WELCOME...to you all. The excitement has been building up these past few weeks and at last it's here – the season has started! It's grand to be back in the swing of things after the summer break and to everyone, players, members, supporters and visitors, let me offer you a very warm welcome to Acklam Park, particularly if this is your first visit. This year we will again travel the length and breadth of Yorkshire, having been transferred back into Yorkshire 1, but to kick off the season we are at home to Moortown in the first round of the Yorkshire Shield.

Interestingly whoever wins tonight could well meet our close neighbours Redcar in the next round, who were here last week for the first of our pre-season friendlies. As the result of a few new adjustments to the Shield the competition will be contested by clubs in Y1 and D/N1; Redcar, newly promoted into D/N1, will play Keighley at home in the first round for the honour of hosting tonight's winners. But back to our visitors...

WELCOME...to everyone from Moortown; it gives me a great deal of pleasure to offer you the warmest of welcomes. We'll see and hear a lot more of Moortown before the season is out as they have just been promoted into Y1. The whole Club enjoyed a quite remarkable season last year, making history when all three senior sides not only secured promotion but did so by winning every single game in their respective leagues. The first team completed their campaign in Y2 with a tally a 1080 points and the best defensive record in the league; the second team were crowned Yorkshire Merit Central & North League champions and the third team clinched the title in the Central-North Merit Table with three games remaining. Wow!! Many congratulations and a huge 'Well Done' from all of us. We hope your success continues this season – although we hope you don't go through the season unbeaten...!

WELCOME...back to Andrew Baggett, a warrior who we are delighted has returned to Acklam Park as our player/coach. He left us first for Wharfedale and then Blaydon, accumulating record-breaking appearances (432) and points (1707) along the way. A superb player and highly qualified coach we are extremely pleased he has returned. I have fond memories of watching the Baggett Boys – Neil is also a player with sublime skills but moved 'Down South' – and it's great to see Andy back in our colours.
To complete the leadership of our playing structure I am also pleased to welcome Steve Todd as Director of Rugby. Steve has been involved in our activities for many years and fully understands our history and traditions. The pair make a fine team and replace our previous 'Dynamic Duo' of Shaun Cassidy and Andy Duff. Last season we scored a lot of mesmerising tries from every part of the pitch, many from our own half, and I thank Shaun and Andy, who deserve every praise for their dedication and commitment.
LEAGUE RUGBY As I said above we will compete in Y1 this season. We didn't think the decision was a foregone conclusion as information published in March said that the RFU North Competitions Committee (District Organising Committee) are concerned that the burden of Level Transfer imposed on a single club...could be regarded as an unfair and significant disadvantage and that this is particularly so when other club(s) in close proximity could also reasonably make the required move.
“RFU Regulation 13.2.11(g) allows the DOC to vary the strict application of ‘Lowest Total Mileage’ and nominate another Club for Level Transfer, which would remove or reduce the significant disadvantage for the benefit of the game of rugby union football in the locality. The DOC have formed the view that this principle would be served if the burden of a Level Transfer is shared from one season to the next between clubs located close to each other.”
When we queried the decision to transfer us for a second time, quoting this new regulation, we were told that on this occasion the NCC decided not to implement the regulation for the 2017-2018 season, opting instead to consider the end of the 2017-2018 season as the starting point to implement the new provisions. They decided that giving all Clubs at least one year’s notice of the possible change would be a fairer way of introducing it. So there.
PRE-SEASON What an enjoyable pre-season it's been! We've seen record numbers at mid-week training and then going on to weekend energy-sapping drills in the dunes at Redcar, and we've had two successful games, against Redcar and Northern, both clubs promoted as table-toppers. We played Redcar mid-week with a big pool of players from all senior sides, including the Colts, but our visitors came out with all guns blazing and galloped into a 12 point lead before we established some authority to finish with a 31-19 victory.
On Saturday at Northern we stated strongly and took a 0-17 lead before our opponents drew level at 17-all; we then returned to our former strength and finished with a flourish to win 17-43. Again we fielded a mix of players, with Sean Moloney at his marauding best to score a hat trick of tries in each match. At the same time the 'A' team entertained Bishop Auckland and won 42-22. Bishop turned up a few players short, not that it mattered; in the true spirit of rugby we mixed and matched the teams for a proper game.
Please note we have another and final pre-season run-out tomorrow afternoon, when Guisborough will be our guests. This will be followed on Saturday 2 September by our first league game of the new campaign, at home to Heath. Your attendance will be very welcome!

CLUB NEWS Many congratulations to Keiran Clark and Conner Foley on their appearances for Durham County in the County Championship last season. Just take a peek of them standing shoulder to shoulder in the photograph on page 9. Keiran has certainly had a stellar start to his playing career. Having played for Durham U18s as a 16 year-old and then for the U20s and the full County team as an 18 year-old. It was also heartening to see former Boro Juniors Adam Radwan and Ben Stevenson featuring so prominently in the Singha Premiership Rugby 7s in Northampton.

I am pleased to report that our 4th Annual BeerFest was another great success; getting bigger and better every year the Exotic Gin Bar did a roaring trade, the Hog Roast sold out and the ciders and beers just about lasted until close of play – even the weather was kind to us and we enjoyed a very pleasant sun-bathed Saturday afternoon. A huge 'thank you' to everyone who came along and joined us over the two days. If you didn't, I urge you to pop along next year, when yet again we will add something new – a prosecco bar!

A couple of weeks before the Beerfest it was a real pleasure to join everyone in the Function Room to surprise Ian Horton at his 65th birthday party; an anchor and stalwart of the Club for many years Ian is one of the good guys. He actually slipped out of the country for his birthday, thinking that by doing so he'd miss any embarrassing celebrations. He should know Kath better than that! He looked totally astonished when he entered the room but he was soon on the floor demonstrating the actions to the Birdie Song. Let me digress just for a moment. My wife Maureen, knowing the high esteem in which I have always held Ian, asked him to say a few words at my 60th birthday get-together in the old Club way back in the mists of time. I'll never ever forget what he said. He said “No.”

REFEREE'S CORNER I am pleased to welcome Peter Stentiford back to Acklam Park this afternoon. Peter is well known to us and has been here many times; in fact he took charge of our Promotion Play-Off match against Malton & Norton two seasons ago. He has been a referee for nine years, being a member of the RFU North Panel, and is northern area representative for Ram Rugby, designers, manufacturers and retailers of rugby equipment