Rugby Union · Clubman Of The Year
Rugby Union Clubman of the Year Award
The rugby union clubman of the year award thanks the person without whom the club would not function. It is rarely about what happens on the pitch. It goes to the volunteer who marks the lines before every home game, runs the bar, chases subs or drives the minis to festivals. Because the winner is chosen by the committee, it carries a different kind of weight, and deserves careful wording.
A few ways to make it yours
The designer
Design yours
Upload your club crest, type up to four lines and see it on the glass.
Simple pricing
End of season award prices: £8.99 small · £13.99 large
Mix sizes and designs freely. One delivery charge per order.
Minimum 5 awards. Delivery £10.00 per order.
Rugby union end of season awards: what the award is really for
Community rugby clubs run on volunteers. Fixture secretaries, kit washers, pitch and bar volunteers, touch judges, first-aiders, minis co-ordinators and treasurers all keep the place open while the players get the attention.
Clubman of the year is the club's way of saying thank you to one of them. Some winners still play, often in the vets or 3rd XV, but the award is about contribution off the field. Plenty of clubs now present a clubwoman of the year as well, or rename it club person of the year.
Look beyond the obvious names too. The person who opens up for Sunday minis, washes the kit and locks the clubhouse after the last car leaves is often the one nobody thinks to nominate.
How the winner is chosen
The decision usually sits with the committee, the president or the chair. Some clubs invite nominations from members first, with a short reason for each, and the committee picks from the list at its spring meeting.
Keep the winner secret until the night. Write down the reasons that came up in nominations, because the person presenting the award will want to say a few words about what the winner did this season, and specific examples land far better than general thanks.
Wording the award
CLUBMAN OF THE YEAR on line one, the club name on line two and the winner's name on line three is the classic layout. Line four can carry the season, such as 2025/26, or a short note of their role, for example Fixture Secretary.
If the winner has been nicknamed by the whole club for decades, it can be tempting to print that instead. Many clubs print the full name and let the speech do the rest, as the award often ends up in the clubhouse cabinet or on the winner's mantelpiece for good.
Choosing the Large block
As there is only one winner a year, most clubs choose the Large portrait block at £13.99 for this award, which gives the crest and the four lines more room. Detailed heraldic crests benefit most from the extra space.
Order it alongside your team awards so the minimum of five and the flat £10.00 delivery charge are covered in one go. You can mix Large and Small at £8.99 freely, and the crest is uploaded only once for the whole order.
Good to know
Questions
Can we call it clubwoman or club person of the year instead?
Yes. Line one is your own text, so you can print CLUBWOMAN OF THE YEAR, CLUB PERSON OF THE YEAR or both as separate awards. Many clubs now give a clubman and a clubwoman award in the same evening.
Should we include the winner's role on the award?
It is a nice touch if the role is what the award is for, such as Minis Co-ordinator or Fixture Secretary. Use line four for it, and either drop the season or keep both short. The design view shows straight away whether the text fits comfortably.
Is clubman of the year presented at the dinner or the AGM?
It varies. Many clubs present it at the senior dinner in spring, while others keep it for the annual general meeting so the whole membership is there. Either way, order it with your other end-of-season awards to keep to one delivery.
How long will the order take to arrive?
Made in Cornwall and delivered within 7 days The committee usually agrees the winner at its spring meeting, so ordering soon after gives you plenty of time before the dinner. Delivery is a flat £10.00 per order.
Keep exploring
Related awards
Club secretaries
Ordering for the whole club?
Finish one design, then reuse the same crest with a new name. Or paste a list of names and add every award in one go. Whatever the number of awards, there is one delivery charge per order.
Ordering for a club