TheBogEnd / partnership with carshalton &mitcham rugby club.

**Posted by daniel collins** 24/9/2021 9:55 am

just heard that the club have gone into partnership with carshalton and mitcham rugby club.
Dont know if this is a rumour or a fact but if it is a fact given that the owner is a avowed rugby fan i dont think this
bodes well for the football club.you will ask why well think about it for a minute and just join the dots up???
in my opinion if this comes about i dont think it would be to the benefit of TOOTING & MITCHAM FC.

I ask the question what do any of you football supporters think it would be interesting to know.

**Posted by daniel collins** 24/9/2021 12:32 pm

Not a rumour now. its on the official T&M Twitter page.

**Posted by Andy Mc** 25/9/2021 3:37 pm

I can't find any more information about this and what it would mean for the football club.

**Posted by daniel collins** 25/9/2021 4:54 pm

Andy to me its pretty obvious rugby loving owner bringing in a rugby club for a so called partnership.
they are not coming in other than to be using the facilities and as i said previously not for the betterment of the football club think about it mate.

**Posted by evthedog** 25/9/2021 6:11 pm

This is not something new. Gary and I had a whif of this a few seasons back and came to the conclusion that it as not a good idea.

IF Carshalton and Mitcham play at Imperial Fields and if they pay more for the use of the main pitch, bring in larger crowds, who do you think will be playing on the plastic pitch?

Remember that this club is about money and not the first team (though I would love to be proven wrong).

Last edited by evthedog (25/9/2021 6:12 pm)

**Posted by daniel collins** 25/9/2021 7:23 pm

Your not wrong ev as you say gary referred to this a fair time ago and i think has been on adkins radar for quite awhile i can remember being at a members club meeting a few years back and he quite openly said he was a rugby man so to all the people who think this guy is a benefector well think again. This move has been on the cards for a fair time now.

**Posted by Andy Mc** 26/9/2021 6:50 am

Not much point in making an announcement and not giving any more detail about it. Unless there is something to hide.

**Posted by daniel collins** 26/9/2021 8:42 am

i think you just hit the nail on the head andy !!

**Posted by evthedog** 26/9/2021 10:24 am

The only way that we might learn something is if one of the secret supporters' Whatsapp group users breaks ranks and goes against the order to not to contribute to this open fans forum and spills some beans.

I ain't holding my breath though.

**Posted by daniel collins** 26/9/2021 12:16 pm

Also if there is nothing to hide and all is totally innocent why dont someone make some sort of statement to help clarify what this so called partnership is all about yea come on elaborate please.

**Posted by The Administrator** 26/9/2021 3:48 pm

I have just received a text message saying my good friend Ev has used my name in his quote. I just wanted for what's its worth maybe give you my opinion from someone who has played for Mitcham Rugby or Mitcham and Carshalton Rugby now and someone who used to support Tooting for 46 years . My Grandad was also a committee member. Joe Walker.
Mitcham and Carshalton have about 60 playing members and about 30 old boys members so around 90 in total. It is run as a private club with a committee. Over the years due to the lack of help financially and the lack of discipline from the mini side of the Rugby which ment that not many players was coming through to the senior the club was on the verge of folding. The then Chairman Kier went on a recruitment drive and met the now director of Rugby Edd Marsh. Edd a army man has not only brought a discipline to the club but has brought pride ,players and a since of belonging to a cause to the club. Every player now has to wear the Clubs training kit for example to train. We now have a Surrey coach training the seniors. We now have a women's team who you can add around 20 members to the above figures. We play in the lowest league in senior Rugby Surrey 4's.
We normally have 10 people and a dog watching our games except on special occasions when the old boys are invited for a lunch which we have about 40 to 50 people watching. We are a very small club is what I am trying to say.
Edd has also been getting some guys to be doing some work in the local community. Some of the girls and guys are showing some people Wheel Chair Rugby at the Sutton arena ad well as other educational stuff for kids in schools etc.
I do not know the details of the partnership with Tooting yet as I was at Sutton and Epsom RFC yesterday. But I will be going to the rugby club this weekend. If the partnership is just sharing our knowledge and audiences to the community then I and my friends at Mitcham are all for it. I can share with you that there is no appetite at all for our Rugby club to be taken over or run by the football club by any member. In my opinion this would be devastating for the rugby not the football club. You need to remember that we are very small and you are run by a Millionaire Chairman. Now nobody will stop a millionaire doing what he wants I have learned that the hard way through the years. That is why your moaning or my moaning on here is pointless. If you don't like the way Tooting is being run save yourself the heartache and just walk away like I have done. Because a millionaire has the money to change things we as common folk don't.
I do have many questions regarding this agreement and have written to the new chairman of the rugby club. Please do not worry though. There will never be Rugby played on the main pitch. I am wondering if Rugby should be played by the Quins and Surrey at all on Tooting's 3g pitch. Has it got a Shock pad? Is it RFU approved with safety at the front of my mind. If anyone can let me know.
I wish you all well guys take care .....

