For ticket enquiries please email us or contact Malcolm Dix on 07718448057

Sunderland's Olympian

This time 12 months ago was the best, with my then-promoter Dennis Hobson offering me an absolute fortune and promising me the world, and my girlfriend Sarah pregnant.
But all those good things quickly went at the beginning of the year when Sarah had a miscarriage and it became clear Dennis wasn’t going to be able to keep his end of the bargain. It soon turned into one of the worst times of my life.
When the deal with Dennis broke up I didn’t know where to go because professional boxing was new to me. It’s all about money and you hear all these horror stories about it.
When I signed with Frank Maloney, the good things started happening again. I don’t think there’s a promoter who could do a better job for me than Frank is doing.

Two thousand and nine has been a tough year at times, but overall I’m pleased with how it’s gone. It feels like everything’s falling into place. My injuries haven’t been that bad compared to my amateur days, when I had quite a few. I’ve had one or two little niggles, and that’s it.
My first Sunderland fight, against Roy Meissner at the Crowtree Leisure Centre, was unbelievable. The next two in Sunderland were great occasions as well. Being in a leisure centre with tiered seats made the atmosphere even more electric.

I’ve learned so much in my five professional fights – three of them ending in first-round stoppages, one in the second, and one won on points – and picked up some excellent experience.
I try not to look too far into the future, but my main aim for 2010 is to end it still undefeated. Hopefully by then I might have another six fights under my belt and maybe we might be able to start thinking about fighting for titles. But I’ll leave all that to Frank. I don’t know what he’s got planned for me because I just wanted to concentrate on what’s next in front of me, which will hopefully be a fight in early March.
We’ll just have to wait and see, but whatever happens you’ll be able to follow it on my blog.

I’d just like to end by thanking you all for your great support and wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

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For more information on Tony, please see his official website… www.tonyjeffries.com

Jack Hixon alongside Alan Shearer

The passing of Jack Hixon represents a sad day for sport and the North East. Although he received public acclaim as a legendary scout, the tributes from a large number of the players he unearthed are indicative of his qualities as a ‘peoples person’. He cared about football, he cared about his players, and he was passionate about supporting young people.

Alan Shearer commented that ‘It’s a very sad day. Jack was a lovely man, very hard working and very dedicated. We were very close and he will be badly missed’.

After serving alongside Burnley and England winger Billy Elliott in the Royal Navy, Hixon joined the Lancashire club as a scout in 1950. Whilst working for British Rail he used his base in the North East to find players including Dave Merrington, Stan Ternent and Mick Buxton – all of whom enjoyed careers in the game long after they retired from playing.

Another more recent find was ex-Burnley player Steve Davis who was schooled in Ponteland and a product of Montague Boys Club. Now first team coach at Burnley Steve commented that ‘he found me playing for South Northumberland and from there I went to Southampton, I spoke to him every week from the age of 16. I spoke to him last week and then heard the news before our game on Sunday. He helped me so much and had so much knowledge of the game’.
In total Jack discovered forty-seven players who went on to enjoy professional careers and play at the top flight of English football. However his greatest impact is the manner in which he went out of his way to support ‘his’ players. Football and the North East are lesser for his passing.

England Golf announces exciting new initiative for talented golfers aged 16 -19

The ‘England Futures’ programme is a brand new initiative launched jointly between the English Golf Union and English Women’s Golf Association and is aimed at providing targeted support to England’s most talented young golfers during perhaps the most critical phase of development - when they need to manage their academic work with the development of their sport skills.

The new England Futures programme utilises funding that is linked to the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE) programme, a government funded initiative developed by ‘Skills Active’, the skills sector council for sport. The programme is fully endorsed and supported by ‘The England Golf Partnership’, a partnership made up of all of the major governing bodies in English Golf including The PGA, The English Golf Union, The English Women’s Golf Association and the Golf Foundation.

The Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence lasts for 2 years and is only open to players aged 16 – 19 who are in full time education studying A-levels (in any subject) or BTEC qualifications (in sports related subjects). The programme combines the existing academic study with a carefully structured golf development programme which is encompassed within an NVQ in Sports Performance and Excellence. This qualification is specifically designed to foster the development of the aspiring elite golfer as well as providing progression routes into Higher Education or other careers within the sport.

