1996–97 Glasgow Warriors season

District sides had a difficult metamorphosis into their respective professional sides in Scotland. The district sides were not members of the Scottish Rugby Union; the amateur clubs were. This meant that many top amateur club sides fancied their own chances of turning professional instead of the district sides.

The International Rugby Board embraced professionalism in 1995. The district versus clubs debate in Scotland meant that no Scottish sides were entered into the Heineken Cup for season 1995-96. A vote was held in early 1996 and although the debate was frosty the vote ended decisively for districts 178 - 24.[1]

Glasgow Rugby was formed for season 1996-97.

By October 1996, the SRU had signed 36 players on professional contracts. These 36 players were distributed between Border Reivers, Caledonia Reds, Edinburgh Rugby and Glasgow Warriors.[2]

SRU contracted players: Graeme Beveridge, Steven Brotherstone, Nick Broughton, Millan Browne, Gordon Bulloch, Darren Burns, Graeme Burns, Craig Chalmers, Graham Dall, Ian Elliot, Gareth Flockhart, Cameron Glasgow, Hugh Gilmour, Paddy Haslett, Jim Hay, Ian Jardine, Stuart Lang, Kevin McKenzie, John Manson, Cameron Murray, Scott Nichol, Guy Perrett, Bryan Redpath, Steven Reed, Stuart Reid, Brian Renwick, Rowen Shepherd, Graham Shiel, Tom Smith, Tony Stanger, Derek Stark, Barry Stewart, Rob Wainwright, Murray Wallace, Alan Watt and Scott Welsh.[2]

Some people involved in amateur club rugby didn't like the decision for the District clubs to become Scotland's representatives. Keith Robertson and Gavin Hastings had already argued against the District clubs at the SRU EGM.[1]

Hastings then joined with former international Scotland captains Jim Aitken, Finlay Calder and David Sole to make a 'Gang of Four' which toured all over Scotland to promote the policy that club sides should represent Scotland in Europe.[1]

Despite Greene being well-liked by the Glasgow players - Glasgow's flyhalf Calum MacGregor once gave this tribute of his boss: "Kevin Greene, the Glasgow coach, is the kind of man who makes the players think for themselves, like Ian McGeechan, and I prefer that to the blood-and-thunder approach. I have enjoyed playing for Glasgow this year more than any other. I look around at the young guys in the team and they are keen and excited and that makes me feel good about the game. The players have a belief in it and a desire to win and I like that." [3] - this backdrop of resentment against the professional districts created a shaky start for the Glasgow team.

• Head Coach: Kevin Greene[4]
• Assistant Coach: Gordon Macpherson[4]

Convenor / Team Manager: Hamish Fyfe[5][6] [7]

None

• Kevin Greene from Glasgow Academicals
• Gordon Macpherson from West of Scotland

None

None

None.

The previous year's Scottish Inter-District Championship was a forgettable one for Glasgow who finished last. This meant that the SRU did not enter Glasgow in the Heineken Cup for the new season 1996-97. Instead Glasgow entered the lower European tournament, the Challenge Cup, or as it was then known the European Conference, in Pool A. This was one of 4 Pools in the tournament and Glasgow was Scotland's only representative.

Kevin Greene, the Glasgow coach, later admitted that preparation for Glasgow's first foray into Europe was poor. He recalled the first game against Newbridge: "We had no information at all on Newbridge. We should at least have had some data and perhaps even a video, but the SRU had nothing. It made preparation very awkward." [8]

It was decided that the Scottish Inter-District Championship places would decide which Scottish sides would enter the Heineken Cup and which would enter the European Challenge Cup.

The 4 newly professional district teams Glasgow Rugby, Edinburgh Rugby, Border Reivers and Caledonia Reds would play off for the Championship. As this decided European places it was decided that it was not appropriate for London Scottish or a Scottish Exiles side to be invited into the Championship.

Each team would play one another only once, swapping home and away each year. With only 4 teams this meant that the Championship was decided by each team playing just 3 matches.

The top 3 sides qualified for the Heineken Cup next season and the fourth qualified for the Challenge Cup. Due to the weather Glasgow's match against Edinburgh was switched to Murrayfield as its undersoil heating was best placed to deal with frost. Glasgow lost their final match against Caledonia Reds and finished 2nd behind the Reds. Caledonia Reds, the Border Reivers and Glasgow qualified for the Heineken Cup for the next season.

• Dundas & Wilson[9][5]

Canterbury