**Posted by evthedog** 26/9/2021 3:53 pm

Cheers Gary. That clears things up and gives us some information.

It is a shame that the club couldn't make a formal statement instead of just a Facebook post. There is nothing on the official T&M site.

**Posted by The Administrator** 26/9/2021 4:30 pm

Thanks Ev, I forgot to mention that Steve Adkins has also let the rugby club hire the services of the Tooting grounds man after the council butchered the pitch and wasn't cutting the grass on occasions. We are very grateful to him for that. Our first team pitch at Poulters Park looks amazing. 👌

**Posted by daniel collins** 26/9/2021 4:59 pm

Firstly thank you gary for your input on this partnership with the rugby club you obviously know much more about the rugby side of things and i appreciate you bringing some clarity to this subject.

whilst i understand what you have said about the rugby club not wishing to as you put it take over the football club, and dont in any way doubt your sincerity and knowledge on the subject until we receive some sort of statement from the football club itself i myself do not trust the motives or intentions of the owner
for one minute. Lets see if the club will make a statement to clear all this up if not well we will all have to
just wait and see.Thank you gary for some enlightenment on the subject.

**Posted by The Administrator** 26/9/2021 5:41 pm

Hi Daniel, the rugby club doesn't need any of the clubs facilities. We have access to three rugby pitches a great bar with beer garden, a training area. 2 large changing rooms with showers. A kitchen we really don't need to use any facility at Tooting and Mitcham. We have just spent several thousand pounds up lifting all these facilities mate with grants and a award we won. When Tooting are not playing pop down I will show you around.

**Posted by The Administrator** 26/9/2021 5:53 pm

What you should be worried about is AFC Wimbledon running coaching courses at your club. Promoting young supporters to watch AFC actually in side your own ground. Renting out pitches to their kids teams is one thing, but to get them to bring in new young players and parents and to promote AFC is very strange to me. Tooting and Mitcham first team is just another platform for the Youth to gain experience to move on to better things nowadays.
Having said that Who ever decided that hasn't got their best thinking cap on. But I am a nobody so who am I to criticise ?

**Posted by daniel collins** 26/9/2021 6:01 pm

Thanks gary but i still dont know the purpose of the partnership with the rugby club can you possibly
explain what the point of that is ??

**Posted by The Administrator** 26/9/2021 6:06 pm

Sorry I can't yet as I haven't spoken to Edd for a couple of weeks. I will ask him on Saturday.
I really won't be posting anymore I just didn't want anyone to think badly of the Rugby club. They are a brilliant bunch of people with many families having several members playing.

**Posted by endofthelane** 27/9/2021 1:27 pm

As a member of the secret society, as well as this forum, I can confirm that there have been no details about the "partnership" on the Whatsapp forum.

I reckon (no inside info) that it is more of a coaching/mentoring type partnership rather than anything financial. I struggle to see how either party could benefit financially by any close association between the clubs.

Would be nice to put a bit more flesh on the bones though. Literally no information other than

"A great opportunity to share knowledge and build on our shared community work together"

The rugby club have slightly more detail "the partnership will see us working together across coaching, community work and facilities use"

**Posted by daniel collins** 27/9/2021 3:02 pm

Hi endo its the facilities bit of the statement that makes me uneasy unfortunatly as usual the club always fails to put flesh on the bones as you rightly put it.

**Posted by The Administrator** 13/10/2021 1:56 pm

Hi guys,just a final update from me regarding Tooting and Mitcham and Mitcham and Carshalton Rugby Club.
Last night the Rugby club trained at Tooting and Mitcham. All went well with no issues.
Today after many discussions Edd Marsh director of Rugby has stepped down. This I think will end the relationship with Tooting and Mitcham and the Rugby Club.
Take care guys and I hope the first team turn things around.
G x

**Posted by daniel collins** 14/10/2021 6:41 am

Okay gary thanks for the update i wont pretend im not pleased to hear that news but what was all the fanfare about ? we still dont know what it was really all about but typical of tooting never explain anything.

**Posted by Mikem** 14/10/2021 8:33 am

Hi Danny, Like you when our beloved owner of our team is involved there is always a hidden agenda!!!
I recall Bill Hill a few years ago telling my the Mitcham Rugby president at the time would have nothing to to do with the TM sports club, and would keep well clear.

Only Mitcham Cricket club left to attack now, before AFC Norbiton start biting away at the cake they have started to nibble at!