RHYDIAN THOMAS
Chief Executive
Rhydian Thomas, the managing director, a former college lecturer and Head of Campaigns, Promotions and Public Affairs for a national charity, has been working as a sports agent for 20 years, initially on a part-time basis in the field of rugby union, representing professional players, negotiating contracts and facilitating opportunities.
During this period, he obtained RFU Registered agent status, in 2009 (RFURA/09/015), one of the first fifteen agents ever in the UK, although he was representing rugby players since 2002. Rhydian also passed his exam enabling him to become an FA Licensed Agent in March 2004; Since the deregulation of licensed football agents by FIFA on 1st April 2015, he has been an FA Intermediary (IMS000178). In more recent years, he also passed his exam to become a licensed RFL rugby league agent (UK33), in April 2015, and the PCA Cricket agents’ exam, in 2016. Rhydian is also a UK Athletics Licensed Race Agent (3908088) and managed a former World Professional Darts Champion, as he is also a darts agent, having re-registered through the DRA in early 2021.
He has full professional indemnity insurance and clean and enhanced DBS reports, which enable him to deal with young players in rugby union, rugby league, cricket and football.
Since 2015, Rhydian has been a full-time sports management professional, running the GSF company, and focusing on football and rugby union. He currently represents 12 academy and professional footballers, ensuring that he can service all parties with the same level of professionalism. Nine of these clients have signed their second contracts with Rhydian and GSF, while three more clients are on their third successive representation contracts.
During his career, he has represented 8 international rugby players, negotiating all their club contracts and transfers with English Premiership, Pro 14 and English Championship clubs and regions. Indeed, Richard Hibbard, the British Lion, has been with Rhydian for over 18 years, his whole playing career. Over the years, Rhydian has negotiated rugby union playing contracts worth a combined £8m.
He has also negotiated and delivered professional football contracts for clients at Premier League, Championship, League One, National League and Scottish Championship football clubs.
He has FA and PFSA Level 1 certificates in Talent ID, is a qualified UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Adviser and has a Degree (2:1), Masters (MSc) and a Post Graduate Diploma in International Sports Law and is a fluent Spanish speaker.
He is a family man with four children and two grandchildren.
ROGER MALIPHANT
Roger is a golf industry professional with experience of Golf Club Management, Golf Break organisation, Event Management and Golf Scoping Study reports. Substantial experience on the playing side of the game including club and county captaincy along with committee experience from the same period. Keen golf historian but currently more interested in re-generating the interest in the game via modern methods and incentives from renewable energy to speed of play issues.
Most recently, Roger was the Interim Manager of Glynhir Golf Club, Ammanford (2015), where he completed a 4 month consultation period overseeing the installation of the BRS tee booking system, membership renewal period, website creation and establishment of Health and Safety and CASC compliance.
In 2012, Roger was appointed via the Welsh Assembly Government, through a tender from Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Heritage Department, to manage the redevelopment of an historic 9 hole course in the centre of Cyfarthfa Park, in Merthyr Tydfil, home of the Crawshay family - The Short Course project.
Prior to this, Roger founded Dragon Golf Management Ltd (2003-2010), a company established to organise professional golf events and tournaments across the UK. Whilst effective in this goal the company decided to branch out into golf breaks beginning with the UK and eventually organising breaks to Portugal, Spain and France.
Roger was also involved heavily with Ryder Cup 2010 projects and prepared two Scoping Studies highlighting the issues at golf clubs in the immediate vicinity of Celtic Manor Resort and their role in the event. These documents formed an integral part in the grant funding decisions made by the Welsh Assembly Government and tourist bodies involved. At the same time the company were appointed to design and implement a new initiative to generate more incoming golfers to Wales in the run up to the 2010 match. These studies eventually became known as the ‘Greens of Southern Wales’ and were responsible for over half the incoming golfers at the time.
Dragon Golf Management established a number of corporate events across the UK and the most successful of which involved the FSB and an eventual grand final in Portugal.
Roger’s qualifications include an HND in Product Design and IT Business Management and he is currently a member of the Golf Club Managers Association.
From 2006 to 2010, Roger along with Rhydian Thomas ran the first ever professional golf tour in Wales, The Celtic Pro Tour, which staged over 30 events across Wales, Scotland and Ireland, gaining TV exposure on BBC Wales, BBC 2 Wales, S4C, Setanta Sports and Sky Sports.
In 2016, Roger set up Future Golf Ventures Ltd (FGV) with Rhydian and successfully own and manage Swansea Footgolf near Mumbles. FGV is now also the vehicle which manages professional darts players
Roger is a family man with two daughters and is also a Welsh language speaker.
“Today I will do what other's won't, so tomorrow I will do what others can't.”
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