The Rugby Football League today announced that Ian Edwards BA (Hons) and Tony Gartland have been appointed as non-Executive Directors to the RFL Board of Directors and, at the same time, confirming the appointment of Nigel Wood as the new Finance Director.

Under the terms of the former Chairman Sir Rodney Walker’s Strategic Review Committee’s plan that was accepted by the Rugby League Council it was required that a newly-constituted Board of Directors should be appointed with suitably qualified people who were free from club commitments.

While Nigel Wood headed up the Strategic Planning Committee and subsequently served in the transitional distraction as the Operational Director Mr. Edwards and Mr. Gartland have been appointed from outside the sport of Rugby League.

Both have previous connections with Rugby League.

Mr. Edwards, 59, who is currently the Television Marketing Director with the All England Lawn Tennis Club, was responsible for BBC’s coverage of Rugby League from 1987 until 1989. He also played amateur Rugby League for French club Carcassonne after a Rugby Union career with Cardiff RFC.

Mr. Gartland, 60, is the Chairman and Chief Executive of Gartland Whalley and Barker plc., has had some involvement with Halifax Blue Sox for more than 50 years. He is a previous chairman of the West Yorkshire club but left to pursue new interests his business career.

Besides his business connections with Tennis, Mr. Edwards brings into Rugby League massive experience gained within the media having been a sports correspondent for Independent Television News in London, a sports columnist to The Times newspaper and as the Head of Sport at BBC Manchester before moving to the All England Lawn Tennis Club.

Undoubtedly a major asset to the sport in the run up to the 2003 Challenge Cup Final to be staged at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on April 26 will be his ability to speak Welsh while further abroad he has speaks fluent French and Italian. For the last 13 years he has specialised in marketing television rights.

Mr. Edwards is married with three children and lives on Wimbledon Common in London. He said: ‘Having played both codes of Rugby it has long been an ambition for me to play a role within the sport and I believe that my experience within television as well as business will help the further development of Rugby League.’

Besides being a successful Halifax-based businessman Mr. Gartland serves as a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of the County of West Yorkshire and an active member of the Roman Catholic community within Calderdale.

Married with four children Mr. Gartland been chief executive or chairman to several major companies based in the Halifax region while he also finds time to indulge his passion for watching cricket.

Mr. Gartland said: ‘Having been involved with one club for so many years it is a challenge to have the opportunity to help in shaping the whole sport’s future.

‘I very much supported the principle of establishing Super League as an elite element to Rugby League and the opportunities offered by the Strategic Review for the whole sport is exciting’.

Nigel Wood, 42, is a former accountant with the BBC and professional Rugby League prop forward having played for both Huddersfield and Halifax.

Wood came to the Rugby Football League after a four-year spell as Chief Executive with Halifax Blue Sox having overseen the switch from their long-time traditional home at Thrum Hall to share the facilities at the Shay Stadium with Halifax Town soccer club.

He was also a prime mover in the partnership established to start the continuing redevelopment of the Shay Stadium site.

After leaving Halifax during 2001, Mr. Wood was invited by former RFL chairman Sir Rodney Walker to lead the Strategic Review Committee. He became me Operations Director with responsibility for heading the sport’s administration throughout period before the appointment of the new Board of Directors at the Rugby League Council meeting in Salford today.

Mr. Wood said: ‘Rugby League is now in an ideal position to make significant progress’.

For further information please contact:

John Huxley
Media and Public Affairs Executive
Media & Marketing Dept.
Rugby Football League
T: 0113 237 5016, 5020, 5025.
F: 0113 232 3838.
E: johnh@rfl.uk.com