“Robert Elstone MBE the former CEO of Everton and the Super League, who was part of the 1985 team, gave me some great advice at the time that has helped me both personally and professionally. And that alone, if I had gained nothing else from the club would have been worth it. But with as much I have gained I wanted to firstly give back but also ensure the systems and processes were in place to ensure that people could continue to benefit from the club for years to come.“

Mike Ellis, BSc Psychology, 2010, Managing Director 43 Clicks North

Psychology graduate Mike Ellis is grateful for the experiences and connections he has gained from being part of the University of Hull’s Rugby League team. Now, as a graduate, he is supporting the current team as an Alumni Exec, providing continuity of leadership and organisation and helping others have the same great experience that he’s had.

For those who’ve been part of the team throughout the years, you are always part of the old boys network and have a connection with the team today. If you are interested in being involved, helping out then please do get in touch.

One opportunity that we are very excited to announce, and which alumni can support is a new and innovate partnership with the Petro Civoniceva foundation based in Fiji. The partnership has arisen through the re-establishment of the University of Hull Rugby League Alumni network. The launch of the partnership will see an opportunity for up to 5 University of Hull students travel to Fiji to work on placement with the charity for 3 weeks over the summer of 2024.

This unique partnership gives our students the ability to experience another culture while providing a range of valuable personal development and learning opportunities to enhance employability and our students future careers. But our students need financial support to make this a reality. If you would like to find out more and offer your help, then please contact alumni@hull.ac.uk

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Can you tell us about how you came to study at Hull? What was your experience like as a student? 

I came to Hull through clearing. I went to Lincoln University the year before (unsuccessfully) and was back living in Hull working in a call centre during the week and in a bar down Low Gate on the weekends. I didn’t really know what I was going to do, but a few of the staff I was working with at the bar were at the University of Hull. One was also part of the rugby team. 

Not knowing what to do next, I decided to apply through clearing for a course that I enjoyed at college, Psychology. I always wanted to go to university and the friends at work convinced me it would be great. 

My experience was that of a typical student, with plenty of social events and to be honest, the first few years focussed around the rugby team before I got my head down in the third year. I loved my time are Hull and it was most definitely some of the most formative years of my life. 

You became involved in the rugby team at the University of Hull. Can you tell us about your experiences on the team and how they helped to shape and influence you as a person?

As mentioned one of my colleagues at the bar I was working in was the captain of the rugby team. He convinced me to come along and join and was probably the driving force behind my re-attempting university. The group was great, a mixture of young players and a few older lads as well made it a great environment to be in. Some of the best players I have ever played with were part of that team but what probably impacted me more was the fact they were self-governed. I saw lads only a few years older organising a full team, the busses, the socials, the accounts everything. Considering all the fun I was having was generally down to this group of people I found it incredibly inspiring.

This led to me putting myself forward for the committee in my second year, I wanted to be part of the group that I felt was having such an impact on new students’ lives. I was nominated vice-president in my second year, and president in my third year. This responsibility started to teach me skills that supported my career. 

In recent years as an alumnus, you’ve supported the current University of Hull rugby team. Can you tell us how you got involved and why this is important to you?

I’ve always been an active member of the Hull University Rugby League team Alumni, or old boys as we affectionately refer to. The friends that were made at that time have stuck right through my adult life and as such make it easy to keep in touch with the current club, especially with the annual “old boys” event where we have a sportsman’s dinner and play a game of current vs old boys. 

As such it wasn’t hard to hear about what fellow old boys, Steve Curtis and Matt Thompson were doing with the club and through usual pathways we ended up having a chat. We shared ideas and I was invited to help out as an Alumni Exec. My role is there to offer business support to the club, not in a financial role but more to help make it more commercially viable. The challenge any student team has over community teams is that every three years it is a completely new team. This makes constant revenue hard to come by, not to mention that students often need additional finances. 

It was important to me to get involved to ensure the sustainability of the club. I was fortunate when I was a student to have the full team from 1985 attend an Old Boys Dinner and discuss the heritage of the club and the ups and downs that it has had since that point. Robert Elstone MBE the former CEO of Everton and the Super League, who was part of the 1985 team, gave me some great advice at the time that has helped me both personally and professionally. And that alone, if I had gained nothing else from the club would have been worth it. But with as much I have gained I wanted to firstly give back but also ensure the systems and processes were in place to ensure that people could continue to benefit from the club for years to come.   

What role do you think that being in the rugby team can play in the lives of current and future students?

I’m an avid believer in sports playing a big role in teaching individuals soft skills that support careers and professional pursuits, particularly team sports. I am biased towards Rugby League but doing any is well worth it. I have made lifelong friends that have supported me both personally and professionally since I joined, and with the close knit old boys (alumni) network i know there are plenty out there who could reach out to me or I could reach out to to ask for advice if needed. 

Being part of a club gives you an identity, when moving to a new city or just the transition from College to university its important to put down foundations. Sport and Rugby League can be that for so many people. 

Anyone going to university should consider joining a sport club or group (rugby league preferably) just due to the amount of opportunity it opens for you. 

How can other alumni get involved and support this work?

Reach out directly to myself, our Other Alumni Rep Kev Marshell or go direct to Matt Thompson. You can also reach out to us on Facebook through the Old Boys Page. 

In your professional life, you founded and are the Managing director of a marketing agency, 43 Clicks North. Can you tell us about how you came to set up your own company and how you handle the challenges of being a Managing Director?

I set up the company after working in Marketing Agencies since graduating. With an ambition to have more control over the work that was being done and to try and achieve something of my own, I created 43 Clicks North in 2017. 

Running the company is a tough job, don’t think anyone would argue that it isn’t. The last few years in particular have been tough with Covid, the cost of living crisis and recent economic and inflation issues it’s been a roller coaster. Thankfully I have a lot of good people around me. My senior leadership team is very experienced and great at filling the gaps I’m not so great at and keeping me in check. In all honesty, without them, it’s hard to imagine the company would still be here. My advice to anyone looking to set up their own company: its all about people. Know what you are good at, and what you are bad at, and find people who compliment and challenge you. It makes it all a lot easier.