Changing times at the Gytes

Adam Moffat, 34, steps into the role of senior director of rugby vacated by Graeme Paterson.

The club also has a new president with Bob Hogarth replacing Gordon Brown.

At last Friday’s annual general meeting younger man Moffat was chosen ahead of the other nominee Allan Beveridge, a long-serving official and former player, for one of the club’s top posts.

“I am delighted to be appointed to this position and I hope to carry on the good work of Graeme Paterson over the last four year,” Moffat told the Peeblesshire News.

“When I heard Graeme was stepping down I thought his work was something I would like to build on. I see one of the main parts of the role as trying to establish the rugby club as the core of the community while still retaining the community ethos.

“We want young guys to join the club and see it as a pathway to go right through the ranks to the first team.” Moffat is married with two young sons and works for children’s charity Action For Children in Edinburgh.

The former Peebles High School pupil played his first senior game of rugby for the third team at the age of 15 and was a part of the successful side that played in Premier One for two seasons.

Over the past 18 years he has played for the first and second teams and had a two-year stint coaching the seconds.

“I am going to try to avoid playing as much as I can now. I’m too old for this and will leave it to the younger guys,” he said.

Moffat is looking forward to working with coaches Drew Moore and Gavin Kerr - and aiming to improve on last season’s placing of sixth place in the BT National League Division One.

“Looking at where we finished I think we had a good season with a new coaching set up. Gavin and Drew will still be very much in charge of coaching duties and we will be looking to build on the points total we achieved last season,” he said.

Some outside recruitment to the squad is going to be necessary with the loss of Ryan McConnell and Matt Carryer to Premiership side Gala. “The two guys will be a big miss but they are going with our blessing to further their careers,” said Moffat. “There will have to be some recruitment from outside the club but we would also hope a lot of the younger players at the club will be able to make a step up.” Outlining his vision for Peebles Rugby Club in his nomination at the agm, Moffat insisted that it was essential the players were put back at the centre of the club.

“We do this by creating and harbouring a positive and supported playing structure that players want to be involved in, actively engaging them at their level, being open and honest with them and making the workings of the club more transparent,” he said.

“Off field we must ensure players feel supported and appreciated, this way we should be able to sustain player numbers while also ensuring players remain involved after they stop playing.

“We need to shift the focus away from the 1st XV towards a whole club feeling, playing and particularly training numbers must improve.

“By making the club more appealing for players of all abilities rather than focusing on the elite we not only encourage more players to train and play but we also give the young players coming through a more accessible set up to move into.

“I want to see Peebles Rugby Club compete at the top end of Scottish Rugby while maintaining our small town ethos and local backbone.

“Recruitment must be used to supplement playing numbers at all levels targeting players from both home and abroad. We must see ourselves as a club that develops players both from within our youth and academy systems but also by giving players from lower league clubs a chance to test themselves at a higher level.

“Peebles Rugby Club must maintain its close links with the local schools and youth rugby. We have huge numbers at junior level and we must ensure that we offer these players a clear pathway which leads them into all levels of senior rugby and keeps them within the club. We must pay particular attention to those players graduating from junior to senior rugby.” Hogarth was president at the club 18 years ago and has held other roles, including senior director of rugby.

“Last season’s vice president Neil Hughes didn’t want to step up to president, so I was happy to take it on again,” he said.

“We are looking forward to a challenging year - it will be a competitive division and it’s going to be a tough.

“The members voted for Adam to be the senior director of rugby and it’s great getting some young blood in our ranks. We could do with one or two more - so many of our past players just disappear.” Hogarth remains ambitious for the club and is hopeful of a promotion push in the new campaign. “If Selkirk can do it, there’s no reason why we can’t, though managing to win every game might be asking a little too much!” The new president praised the outgoing senior director and said: “He did a good job and I am sure he would have liked to have stayed but he has a young family and work commitments. Graeme’s legacy will be the academy - that’s all in place now.

“He’s probably still going to be involved at the club and it’s possible he will coach the second team, though that will be a decision for Adam.” The club is still searching for someone to take over the post of academy manager.

Following the annual general meeting this is the new list of elected officers and executive committee members at Peebles Rugby Club: President - Robert Hogarth; Vice President - Lindsay Laird; Secretary - Fendath Maciver; Treasurer - David Pye; Director of Senior Rugby - Adam Moffat; Director of Junior Rugby - Jim King; Business Director - James Blacklaw; Social Director - Jim Currie; Facilities Director - Vacant.