Edinburgh players revolt over ‘unfair’ sacking

Edinburgh Rugby’s players are in open revolt against their managing director, David Davies, after he sacked the long-serving team manager. Lynsey Dingwall was a popular and efficient member of the backroom staff at Edinburgh Rugby yet she was given an hour to clear her desk after working at the club for 14 years.

By IAIN MORRISON Sunday, 5th April 2015, 4:09 am

Managing Director David Davies sacked long-serving team manager Lynsey Dingwall. Picture: SNS

The players sent an email to the board and the council of the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) which Scotland on Sunday has seen. In the missive, sent on 23 March, the players offer their full support to Dingwall.

“We feel the dismissal of Lynsey Dingwall was unfair and unjustified,” the e-mail reads. “Lynsey was part of Edinburgh Rugby for 14 years. Over that period she worked tirelessly with and for the players and was hugely respected within the organisation. Numerous past coaches and players have commented that she was the best team manager that they have ever worked with. We feel she has been the victim of a personal attack.”

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The email goes on to state that the players’ views were not sought at the time the decision was made and furthermore that Davies had refused to meet his own players since showing Dingwall the door. In a damning attack on their own managing director, the players state: “We feel he doesn’t have Edinburgh’s best interests at heart and the players don’t trust him.”

Scotland on Sunday offered Davies the right of reply but an SRU spokesman declined on his behalf and instead offered this statement: “Edinburgh Rugby has been restructuring its back-office functions over recent months and as a result two members of staff have left the business. Edinburgh Rugby thanks them for their contribution to the team’s progress and wishes them well in the future. Everyone connected with Edinburgh Rugby is committed to developing a winning culture on, and off, the pitch and taking the club forward.”

According to one source, on the very same day that the players sent the email to the board and council, they were called into a meeting by SRU boss Mark Dodson, who laid down the law about who ran Scottish Rugby.

The players’ email also mentioned a previous missive from former club physio Dan Moore, who has since returned to his native New Zealand of his own volition. On his final day of work, Moore had also sent a scathing email to the board and council, branding Dingwall’s dismissal “a disgrace” and pointing out that since Davies, pictured, had adopted some of the roles previously filled by the manager there had been a comical waste of money. Davies had booked a bus for Murrayfield when the players had arranged to meet at the airport and on another occasion he booked umpteen bags into the aircraft hold when a man was already driving gear to the away game. In the final paragraph Moore comes to the same damning conclusion regarding Edinburgh’s managing director.

“There is a lack of trust in David Davies amongst staff and players, and people are afraid to speak up due to their job security,” he said.