A Message from our President Ian Burns.
02/08/2007
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
It is a great honour for me to have been elected President of Wanderers Football Club for the season 2007/08. It is my privilege to welcome our members, guests and opponents to Merrion Road which will be the club’s home whilst Lansdowne Road is being redeveloped. As the third oldest club in Ireland and a founding member of the Irish Rugby Football Union, we are extremely proud of our history and the contribution our members have made to rugby both on and off the field of play. Our current members are entrusted with this legacy and I hope that as a club we will continue make a significant contribution to Irish rugby. This season Michael McLoughlin, the club’s representative to the Leinster Branch is President for this season. This is a great honour for both the Club and Michael personally. I wish him well and know he will represent not only Wanderers, but also Leinster rugby with distinction. Last season was successful both on and off the field with our first team gaining promotion to Division 2 of the AIB All Ireland League. Our junior teams from J1 down to J4 enjoyed a fine season, as did our Under 20s. The J3/J4 squad went on an end of season tour to Boston and the Under 20’s visited France. Mini rugby goes from strength to strength and we have a great group of coaches, parents and kids involved every Sunday. Our minis, who toured Wales were seen on Television supporting Leinster in their Celtic League fixture away to the Dragons at the end of last season. Off the field significant progress has been made in reforming the management of the club’s affairs and providing a strong base for future development. Wanderers is committed to building on all these successes. I look forward to this season with a mixture of anticipation and excitement. The players and supporters have enjoyed the many new friends made over the past five seasons in third division and from that perspective it is sad we will not meet officially this season. But the Club needed promotion and I am delighted from a rugby perspective to be in Division 2. I know our director of rugby, Andrew Spraggen, our captain, Bevan Cantrell, and all the players, assistant coaches and back up teams are all aware of the stiffer challenge they face this season. They are committed to put in the work necessary to be successful this season and I hope the boys in the Blue, Black and White will have that bit of luck that is an essential ingredient in success. However just like every other club there is also a tinge of apprehension that all supporters have for their teams prior to the start of any season. The life blood of any club is its members and Wanderers Football Club is determined to grow its player base both in terms of quality and numbers to build on the successes of the past two years. A vibrant Junior and Mini rugby sections is a key objective and we want to be the number one choice for all rugby players wishing to play in a Dublin 4 club. To this end the club is committed to continue to develop all its facilities in Merrion Road, and Lansdowne Road when the new world class stadium opens, to have the best resources and people to assist players develop and reach their potential, provide players the opportunities to tour, and most importantly the opportunity to play good rugby in friendly and fun environment. I would like to thank all our sponsors and especially our main club sponsor BT for their continued support. Wanderers is very lucky to have so many sponsors and I thank you all for the significant contribution you make to the success of the club. It is also appropriate that I acknowledge the support AIB Bank give to club rugby through the sponsorship of the All Ireland League and other initiatives they sponsor and effectively drive for the benefit of the clubs. No club can survive without the hard work and dedication of its members and I would like to thank all those who do work within the club on and off the pitch. To all members of Wanderers I wish you all a happy, enjoyable and successful season. To all those people who visit our website I would encourage to join the club as a member where you will find a very warm welcome. To all those who visit Merrion Road or entertain us on our travels I trust you will find members of Wanderers to be generous, hospitable and gracious before and after matches, in victory or defeat. Rugby has many proud traditions of hospitality and sportsmanship and all of us have a duty not only to protect but also to enhance these proud traditions.
