Season 2007/8 was a tough one for the Club. Having
finished third in the league the previous season, there
were genuine grounds for optimism on the playing side.
But perhaps where we had the rub of the green with fixates
and results that season, last season they went against
us, with teams wining matches later in the season that
earlier results suggest they should have lost. But we
can’t moan - that’s the way things are.
Our fate was still in our hands and we blew it, ending
up with our first relegation since the very first league
season back in 1831.
Laurence White also decided to leave the Club at the
end of the season and we wish him well at Cambridge.
He will certainly be missed on the pitch and he has
helped the Club move towards a more professional status.
There were times when having a coach who is also a player
was difficult and the Committee was mindful of that
when looking for a replacement coach for next season.
After a long search, we have appointed Chris Greenslade,
who took up the post on 1st July. Chris has done a lot
of coaching in the tough rugby world of the West Country
and elsewhere and I am sure will bring a fresh attitude
to our play. We have also recruited players, all on
recommendation from current members and we now have
a squad that can push for promotion back to Midlands
One next season.
But for now we are back in Midlands East 2. I am sure
that it will be a tough league to get out of, just as
it was last time. There we are joined by Ampthill and
Leighton Buzzard as they continue their rise back up
and I am sure that they will both be keen to reverse
results of our recent meetings.
Towards the end of the season, Tim Allsopp had to stand
down as Treasurer due to ill health. I am pleased to
say that Tim is well on the road to recovery, but it
was a bit of a shock to the Club and set us back a bit.
Steve Carline stepped up to help the Committee understand
the financial situation. This took some time and that
is why we decided to delay the AGM. We wanted to make
sure that we could present the true situation to the
Club. A lot of hard work by Steve and others means that
we now have a clear understanding of where we are, which
is not a good place, but also a clear plan of how to
make things better. This will have been presented at
the preceding EGM and hopefully the plan suggested has
been approved. Though the current situation is bleak,
I believe that the future is not.
One of the main reasons for that is the continuing
good health of the youth section. Many sides are outstanding
and there are some real stars of the future there. Some
of last year’s Academy played first team rugby
and showed that they can hold their own against the
best of Midlands 1. Paul Jerome has stood down as Chairman
of that section and deserves thanks for the progress
made under his leadership. Next season Martin Morris
is in charge and he rejoins the main committee. I am
sure he will stamp his own style on the teams and they
will flourish further still.
The Club is now at a crossroads. We can learn from
the lessons of last season and kick back upwards, or
we can stagnate and decline. The Committee are serious
in their attempts to bounce straight back, but it needs
everyone’s help. It won’t happen just because
those in charge want it to. Everyone needs to want to
and everyone must do their bit.
Paul Freeman
Honorary General Secretary
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