On The Wing

Falcons Supporters Club News And Information.

Telephone: 0191 3733963

2000/2001 Application Form

AWAY MATCH INFORMATION

All the above times are provisional only and are subject to change due to SKY TV schedules. Days may also be subject to change.

Times are based on 3:00pm kick off, arriving at the ground 1hr 30mins before the match and leaving 1hr after the game.

Travel discounts for regular travel is no longer applicable, this is to keep costs down for all travellers.

NEW COMMITTEE

Voting at the AGM resulted in just one change amongst the usual suspects. John Lincoln who has done a fabulous job for the FSC is replaced by Sharon Donohue. The FSC would like to place on record their appreciation for John's individual contribution to the organisation of membership records and other ways in which he played a part in the FSC success last season. The new committee and functions are as follows....

A NATIONAL VOICE

A National Rugby Supporters Association has been formed to give the grass roots supporters of rugby union the voice which has been noticeably absent during the enormous changes in the game in recent years. An initial, exploratory meeting at Gloucester's Kingsholm ground in June was followed by a further meeting on July 16 at The Reddings, Moseley's ground. As currently constituted, the NRSA consists of a council to which affiliated clubs send a representative. Every club can join for an annual fee of £50. The aims of the Association are admirably simple; to foster good relationships between rugby supporters and to provide a voice for rugby supporters in England. After a full debate on the costs and advantages of membership, the FSC committee decided that it was essential that they should have a voice on the NRSA. It may well be that when the level of membership and costs involved are known, the annual subscription could come down. Vice Chairman Maurice Clark has been wisely chosen as the FSC delegate. The Mosely meeting elected an executive committee. At the time of writing, the make-up of this is not yet known.

ANDY BLYTH

The FSC are pretty sure that everyone will have heard about the serious injury sustained by former Falcons player Andy Blyth now with Sale which has confined him to a wheelchair and brought about the sudden end to his first class playing career (although still hoping to make a return to rugby at some level in the future). A fund has been established to help Andy's recovery. Brilliant sketches by Ross Nesdale have been sold to raise cash for this. It was felt that the members would also like the FSC to facilitate personal contributions to the fund. To this end, the FSC are inviting people renewing their membership to make a voluntary contribution. It is dead simple. Add whatever contribution you would like to make to the annual FSC membership and we will send the difference to Andy's fund. Thank you!

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS 2000/2001 SEASON

We have included a Supporters Club Membership Application Form which can be printed off using either the printer icon on your browser or the Print option on the File Drop Down menu above. Fees are £5 for an adult and £2 for Juniors. Membership benefits are detailed further down on this page.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

As stated above, membership of the Supporters Club is £5 for adults and £2 for juniors - and is worth every penny. Just ask any of the Committee for an Application Form or print one off directly from this site - click here.

Benefits include :-

* Reduced rate when travelling to away games on the Supporters Club coach [see below for planned trips].

* Reduced rate admission to any functions held by the Supporters Club.

* 10% off all stock in the Kingston Park club shop, except sale items.

* 10% off meals purchased in the Kingston Park clubhouse bar. [If you haven't eaten there yet you are REALLY missing out.]

* Eligibility to vote in the "Player of the Month Award", either by voting slip from a Committee Member.

IN THE PIPELINE

Plans are afoot for a pre-season barbecue. Organised in collaboration with the 24 Percenters (the people from the amateur days who still own part of the Falcons) it will mark the 10th anniversary of the Kingston Park ground and the beginning of Arnie's (Richard Arnold) testimonial year. More news from the FSC shortly.

THEY ARE THE BIGGEST (AND THE BEST)

One fascinating piece of information to emerge from the FSC contacts with other supporters during the formation of the NRSA is that the FSC can legitimately claim to be the biggest supporters club in the country. But what about Bath and Leicester? well, although both have bigger memberships, their supporters club membership comes automatically with the annual season tickets while the FSC's is totally voluntary.

TOUR TALK-IN

A talk-in with the subject of the Falcons under 21's tour to New Zealand (the diary of which can be found from the contents page on this site) will be held in the clubhouse from 7:30pm on August 23rd. The line-up includes, on the management side, Paul McKinnon and Harry Sharp and on the playing side, Michael Stephenson and the legendary A.N. Other. Admission on the door is £2 for FSC members and £3 for those who are not yet members of the biggest and best rugby supporters club in the land (as a member myself I can tell you honestly that it is well worth joining).

PRE SEASON FRIENDLY

The FSC are hoping to organise a coach for supporters to travel from Newcastle to Headingly for the Falcons pre season match versus Leeds Tykes on Monday the 14th of August 2000. The coach will leave Kingston Park at 4:30pm, 3 hours before kick off. The cost of the trip will be £12 for adults and £6 for youngsters, with the usual concessions applying. To notify the FSC please place your name on the FSC notice board at the entrance to Kingston Park.

