Rangers Supporters Trust Working for Club & Community Issue # 20 • Summer 2012 • £2 (free for members) WE TALK TO ROBBIE HORN PAGE 4 This issue is sponsored by Viva Digital www.vivadigital.net / [email protected] In this issue The Season Ahead Membership Drive BRFC Reserve Update www.berwickrangers.org Greetings... vice-chairman DAVID COOK Given the furore about where They have other hurdles to made outdoor grass pitches HERE WE ARE AGAIN on With the year now half way Rangers newco will ply their overcome, some of them unplayable. This is a non-story. the eve of another season. through we have as usual trade in the 2012/13 season, it’s unfortunately closer to home. There is nothing new in it. Last season was a bit been engaged in many things easy to overlook the success of The Berwick Advertiser ran a Berwick Rangers have made the Trust in reaching its highest front page story in its 29th June a sensible business decision disappointing for us all I’m designed to help our football ever membership figure of 235, edition focusing on the angry for the good of the club that afraid but changes have club. You’ll notice I say OUR though not everything in the reaction created by the football neither severs ties with the local been made to the club’s football club because that’s garden is rosy, as I’ll go on to club’s decision to enter into a community nor denies talented management in which we exactly what it is. explain later in this article. partnership with the successful local players the chance to play played a full if not wholly Salvesen BC at Forrester in for the 19s, Reserves or 1st X1. Newsletter No. 20 popular part. Brian Porteous and his On the field of play – and let’s western Edinburgh. That Summer 2012 directors, including our own not kid ourselves – that’s what partnership will see the 1st X1, I said at the start of this article We now have a new young John Bell, are doing a grand really matters to us all as Berwick Reserves and U19 sides training that despite Trust membership c/o 10 Golden Square enthusiastic management job and have the club on a Rangers supporters, it’s been together. The steam generated continuing to rise, we are faced Berwick-upon-Tweed pairing who hopefully will really good financial footing, another challenging season but by this – Rangers severing with some familiar challenges. Northumberland bring new ideas to the club a point I commended them one that ended with some real contact with their home town, Our long-serving and valued TD15 1BS and this season achieve what on at the football club AGM. optimism about the way ahead. denying opportunities to local secretary, Karen Thorburn, has Following a popular, Trust-led talent etc – seems to me to be resigned and we are down to we all crave. Having met the We on the Trust board will Telephone: campaign for urgent change, misplaced. Over many years, 10 board members, 5 short 01890 860329 manager a couple of times, carry on representing you, Jimmy Crease stepped down as Berwick Rangers teams made of capacity. The workload of he strikes me as the kind of our members, to the football manager after the Deveronvale up of players from Edinburgh the Trust is, unfortunately, Fax: lad who will give his all for the club and often asking those 01289 306980 debacle in the cup at Banff in and the West of Scotland have being carried by around five cause and of course, having questions that nobody else November, to be replaced by always trained in the city or members of the board. That is E-Mail: known Robbie since his last does. Ian Little, who was initially aided in the Lothians. This is neither not sustainable. We all have day [email protected] time at the club, he appears and abetted by former favourite new nor unique to Berwick jobs to pay the bills. The work Chairman: the ideal assistant. Both, As usual, you are invited to Craig Valentine prior to the Rangers. Stranraer players train we do for the Trust is done on a Colin Pike I think, will be hungry for any of our board meetings appointment of Robbie Horn as in Glasgow, half the Elgin team voluntary basis, and the bottom success and we of course will with no prior notice required. assistant manager.. train in Glasgow, players from line is that we really do need a Vice-Chairman: the Angus clubs train in Dundee hand – find out how you can do David Cook give them any assistance that we are able to give. Keep the faith. Since picking up the reins, and Aberdeen. It comes down that elsewhere in this newsletter. Secretary: they’ve transformed the place, to economics, practicality and - and it’s no coincidence that in the where the biggest pool of players By the time you get this, we As I write this piece, we have Treasurer: 5th July edition of the Berwick available to the club is located. could very well be at home to an all-time membership high, Colin Advertiser skipper Chris Townsley the Rangers newco in a league Gordon Dickson Colin Pike, Chairman something from which we talks about the feelgood factor I’ve watched Berwick for 35 fixture on 25th August. I’ve got Membership Secretary: can all draw pleasure, but at at the club. That’s a sign of the years and can only recall a mixed feelings about that, but it’s Bill Purvis the same time never take for quiet revolution that Little and handful of local guys – Eric an undeniably exciting prospect. granted as this has only been Horn have engineered since Tait, Stuart Romaines, Brian The new season is rapidly FC Board Representative: achieved through hard work taking over; no more stagnation Marshall, & Martin Neil - getting hoving into view, and I feel John Bell and communication with our and unimaginative stuff from a regular game. If a local guy more optimistic with Little and Committee Members: members. the management – they’ve got a is good enough – and we may Horn at the helm than I have for John Bell, Ronald Kirk, Stephen clear view about what they want shortly have 2 of them – then many years. Best of luck to them, Scott, David Spence, Michael to achieve and how to achieve training locally and travelling and thanks again to you, our Smyth, Keith Hall it. Now all that needs to happen to Edinburgh one night a week members, for your continuing FOOT NOTE: is to transfer that vision into should not be beyond them support for the Trust. Newsletter Editor: If you have an questions or consistent results that get us into if they have ambition to play Michael Smyth issues, or any contributions the play-off places – easier said for Berwick Rangers (and be David Cook than done when the 3rd Division well rewarded for doing so). Vice-Chair Designed/Published by: for our newsletter, email: www.vivadigital.net [email protected] is likely to be distorted by the Salvesen have access to all- Berwick Rangers Supporters Trust presence of Rangers, but a target weather pitches that guarantee Pictures by Doug Stenhouse, which should not be out of the Rangers a training venue, not Andrew Robertson, Tweedale reach of a young and talented always the case under previous Press & Angus Blackburn squad. arrangements when bad weather Q&A with Robbie Horn Q. Now, at the end of June, there has been little Dene Droudge is on trial with us despite having an Robbie talks to Board member, Michael Smyth... news of new signings. Can you tell us about any offer to extend his stay with Cowdenbeath. In a break during Berwick Rangers’ Q. The Supporters Trust helped fund you on a SFA new players who have joined in the close season? successful open day training sessions at Old coaching course. What’s the latest news on that? We had hoped to fix up Omar Kader from Spartans Shielfield on Saturday, June 23rd, assistant A. Goalkeeper Youssef Bejaoui has signed after and Alex King who had a trial last year but they are manager Robbie Horn was interviewed A. I went on an intensive nine day course at Largs. being on loan at the end of last season and Ian currently in pre-season training with other clubs. by Trust Board member Michael Smyth It was hard being away from my family and work McCaldon has returned to be our number two They may yet make their way to Shielfield. (pictured below with Robbie). for that time. There were 43 of us on the course. keeper and goalkeeping coach. We’ve signed By October, I have to submit a written assignment Dean Hoskins, a left back from Spartans who has a Some promising new signings have also been Q. You were managing Vale of Leithen. How easy which is followed by a tutorial. Another written great left foot and is good going forward. Central made by the Reserves. I anticipate a recognised was it to decide to re-join Berwick Rangers when assignment is required by March next year, again midfielder Neil Janczyk has signed from East Fife first team squad of 19 players but any out of action the opportunity came along? followed by a tutorial. Then in June, 2013, I will having previously played first team football with will have to make their way back via the Reserves undergo a four day assessment.