Any player that is selected to be a part of the England Futures programme will not be an ordinary player. They must possess the drive and commitment to do their level best both academically and within their golf training and they must possess the discipline to maintain detailed records of their improvement through the programme and be dedicated enough to ensure that they complete all modules in full. The England Futures player will also have a track record of playing competitive amateur golf to a high level, nationally or within their region.

In return the England Futures player will receive top class coaching from specially selected England coaches, a complete package of sports science support including, bio mechanics, strength and conditioning and psychological training, as well as additional resources to meet competition and tournament expenses.

Players that graduate with an Advanced Apprenticeship that decide that they are not ready to pursue a career as a touring professional can access Higher Education opportunities both within or outside golf. These education opportunities include:

* The Foundation Degree (PGA);

* Applied Golf Management Studies (Birmingham University);

* Other golf related degrees;

* Other sports related degrees;

* US Scholarships.

Graduates are also able to pursue the wide ranging career opportunities that the sport of golf provides.

Peter Mattsson the Director of Coaching at the English Golf Union has recognised the role that this programme could play in the development of an aspiring elite golfer. “The fact that a player can combine their studies with their golf into one package is fantastic. Players will be guided to ensure that their competitive and training schedules are organised so as not to impact on study for exams in the middle of the competitive season, the added advantage of course is that with this programme the experience gained during the competitive season contributes to their studies!”

And it’s not just for the boys, The England Golf Partnership is specifically looking to encourage more girls to participate in the scheme something that Linda Bayman, Performance Director at the English Women’s Golf Association is keen to stress. Linda comments, “the scheme is ideal for girls looking to further their careers in the game at a time when they are put under pressure to follow an educational pathway. AASE is the best of both worlds, education, leading to a career or a place at university coupled with a golf training programme which could lead to a life as a professional .”

The England Futures programme will be starting in the spring of 2010 at a variety of locations across the country, delivered through the EGU’s existing Regional coaching network. Players who would like to be considered for a place should download the application form and send it to: -

Mr Stephen Burnett
AASE Applications
English Golf Union Ltd
The National Golf Centre
The Broadway
Woodhall Spa
Lincolnshire
LN10 6PU

The closing date for the initial intake on the England Futures programme has been extended to 31^st December 2009

The NVQ in Sports Performance and Excellence, funded by AASE, can also be achieved through full time study at one of 18 specially commissioned further education colleges. Click here for further details of the AASE colleges involved in the programme.  

With an aim to increase the percentage of 5-19 year olds spending five hours per week on PE and Sport by 2010, the NSSP is working with 98 schools, over 2,000 staff and approximately 38,000 young people. Sport Newcastle are delighted to partner with the NSSP who complement one of our objectives in enhancing sport and physical education opportunities for all young people in Newcastle Schools.

On the 19th November Alan Younger (Chair) and Malcolm Dix (Secretary) attended the launch of the ‘One of Us’ initiative to identify gifted and talented athletes or sports people with international potential. The programme aims to create an aspirational campaign across Newcastle schools to encourage young people to get involved in sport and physical activity. By using peer role models in schools, young athletes competing at a high level, to create a sense of recognition and belonging to attract semi sporty and non sporty pupils to become engaged with activity programmes. The campaign will lead to the creation of a team of young advocates for NSSP, and their sport, based in every secondary school in the city.

Over the last term, PE teachers at local schools have identified those young people considered first class advocates for their chosen sport; inspirational role models who are willing to represent their sport and school. Of those recommended, Newcastle School Sport Partnership selected a maximum of two students from each school. These young people receive an attractive package to support their performance in their chosen sport including branded kit and a financial bursary from Sport Newcastle. These students are encouraged to pursue their dreams supported by the Newcastle School Sport Partnership.

Given that our Olympics are now just over two years away, this is a perfect time for everyone to raise their game and show the world what they can do.

For further information, please contact Joyce Matthews of the NSSP – joyce.matthews@benfield.newcastle.sch.uk

The Special Events committee will next convene on Tuesday 12th January at 7.00pm. The meeting takes place at Jesmond Tennis Club with attendees advised to park on Reid Park Road.

Apologies to Angela Appleby please.

The next Exec Committee meeting takes place at Northumberland Tennis Club in North Jesmond at 7.30pm on Wednesday, 9th December.

If any committee members are unable to make the meeting, please send your apologies to either Malcolm (dixysport5@aol.com) or Angela (apples58@talktalk.net).