A warm welcome to Mansfield Rugby Club,

Firstly, congratulations to Steve Shaw, Keith Calladine and the First Team Squad for an outstanding unbeaten league season resulting in our promotion back into Midlands Division Two (East). Any club that has experienced relegation will know that to go straight back up at your first attempt is no mean feat and everyone involved is to be congratulated.

This means of course that the task this year will be much more difficult and there are some old acquaintances that will be renewed this season – it is sure to be competitive!

The most significant development off the field of course is the completion of our floodlight project. This is an excellent facility and we are very proud to be able to provide three floodlit pitches and a floodlit rubber crumb training surface. I would like to take this opportunity to pass on our grateful thanks to Maurice Hawkins of AIPS Insurance who are our First Team Squad sponsors and have been the main sponsor for our floodlight fundraising activities. Without the help and support they have given this project may not have happened.

Thanks also go to all those who have taken part in various fundraising events to help pay for the floodlights. These events vary from a cold and damp Speedo Santa Fun Run and 30 mile bike rides around Sherwood Forest to sponsored dieting and raffles. Thank you!

In April we played our ‘Mother’ club Southwell RUFC for the Ted Lane Memorial Trophy in memory of our Founder President. My thanks to the players and committee of Southwell Rugby Club for making this a memorable event and for providing a game that we have both agreed will now be played on an annual basis.

Sadly, we said goodbye to three friends this year. Kevin Swithenbank who was a long serving committee man and Fixture Secretary for many years and former NLD President. Also Eddie Phillips and Sam Smith who were both founder members of the club and great friends. We shall miss them greatly.

In the spirit of moving forward, we were delighted to be able to invest Alan Shaw as our new President on April 23rd, which is the anniversary of the club’s first ever committee meeting held in 1956. Alan and Ted were lifelong friends and as a founder member of the club it is rather fitting that Alan should take over the reigns as President. Alan also celebrated his 80th birthday in July and has still not been bested in a trifle eating contest! 

Best wishes to our opposition today for an entertaining game. You will be warmly greeted and win, lose or draw we shall enjoy a pint after the game.

Although an emotional year off the field, winning promotion was a fitting tribute to the memory of our absent friends. I would therefore like to suggest that after the game although we shall no doubt toast the players of today, we should also take time to remember fondly those of yesterday who all contributed to making the club what it is today.

In closing, I read a report the other day all about beer killing off brain cells but Kev and Cozzy assure me that it only kills off the weak ones, so therefore we can conclude that drinking is good for you. Cheers!

Andy Foster
Chairman ~ Mansfield Rugby Club