Hillfoots RFC

Last updated

Hillfoots RFC
Full nameHillfoots Rugby Football Club
Union Scottish Rugby Union
Founded1971;53 years ago (1971)
Ground(s)Tillicoultry Public Park
PresidentKris Illingworth
Coach(es)Graeme Simpson (men), Jordan Usher (women), Barry Munro (youths & juniors)
Captain(s)Paul Slade (men), Christina Swinton (women)
League(s)Caledonia Division 2 Midlands (men), Midlands/East Division 2 (women)
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Hillfoots RFC is a Scottish rugby union club based in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire. The club plays its home games at the Public Park in Tillicoultry.

Contents

Hillfoots men's 1st XV currently play in the Caledonia League Division 2 Midlands.

The club runs two senior men's XVs (a 1st XV and an occasional 2nd XV (the Rams)), a senior women's team (the Vixens), and a veterans men's team (the Cast Tups). The club also run youths and junior squads from P1 to U16 age-groups, working closely with the local primary schools and the high school, Alva Academy.

History

After a public meeting in the Congregational Church Hall in Tillicoultry on Monday 7th December 1970, Hillfoots Rugby Football Club was founded. The club's first game was against an Alloa RFC 4th XV in the public park on 6th March 1971. Hillfoots were victorious by 18 points to 11.

After a season of non-league friendly fixtures in 1971-72, the club entered the Midlands District League the following season. Promotion to National League Division VII was achieved in 1975, to Division VI in 1982 and to Division V in 1984 where the club remained for over a decade. The club's most sustained period of success began in 2000 when Sandy Penman and Brian Ireland, as captain and player-coach, led the club to successive promotions to National League Division I, then the third tier of Scottish club rugby.

An unsuccessful and short-lived merger with Alloa RFC coincided with a slide back down the divisions as the core of a very successful team began to retire. By 2010, due to relegations and league reconstruction, the club found itself back in the regional divisions. Since then, most seasons have been spent in Caledonia Division 1, with a couple of brief spells one level lower. The club is in Caledonia Division 2 Midlands for season 2024-25.

Three of its most famous players John Manson, Danny Herrington and Bob Cairney formed a front row in the 1990s called the 'Tillicoultry Troglodytes'. All three went on to play for Dundee HSFP. [1]

The club was awarded the Scottish Rugby Union's club of the month award in 2013.

As part of the club's 50th anniversary celebrations in 2021, a history of the club was published and made available for sale. The book, entitled 'Fifty Years Together - An Incomplete History of Hillfoots RFC', was authored by Gerry Docherty with assistance from Peter Norman, Alistair Spowage and Gavin Spowage. [2]

The club started a women's team in September 2023, nicknamed the Vixens. After a successful first season of friendly fixtures, the Vixens have been accepted into the national league set-up and will be playing in Caledonia Midlands/East League 2 in 2024-25.

Notable former players

Scotland internationalists

The following former Hillfoots players have represented Scotland at full international level.

North and Midlands

The following former Hillfoots players have represented North and Midlands at provincial level.

Caledonia Reds players

The following former Hillfoots players have represented Caledonia Reds at professional level.

Honours

Presidents, Club Captains and Coaches

The following table lists all presidents, club captains and men's 1st XV coaches of the club since its founding in 1971.

