By David Parsons
Tributes have been paid from across Welsh rugby to Glanmor Griffiths, the founding father of the Principality Stadium, who has died at the age of 83.
During his time as treasurer, chair and president of the Welsh Rugby Union he became a towering and sometimes controversial figure who became known throughout Wales simply as ‘Glanmor’.
It was his drive and steely determination to deliver the Millennium Stadium project, as it was originally known, on time and within budget that enabled Wales to host the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
Many thought it was an impossible task to get the building ready for the tournament, but he confounded the ‘Doubting Thomases’ by delivering on time for the opening game between Wales and Argentina.
“Welsh rugby owes Glanmor Griffiths a huge debt for all his work on delivering what is now Principality Stadium. At the time it was one of the biggest engineering projects in western Europe and what it has delivered to the nation since 1999 has been incredible,” said WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood.
https://twitter.com/WelshRugbyUnion/status/1706640671958823220?s=20
“Having filled three of the highest chains of office at the WRU – treasurer, chair and President – over a period of more than 20 years of service to the game in Wales, his imprint will forever be evident in the history of the WRU.
Over time it has become the most iconic building in Wales that has delivered a near £3 billion financial return to the Welsh economy.
It has been the bedrock of record financial returns for the WRU in recent years, and it cost a mere £130m compared to the near £1 billion it cost to rebuild Wembley Stadium.
Griffiths’ shrewd negotiating skills enabled Wales to host games at both the 2007 and 2015 World Cups under a reciprocity agreement, and his securing of a fixed price contract for design, build and delivery of the Stadium proved a masterstroke.
Adrian Ewer, the group financial chairman of John Laing plc, admitted in 1999 that the £26m losses his company incurred were down to building the stadium. “We got it wrong in the bidding,” he admitted when referring to the guaranteed maximum price negotiated by Glanmor.
Earlier in his reign as treasurer he resigned on 3 December 1992, yet by April 1993 he had been re-appointed by the clubs at a Special General Meeting.
Sad news to report today. Welsh rugby giant Glanmor Griffiths dies. RIP to a towering figure https://t.co/ZEpomoJaFL
— WalesOnline Rugby (@WalesRugby) September 26, 2023
Griffiths followed in the footsteps of Vernon Pugh as WRU chair, a post he held between 1996-2003, and was also chair of Millennium Stadium plc up to 2003.
He also represented the WRU on the International Rugby Board, Five Nations and Four Home Unions committees and was a board member of Rugby World Cup Ltd.
He was a trustee of the Rugby Charitable Trust between 1985 and 2003. He became the 48th WRU president between May-October 2007 in the wake of the death of Keith Rowlands.
Born on 21 December 1939 in Bridgend as the third of seven children, he initially lived in Blackmill. He went to Ogmore Grammar School but left at 16 to join the Midland Bank.
His career at the bank took him to Paddock Wood, Tonypandy, Llandough, Bridgend and then to Ascot, while he was working in London. Having met his future wife, Mair, at a dance in Porthcawl, they married in 1964 and had four children.
When Mair developed breast cancer in the early eighties the family returned to south Wales, where Griffiths became a bank manager in Cardiff and then Midland Bank Corporate Director (Wales).
He took early retirement at the age of 50 and in 1985 turned all his energies into Welsh rugby when he became treasurer of the WRU in succession to Ken Harris.
Glanmor Griffiths got Principality Stadium built for just £121m with a fixed contract, Wembley cost £798. It was best off field decision WRU has made with events bringing untold millions into Wales. Yet Glan never got the medal his foresight & drive deserved https://t.co/MsafayqTF9
— Andy Howell (@andyhowellsport) September 26, 2023
In the week before the Stadium staged its first game, a test event against South Africa on 26 June 1999, Griffiths arranged for some posts to be erected, and invited Neil Jenkins to become the first player to kick at the new home of Welsh rugby.
“I wanted the first points, so to speak, at the new stadium to be kicked by a Welshman,” he said.
He needn’t have worried. Wales beat the Springboks for the first time in their history a few days later with Jenkins notching the first points and Mark Taylor scoring the first try in a sensational 29-19 victory.
Griffiths is survived by his wife, four children (Stephen, Kathryn, Susan and Judith), 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
GLANMOR GRIFFITHS ON THE BUILDING THE STADIUM:
““You had to go back to 1994 for the first discussions about what we were going to do with the old National Ground, Cardiff Arms Park.
Famous it might have been, but it was getting tired and out of date. The capacity was only 49,000 – 42,000 seated and 7,000 standing – and the hospitality and toilet facilities were simply not good enough.
“Some wanted to tinker around with the existing stadium, but the bigger plan was to create something that would be the envy of the sporting world. To get to Plan B we needed the full support of the WRU clubs.
“Their vote in backing our brave new world should never be underestimated. They knew money would be tight until the stadium began to deliver, but just look at what the returns are these days.”
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