We’re delighted to welcome Haleys Chartered Accountants to Lightfoot Green tomorrow afternoon as our main match sponsors for the 1st XV game with Birmingham Solihull.
Ahead of the game we had a chat with Managing Director Tim Haley to ask him about Haleys but also to get his views on rugby in general.
Who are Haleys CA and what services do you offer?
Haleys Chartered Accountants are a specialist accountancy firm acting for a quality client base comprising established and successful owner managed businesses.
We achieve this by establishing intimate working relationships with the business owners and becoming key trusted advisors on regular as opposed to an ad-hoc basis.
Our key areas of expertise are:
• Production of quality management information
• Promoting business growth through a range of business tools
• Developing corporate structures
• Assisting clients sell their businesses for maximum value
• A range of quality taxation services
Why should Hoppers members consider using Haleys?
Haleys mission is to provide financial, taxation and commercial expertise to established business owners in order to help them increase profitability, maximise capital value, protect their assets and enjoy life to the full.
Our target customers are the owners of an established SME businesses that are frustrated! They’ve taken the business to a certain level but they seem to have hit a wall and not progressed beyond that point. So, we are really interested in where people are now and how we can help them formulate and achieve their personal and business objectives.
The interesting thing is that by showing people how to run a business which is less dependent upon the owners, they can make it more profitable and hugely more valuable.
So, although we provide the traditional services you would expect from an accountancy practice we are really interested in helping businesses grow and using the numbers to plot that growth and help people achieve their aspirations.
What do you like about Hoppers?
Hoppers is a very unique and vibrant community club. Many people when they consider rugby clubs, probably imagine that they are run on an amateur basis with restricted opening times however, unlike the vast majority of businesses Hoppers is open 7 days a week and is a professionally run business with a large work force. We probably have one of the finest chefs in the north of England who produces food that could grace any top hotel or restaurant in London so the quality of the catering facilities at Hoppers is simply magnificent.
In addition, and of particular interest is the very large and very diverse number of people who are connected with the club. Hoppers is not just a rugby club but really a multi sports complex and the premises are used by a wide range of businesses for varies training seminar and entertaining purposes. This means as a result Hoppers has a huge following and many very interesting people walk through the doors.
On top of all this like all rugby clubs, all strangers are welcomed with open arms and therefore it is a very comfortable place to come and spend time.
So if its it to watch sport, play sport, conduct business, make friends or meet business contacts – it has it all!
As a long standing sponsor of the club, what would you say to others looking to sponsor a 1st XV game?
We have a number of business clients who spend a lot of money providing corporate entertainment at the likes of Old Trafford and the MEN – but all have commented on what a wonderful afternoon of entertainment they receive when they have been invited to a sponsored first XV home game. Rugby is an incredibly tough game but the people who watch it are so friendly and so varied.
The sponsorship package offers exceptional value for money. You get quality time with your guests and it’s amazing how many people that you bump into that you didn’t expect when you go to Hoppers.
What connections do Haleys CA have to Hoppers?
Our firm has been instrumental in setting up Hoppers Business network together with Bailey Financial Services, Harrison Drury solicitors, Blue Wren and PGRFC itself and there has been a wide interest in supporting the business networking events that we have put on.
Tim Haley has been connected with the rugby club since 1978 and many people would say that it looks like it too!
The firm just has so many business, family and friendship relations with the club due to the reasons previously described.
Can England win the World Cup next year?
Maybe! I think NZ has some key players who are getting to the end of their carer and with another year to go – it may just be a year too far for them.
England have been playing really well but they are a young developing side and they may just be starting to peak this time next year. It’s interesting that a lot of the good England players are not actually playing particularly well at the moment but I think this will all start coming together during the 6 Nations Championship.
With home support and the whole squad available I think we could aspire to be a finalist. Then who knows.
What is your prediction for the game on Saturday?
Home Win!
Who is your all time favourite player?
I’m afraid that’s like asking you to say who your favourite son or daughter is – there were so many players with different jobs on the field who had their own special qualities. I’m also very mindful that if I don’t name the right person people will stop buying me drinks so I will pass on that one.
As a nod to your Hoppers history can you name the players who fit the descriptions below?
The fastest – No idea, I always so short sighted
The strongest – Neil Leeming
The most skilful – Keith Aitchison
The hardest – Alan Wylie
The funniest – Ken Cunningham
We’d like to thank Tim for talking to the website. We hope that Haleys, their clients and guests have a wonderful time at Lightfoot Green on Saturday.
