A TALE OF TWO CITIES

With former Hawk Kenny Baillie i/c in Glasgow Edinburgh have now appointed Craig Docherty as Chief Executive of Edinburgh
Craig who played with Glasgow High is the son of former Glasgow HSFP legend Jimmie Docherty who helped seal a historic 14-8 win over Wales at Murrayfield in 1955 which brought Scotland's 19 losses in a row to an end

dinburgh Rugby are delighted to confirm that Craig Docherty has been appointed Chief Executive of the club. The 48-year-old, who has extensive experience and contacts in Edinburgh’s business and rugby circles, has fulfilled the role in an interim capacity for the past two months and today agreed to succeed Nic Cartwright on a permanent basis.
In conjunction with his brother Graham, Docherty has run his own sports retail business in the capital for the past 20 years, while also being involved in club and university rugby as a player, coach and administrator. Previously Scottish Rugby’s commercial manager, he is relishing the challenge of consolidating Edinburgh’s position as a leading player in the Magners League and Heineken Cup.
Docherty told www.edinburghrugby.org: “I’m incredibly proud and very excited to be given this opportunity. The club have been on an upwards curve both on and off the field in the last few years, and I feel I’m well placed to develop and improve upon that trend. I know how Edinburgh works in a commercial and a rugby sense, and I’ll be tapping into that knowledge and those contacts to make sure we move forward as one. We’re a rugby city and we’re a commercial city: my job is to bring the two strands together.”
Gordon McKie, Scottish Rugby’s Chief Executive, today welcomed Docherty’s appointment, believing him to be the “right man to continue the growth” of the club. He said: “I'm delighted to have Craig on board. He is well known and well respected in the city's rugby and business spheres, which leaves him perfectly placed to hit the ground running and ensure real progress is made in the club's efforts to keep engaging the people of Edinburgh and giving them a team to be proud of.

“These are exciting times for the club. We're all looking forward to seeing their new recruits in action, and I'm convinced they will each add something to what was already a gifted squad. Craig's task will be to help the club capitalise on their position as a team who represent the whole of Edinburgh across the UK and Ireland and beyond.

“We were extremely pleased with the calibre of candidate we encountered in the interview process, but Craig ticked more boxes than any other applicant from both a rugby and a commercial perspective. It's fantastic news that he has taken on this challenge.”

Docherty’s first chance to introduce himself to Edinburgh supporters comes with the glamour pre-season game against London Irish at Murrayfield on Friday 27 August (kick-off 7.30pm). The match is the first in a string of pre-Christmas Friday night dates at the national stadium, the club having secured a consistent slot for the first five rounds of home Magners League action.
Hailing this development, Docherty said: “It’s great for supporters to be able to plan their lives in the knowledge they’ll be finding us in the same place at the same time. Coming along to a top-class Magners League match at 7.05pm on a Friday night is the perfect way for people to start their weekend, and I think it will also be conducive to producing a really good atmosphere for the players to perform in. We have a great product here, and now we’ve got the ideal slot in which to offer it as well.”
Docherty, who was educated at Hutchesons’ Grammar School and Strathclyde University, has lived and worked in Edinburgh since 1989. He spent the previous four years working first as an audit supervisor in Hong Kong then as an audit manager in Sydney, Australia.
His main commercial focus in the Scottish capital has been Thompson’s Intersport, the sports and schoolwear retailer whose premises are sited on Elm Row. Docherty was responsible for all aspects of day-to-day operations at the firm, including buying, distribution, HR, marketing and administration.
Under his guidance, the company achieved and maintained membership of Intersport, the world’s largest independent sports retailer, and Docherty was subsequently selected to be a member of its e-commerce steering committee and its UK board. Thompson’s were also granted the contract for schoolwear vouchers by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Rugby-wise, Docherty’s credentials are similarly impressive. A stand-off/centre, he played club rugby for Glasgow High, Stewart’s Melville and Murrayfield Wanderers, and represented Hong Kong in the Hong Kong 7s, Dubai 7s, Sydney 7s as well as the Asian Games.
Between 1998 and 2002, he coached the Edinburgh University 1st XV and he has also had two stints coaching Stewart’s Melville. Docherty’s sons represented the school in last season’s Brewin Dolphin Scottish Schools Cup, while his father, James “JT” Docherty won eight Scotland caps at centre between 1955 and 1958, contributing to wins over Australia, France and Wales.
Docherty junior said: “I’m thrilled to be working at the top level of a sport I’ve always had an affinity with. I will be doing everything in my power to make a success of the opportunity.”

This article was originally posted on 10-Aug-2010, 06:55 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 10-Aug-2010, 11:01.