Sports clubs use the period between the end of one season and the start of the next campaign to take stock and plan ahead. Inevitably there is a churn of players with the excitement of new recruits and the retirement of others. Clifton also has a proud history of players moving on to progress to the top level of the game
Clifton Rugby Club’s Chairman Aftab “Tabby “ Hamid and newly appointed Director of Rugby Paul “Finks” Fincken are both highly optimistic for the September kick off as their club plans for their return to National League West with matches across a league stretching from Cheshire to Redruth in Cornwall
Both are former Clifton 1st XV stalwarts steeped in all things Clifton on and off the pitch.
Aftab comments: “After the promotion we always knew it was a tough ask to stay in NationalLeague1. We did defeat Rosslyn Park , league leaders at the time, and achieved home and away doubles over Leicester Lions and Sedgley Park. A highlight was the double over local rivals Dings Crusaders. Unlike most of other clubs our loyalty was not to be dependent on long term loan players from Premiership clubs.”
The club had the shock of losing Director of Rugby, club legend and friend Matt Salter.Tributes have been paid how his contribution enabled the club to compete in Aftab’s words “against city sides with massive budgets like Leeds and Plymouth with huge inputs of dual registered players from Premiership clubs.”
Keeping home-grown players is fundamental to Clifton’s outstanding club spirit across all teams and Paul Fincken adds: “Prospects look good. We’ve had a busy few weeks and months retaining the majority of the current squad and bringing in some exciting new signing. National West is a competitive league, and many teams can beat anyone on the day and aim for promotion to National One. It will be a tough ask of players, the club and supporters and that is our overall goal we are aligned towards. We look forward to a competitive season”
Preseason training began at the end of June with players of all abilities welcome to compete for places in the three senior teams. The second team, the Wanderers, were highly placed in the Counties One league last season and the third XV turned in some high scoring outings in a local Gloucestershire league. All new players receive kit bundles and are sure of a warm reception on and off the pitch in Clifton’s traditional manner.
Roger Opie
