Glasgow High Kelvinside

Glasgow High Kelvinside
Full name Glasgow High / Kelvinside Rugby Football Club
Union Scottish Rugby Union
Nickname(s) GHK
Founded 1982
Location Glasgow, Scotland
Region Glasgow
Ground(s) Old Anniesland
League(s) Scottish National League Division Three
Official website
ghkrfc.com

Glasgow High Kelvinside is an amateur rugby union club in Glasgow, Scotland. They currently play in Scottish National League Division Three.

History

Glasgow High Kelvinside was formed in 1982 by the merger of Kelvinside Academy and High School of Glasgow rugby clubs; Kelvinside Academicals and Glasgow HSFP.[1] Both Glasgow High FP and Kelvinside Accies were struggling clubs at the time.

Impact of professionalism

When professionalism was finally allowed by the International Rugby Football Board in 1995, Scotland took a while to adapt. The SRU decided to make Scotland's four district teams professional in 1996. Glasgow's district team became the professional rugby union team now known as Glasgow Warriors.

However it was recognised that the amateur Glasgow clubs might provide a better pathway to professionalism for their players if some of the amateur Glasgow area clubs merged.[2] [3] The clubs considered for merger were Glasgow High Kelvinside, Glasgow Academicals and West of Scotland. Taking an initial letter each from High, Academicals, West and Kelvinside it was proposed the new side would be called the Glasgow Hawks.[4]

The Milngavie-based club West of Scotland pulled out of the planned merger. Nevertheless, Glasgow Academicals and Glasgow High Kelvinside did merge in 1997. The name Hawks was kept for the merged team.[4]

Glasgow Hawks

Main article: Glasgow Hawks

The merger of the two sides was not without its detractors and a few on each side of the GHK - Academical fence were concerned about losing their history in the new side. Glasgow Academicals continued as a league side the following year in 1998 but they had to start again at the bottom rung of the league structure.

Glasgow High Kelvinside reborn

Following the Academicals example of starting again, Glasgow High Kelvinside also started again in the bottom rung of the league structure.[5] However they remain associated with the Glasgow Hawks.[6]

In June 2014, former Glasgow Warriors and GHK player Cameron Little was announced as the Head Coach at the club for the 2015–2016 season.[7] The club won promotion to Scottish National League Division Three after winning all 18 league matches in 2014-15 season.[8]

Notable former players

Scotland internationalists

The following former Glasgow High Kelvinside players have represented Scotland at full international level.

Glasgow Warriors

The following former Glasgow High Kelvinside players have represented Glasgow Warriors at professional level.

References

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, April 11, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.