Northern Rovers Football club was formed in November 2020 through the merger of Forrest Hill Milford AFC and Glenfield Rovers AFC. The merger was, in part, due to the rising cost of sports participation, by merging the clubs we would be able to share resources thus becoming more efficient and able to offer better value to members. Other key reasons include having greater numbers across all ages to create better pathways and being able to meet requirements set by NZF & NRF for development centres and the highest leagues to participate in.
BOARD
The Board Membership voted at the May 2023 AGM is:
| Board Member | Board Member | Board Member - Co-opted |
|---|
| Board Member & Chair - Dean Dodds | Board Member - James Heasley | Board Member - Cole Hinton |
| Board Member & President - Mike Pirovich | Board Member - Dave Crombie | Board Member - Reilly O'Meagher |
| Board Member & Treasurer - Greg Hanton | Board Member - Nigel Taylor |
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| Board Member - Jay Bracken | Board Member - Raquel Dukic |
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SUB-COMMITTEES
The Board has established two sub-committees to help support the NRFC Team in the delivery of our programmes and engagement with our members:
Football Committee – Lead by Jay Bracken
To provide advice and guidance to the delivery of the NZ Football Community & Development Pathways for players & coaches: Skill Centre, Talent Development Programme, First Kicks, Junior, Youth & Senior teams.
Commercial Committee – Led by Nigel Taylor
To develop and implement commercial opportunities and activations, including sponsorship, signage and venue hire.
BOARD MEMBERS
Cole Hinton
Cole first came to McFetridge Park as a new-born baby, supporting his parents who both played for Glenfield Rovers. His mother socially, his father since he was a boy, playing through the grades to 1st team, then coaching the Premiers for 18 years to multiple Premier League titles. John Hinton was also a Board Member and Life Member of Glenfield Rovers. Cole started playing midgets at 5 and played through the grades until U19s, then socially at Summer Sevens.
Cole has been a Board Member off and on for more than a decade, taking over as Chairman of Glenfield Rovers at the beginning of 2020. Cole worked closely and led the amalgamation working group, which delivered the Northern Rovers Football Club and successfully helped merge the clubs. Cole sat as Chair for Northern Rovers in its inception. Cole works in sports broadcasting, as a leader for Sky, has studied to achieve an MBA and is a member of the Institute of Directors.
Dave Crombie
Dave started football aged 5 at Glenfield Rovers, playing for 9 seasons before moving to ECB and Takapuna. Work stints in Wellington and Sydney were followed by a return to Auckland in 1997 , were he joined Forrest Hill Milford and remained a member there for 23 years until the merger in 2020. During his time at FHM Dave has been a player, coach, convenor, manager, committee member, Board Member and in the last 5 years Club Chairman. Dave is a life member of FHM/ NRFC and a life member of NRF
In his business life Dave has been a Foreign Currency dealer since 1986 and is a partner at Collinson & Co LTD, a current Club sponsor. Dave's vision for NRFC is to bring two successful clubs together as one and provide a great environment for its members to enjoy their football.
Dean Dodds – Chair
After a successful career playing overseas in Europe and the USA as well as captaining the NZ U23 Olympic team Dean first walked through the doors at McFetridge Park in 2002 winning the Northern Premier league in Consecutive years and also being awarded Northern League player of the year. After nearly 200 games for the men’s first team, retirement beckoned to focus on a “real” job and a young family. More recently with 2 young daughters “showing an interest “ in football he became involved at FHM as a volunteer coach for a number of years before the merger of the 2 clubs.
Professionally Dean has had a corporate career with large corporates such as Dulux and Carter Holt Harvey holding senior managerial positions at both. More recently Dean has become part owner of Parmco appliances in the small to medium enterprise space. His focus and passion for being involved on the board is squarely centred around the delivery of quality and enduring facilities for members to enjoy for years to come but above also else having Fun!
Greg Hanton – Treasurer
Greg has been involved with Forrest Hill Milford since 2011, and over the years has supported two football-playing daughters. He has been heavily involved in female football including roles as team manager, convener, and board member, across all the grades from first kicks onwards. His youngest daughter currently plays for the Northern Rovers U13 team.