SeasonPresidentClub Captain1st XV Coach(es)Players' Player of the Year
1971-72Rev. Morgan PhilipsBilly Lyons
1972-73John MurrayFraser MasonBob Dewar
1973-74John MurrayBob DewarBob Dewar
1974-75John MurrayJohn PerryColin Davies
1975-76John A ScottTommy WalkerColin Davies
1976-77John A ScottDave KenyonColin Davies
1977-78John A ScottJohn PerryColin Davies
1978-79John A ScottPeter NormanAlan AaronRay Inglis
1979-80John A ScottPeter NormanAlan AaronDuncan Findlay
1980-81John A ScottAlistair SpowageTommy WattersKevin Manson
1981-82Alan AaronKevin MansonDavy PrenticeGregor Kennedy
1982-83Alan AaronKevin MansonDave Kenyon, Bill Kinross & Davy PrenticeJim Bell
1983-84I G GourlayPeter NormanBill KinrossAlan Gray
1984-85T I ScottPeter NormanBill KinrossKevin Manson
1985-86T I ScottDougie WhiteheadBill KinrossDanny Herrington
1986-87T I ScottDougie WhiteheadBill YoungAlan Manson
1987-88T I ScottDougie WhiteheadBill YoungJohn Manson & Danny Herrington
1988-89Alan AaronKevin MansonBrian Jamieson & Charlie ForbesSimon Bowyer
1989-90Alan AaronAndy GrinlyDave Kenyon & Bill YoungAlan Manson
1990-91Alan AaronAlan MansonAlan PrenticeMark Carberry
1991-92Alan AaronGregor KennedyMark Carberry
1992-93Alan AaronAlistair SpowageAlec McCullochA Baker
1993-94Alan AaronPeter NormanAlan PrenticeCallum Hamilton
1994-95John PritchardPeter NormanDougie WhiteheadP Horne
1995-96Martin RossDougie WhiteheadWillie McCune
1996-97Martin RossJim BellTony HowardJim Bell
1997-98Peter NormanJim BellTony HowardCallum Hamilton & Mike Wynd
1998-99Peter NormanDavie StirrattBrian IrelandBrian Ireland
1999-00Peter NormanBrian IrelandBrian IrelandMike Wynd
2000-01Peter NormanBrian IrelandBrian IrelandJim Dawson
2001-02Peter NormanBrian IrelandBrian IrelandSandy Penman
2002-03Peter NormanSandy PenmanBrian IrelandMike Slade
2003-04Peter NormanSandy PenmanBrian IrelandIain Nicolson
2004-05Peter NormanSandy PenmanBrian IrelandIain Nicolson
2005-06Peter NormanSandy PenmanBrian IrelandAndrew Hamilton
2006-07Peter NormanMike SladeBrian IrelandMike Slade
2007-08Peter NormanMike SladeBrian IrelandA Pudney
2008-09Peter NormanAndrew HamiltonBrian IrelandCalum McGee
2009-10Peter NormanIan KelleyBrian IrelandGavin Spowage
2010-11Peter NormanGavin SpowageIain NicolsonIain Nicolson
2011-12Peter NormanGavin SpowageKevin MansonCraig Scott
2012-13Peter NormanGavin SpowageIain NicolsonJamie Murchie
2013-14Peter NormanCampbell CalderIain NicolsonDavid McCulloch
2014-15Eddie InglisCampbell CalderStuart McGeeMark Hunter
2015-16Eddie InglisGavin SpowageMurray McKenzieDuncan Arthur
2016-17Eddie InglisGregor MansonRudi Urbach, Ian Hamilton & Ritchie BruceDanny Ross
2017-18Paddy SherrardIain NicolsonIan Hamilton, Ritchie Bruce & Mark HunterGreig Anderson
2018-19Gavin SpowageAlan SteeleMark HunterDavie Cree & John McMurdo
2019-20Gavin SpowageKeith SladeMurray Brown, Brad BellFraser Christie
2020-21Peter NormanKeith SladeMurray Brownn/a
2021-22Peter NormanKeith SladeMurray Brown, Murray McKenzieIain Anderson
2022-23Paddy SherrardKeith SladeMurray McKenzieRobert Hodge
2023-24Paddy SherrardPaul SladeGraeme Simpson, Kris IllingworthRyan Butterworth
2024-25Kris IllingworthPaul SladeGraeme Simpson, Kris Illingworth, Gregor Manson

The Hillfoots Vixens coaching team since its founding in 2023 has been Jordan Usher and Ross McNeil and the captain (or 'Head Vixen') is Christina Swinton.

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References

  1. "Herrington dies at 44". www.scotsman.com.
  2. Docherty, Gerry (2021). Fifty Years Together: An Incomplete History of Hillfoots Rugby Football Club. Hillfoots Rugby Football Club. ISBN   978-1-3999-0591-6.
  3. 1 2 3 "Hillfoots Rugby Football Club". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 18 March 2023.