Jim Calder takes the chair at Edinburgh

Published on Wednesday 1 September 2010 22:00

JIM Calder sat amongst some of Scotland's leading entrepreneurs and corporate thinkers in Glasgow last night and allowed himself to think about how rugby could benefit from such a meeting of minds.

The former Scotland flanker had been unveiled earlier in the day as Edinburgh's new board chairman, taking over from Gavin Hastings, who had held the position for the past three years. Calder is a long-time friend and teammate of Craig Docherty, Edinburgh's new chief executive, though he was quick to state that there is no Stewart's Melville cabal developing at Murrayfield, with the current SRU chairman Allan Munro also an Inverleith club man.

What is of more interest to the 53-year-old is the wider Edinburgh business community, if not the corporate world across the country. Last night, he was attending the annual "Deal and Dealmakers Dinner" in Glasgow's Hilton Hotel, and it was such a gathering that he believes could offer hope to Scottish rugby.

Calder said: "I was delighted to be asked to be the Edinburgh chairman and I do feel there is a great opportunity there to really develop professional rugby in the capital and get into the business community.

"There are two particular areas I want to tackle in this role. The first is to help Craig and the management, coaches and players to build the profile of Edinburgh as a professional club, and so to build the attendances at games. The second is to really engage with the business community, people like those at the dinner, and encourage people out there to get involved in pro rugby.

"Edinburgh play across the UK in a popular Celtic competition which now also has Italian sides involved, and they compete across Europe in a world-class tournament. There are great packages for people and businesses to get involved with that and build their own profile across the UK and Europe, and you don't have to be an international company to benefit from the opportunities that can bring."

Calder is well known as the rugged forward who played a key role in Scotland's Grand Slam success of 1984, scoring the crucial try against France at Murrayfield that sent the country into raptures.It remains a quirky fact of Scottish rugby history that his twin Finlay would also become a central figure in the Scottish game, and also win a Grand Slam at Murrayfield, yet the pair never played together for their country.

His past as a rugby player of pedigree - he was a Test British and Irish Lion, won 27 Scotland caps and played 57 times for Edinburgh - was clearly a factor in the club's approach, as was his current interest and involvement in the game, with various roles at Stewart's Melville.

However, with the SRU struggling to keep professional rugby afloat, his experience and extensive contact list developed as managing director of a successful recruitment firm based in Edinburgh, Jim Calder Associates LLP, is what Docherty, his board and the SRU really need if the club is to unearth the funding to move forward.

Hastings is to remain on the board which will take its number up to six - Docherty and Nick Rennie, the SRU's Partnership Manager representing the union, and Edinburgh businessmen Keith Hogg and Hamish Taylor also remaining in place.

Hastings welcomed his successor, stating: "It's tremendous for the club to have on board someone of his stature and charisma and I know he has a lot to offer. It's been a real privilege to represent my city and my club over the past three years, and I look forward to working with Jim as he takes Edinburgh forward.

"I've learned a huge amount in my time as chairman and am keen to assist Jim in any way I can. Having seen how much Edinburgh have grown in the last three years, I'm convinced that Jim's arrival is another step in the right direction."

Docherty was similarly delighted, saying: "It's fantastic to be able to welcome an individual of Jim's calibre and standing to the club. He has exactly the sort of personality and presence that's required in the position, and I have every confidence that he will play a major role in driving the club forward.

"In terms of opening doors and winning respect, his rugby pedigree will put him at a considerable advantage."

Calder acknowledged that there was something of the "old club tie" business linking him with Docherty, but added: "I know Craig but that was a positive thing because it was another reason for agreeing to take this on. Because I know him I know that he has a good business head on him and that he is passionate about his rugby. We both played for Stewart's Melville - he was a classy No10 and I sort of shuffled along behind him. We both worked for Ernst and Young, but our paths didn't cross there, and we came across each other again when he returned to the city and Stew/Mel.

"But, for me, this just seemed like a really great thing to do. That might sound a bit pathetic but when you sit down and think about Edinburgh, what the city means to you, the rugby and everything is quite a powerful thing for me.I have lived here, represented Edinburgh on the field and, like most rugby supporters in the city, I assume I want the best for Edinburgh now.

"It is a difficult time generally, but certainly difficult for sport and for rugby, so if I can use the next two or three years to try and make some sort of impact and find people able to invest in Edinburgh rugby then hopefully I can help Edinburgh Rugby move forward."