Greg was very encouraging of the amalgamation of Glenfield Rovers and Forrest Hill and is passionate about providing kids with a safe and supportive football environment where enjoyment is the key focus.
Greg is a chartered engineer and accountant (UK qualified), and alongside his wife has co-founded a handful of accounting firms in the UK, and an accounting software start-up Simplifi.
James Heasley
James came to Rovers in 2016, firstly as a player where he has won multiple trophies with the mighty Roosters! Since his arrival at McFetridge his involvement in the club has evolved, from player to player and manager of his daughters first kicks team...to now player, manager and board member.
James has a background in engineering and is an Incorporated Engineer as well as member of the Instituition of Engineering and Technology. Asked to join the board in 2022, James brings experience in project management, governance and strategic leadership.
Jay Bracken
Jay has been a member at Glenfield Rovers for over 10 years and has been involved as a Board member, Coach, First kicks coordinator/coach, senior liaison, Bar man and first team player.
Jay was a keen advocate of the formation of Northern Rovers, wanting to see the club continue to grow and develop. He is passionate about developing a professional, state of the art football facility that meets the needs of all members and the wider community.
With his business partner Tommy Webb, he is involved in leading the development plans for the facilities at both Becroft and McFetridge Parks as well as being a Club Sponsor through B&W Property Services.
Mike Pirovich – President
Mike first joined GRAFC as a youth player in 1972 and played all his senior football at GRAFC. Youth, reserves, 1st team, over 30’s and over 35’s accumulating 50 years at the club as a player and last 3 years just as a Board Member. Initially mainly involved as a player. Initially invited to join the GRAFC Board in 2005, was GRAFC treasurer for three years and a regular Board Member since as well as a year on the Board of the Football Federation. Mike’s background is as an accountant, a business owner and a Rovers man, not necessarily in that order. He has over 10 years of sports club management experience, mainly as a Board Member, but he also managed a squash club for two years.
Sport has been Mike’s passion in life, sport combined with friendship and camaraderie. He continues to be involved because he wants others to share the positive experiences, he enjoyed playing the game and being part of a club.
Mike strongly supported the merger of GRAFC and FHM, supporting his belief and commitment to the community and its people. I also believe we should enjoy what we do, including having fun. And that we should aim to be the best we can be. Long live the Mighty Rovers.
Nigel Taylor
First joined FHM as a junior player in 1988 for 6 years. Currently has 3 boys, Ethan 7, Eli 12 and Isaiah 14 currently playing for a combined 20 years at the Club. Nigel has been involved within the club as a player, manager, coach, referee, volunteer and of course a parent. He has a passion to ensure all kids have a platform to express themselves, a pitch ready to be played on every weekend and an opportunity to learn and grow.
Nigel has a background in commercial strategy, customer service and business management. He’s experienced in setting strategies, communicating and executing as part of a team, with the ability to form strong meaningful relationships and build engagement. He was motivated to join the Board to ensure we create a culture and direction that is inclusive to every member and any potential members
Raquel Dukic - Secretary
Reilley O'Meagher
Reilly first moved to Auckland in 2013 from Napier. Auckland was the ideal place Reilly to pursue both academic and football ambitions – Massey University offering a sport science degree and Auckland hosting the large share of best players and teams in the country to compete against. Signing for Glenfield, Reilly played first team football winning promotion to the Northern Prem and then winning the league in Glenfield’s first season back up.
With injuries slowing down the football, Reilly focussed on his academic career whilst still coaching football, working as a strength and conditioning coach, before eventually working as a sport scientist for the Football Ferns across one World Cup and one Olympic Campaign. Understanding the high-performance pathway in New Zealand, Reilly is eager to understand more about the grass roots side of the game and how we can create opportunities for more players to not just fulfil their potential, but stay enjoying the game they love at any level.
OFFICERS – RULE 19
President – Mike Pirovich
Secretary – Raquel Dukic
Treasurer – Greg Hanton
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