FSC AWAY DAY TRAVEL 2000/2001 SEASON

Anyone wishing to travel to an away game with the Club should put their name on the list posted at either the downstairs bar meeting point on the Notice Board at the main entrance to the clubhouse. below]. Please try to give at least seven days notice and always state whether you are a member/non-member, adult or junior and give a contact phone number. If you are unable to travel please try to give at least 48 hours notice of cancellation. Sorry, but "no shows" will still have to be paid for.

The Club will obtain match tickets for everyone travelling on Supporters Club coaches and usually try to give a choice of type of ticket, whenever possible. It will also try to obtain tickets for supporters travelling independently - to enable those supporters to sit with the "coach lot"(if they want to). Please contact one of the Committee if you want to take up this offer.

If you live south of Kingston Park the away coach would be happy to collect you on the way down at the slip roads and services on the A1/M1, route. They currently pick up at Carville roundabout Durham and occasionally Scotch Corner (us) slip road. Which we can personally say works extremely well. They usually leave the away club one hour after the match and stop in Weatherby for fish and chips and chance to ring lifts and taxis. Any queries and confirmations telephone Dave Culling on 0191 4225547 or 0191 4547555 x 64020 (work).

(The above dates, times and prices are provisional only and are subject to change due to SKY TV schedules and any special price offers the club may run for transport. Times are based on a 3.00pm kick off, arriving at the ground approx. 1.5 hours prior to kick off. Departure is approx. 1 hour after the game. Lists will be placed on the Supporters Club notice board for away game travel . The web site will be updated will any alterations as soon as the FSC gives me the word.)

DISCOUNT TRAVEL OFFER

1. Any person having travelled on the supporter's coach on FOUR occasions will be given a 10% discount the next time they travel.

2. On the TENTH occasion they will be given a 20% discount.

3. Any person who makes TWELVE journeys will be given a FREE TRIP.

NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE BY E-MAIL

The FSC newsletter will now be available electronically starting in the new year. It will be published in Adobe PDF format and e-mailed to you as soon as it is finished, the approximate file size will be 70KB. To raed PDF files you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader which is available as a free download at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html The file is approximately 5.6MB and is easy to install.

£2000 Charity Tag Day

On the 15th of August 1999 David Lloyd Leisure and the Newcastle Falcons teamed up to raise money for the Sunshine 2000 Appeal. The day was dominated by a 7-a-side competition were 15 teams competed. The winners were Darlington Mowden Park club with Falcons player Allen Chilten. Well done you lot!!

The Supporters Club had their own side with Newcastle player Ed Thorpe and captained by Jill Smith. We didn't win but we gave it our best shot and had fun in the process (laughing at Newcastle player Martin Shaw dressed as a rabbit.) (Tiff is third from the right, bottom row)

Club Shop News

The new Home and European Shield shirts are now on sale from the club shop at Kingston Park. Prices for the shirts are £49.99 for adults, £44.99 for youths and £39.99 for children's sizes but FSC members receive a 10% discount on production of their membership cards. The club shop can be contacted on 0191 2145588 or 0191 2142800.

Post Out Programme Service

Over the last couple of seasons we have offered our members who can not get to home matches a "post out programme" service. If you would like to receive a programme (including home cup games) please forward your request and a cheque for £2.20 per programme, made payable to "Falcons Supporters Club" to : David Culling, 77 Harton Lane, South Shilds, Tyne and Wear NE34 0PP. Please ensure you state clearly which match programmes you require and include your name, address, phone number and FSC membership number.

Thank You

WENDY POWER would like to thank all of those friends, players and fellow supporters who kindly sponsored her charity walk in PERU. Thanks to your generosity she raised £2500 for AFS-YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. Wendy's Falcon shirt also made the 50 mile trek for the obligatory photo call at MACHU PICU.

Home Match Day Meeting Point.

The Supporters Club have a designated area within the downstairs bar where members (and non members) can meet up and chat with visiting supporters....many of the players have been known to drop in as well....after the game at least.

During the match itself the Supporters Club tend to concentrate round the Falcon's dug out where they are in a handy position to offer tactical advice to Steve Bates and, perhaps even more importantly, succinct but helpful direction, observations and guidance to the referee, linesmen and visiting players. New voices are always welcome.

Newcastle Home games direct travel

Last season the Club arranged for coach pick ups at the following local rugby clubs and offered real value for money travel. Arrangements for the 1999/2000 season are to be confirmed.

Match Programmes

There is an "On the Wing" page in every home game programme giving up-to-date news about the Supporters Club and its activities.