This is our first public AGM since covid, I would firstly like to thank all the Committee for their support & effort that they put into this Club, yes, the Club has survived and flourished in many areas.

The 1st XV narrowly missed out on promotion last year, our 2nd XV finished mid table in a very competitive league. Thanks to Andy Potts and his team for their efforts, and once again our 3rd team managed to get 15 players on the park most Saturday’s. Well done to Dax, not an easy task taking over the reins from Clive who had run the 3rds for many years.

Our Junior section has survived but as with many Clubs since Covid and parental fear of our game our numbers have decreased and it is imperative for the long term future of our Club that we support this section, as we are dependent on the youth of the future having the opportunity to progress through the Club. So we need support in helping run the Committee of the Juniors and more importantly we need support from our 1st & 2nd XV players & ex players to assist in the coaching of these youngsters on Sundays. This has been discussed for many years but has never really materialised so please give your support to this section.

This Club is extremely fortunate to have the financial support of our main benefactor Wayne, also thanks to Streety for his continued support. Thanks also to our Main Sponsor Interfloor Ltd. & the many other companies who support this Club year on year & our own loyal VP’s.

After losing a couple of players at the end of the 2023 season due to the fact they thought the Club lacked ambition it was decided to have a push for promotion out of the league that the Club has been in for 16 years, to this end our head coach Byron managed to secure a few overseas players to help bolster our squad, some of whom are staying another year and we have recruited a few more new faces,

“Success breeds success” and with the exceptional performances last year & the opportunity to see 3 International players playing for Rossendale we saw a huge increase in gate receipts and record numbers attending the pre match lunches. Thanks to Martin, Bulldog & Charlie for your tremendous efforts last season and hoping we can be even more successful this season.

I must also mention Simon Bond for the work he has put in over many years in continuing the work Tony Bolton started. He has vastly improved the playing surfaces of all our pitches here at Marl Pits from being the wettest pitches to now having the best 1st XV pitch in the North West, he is also organising our new seated grandstand that will hopefully be in situ for the start of next season.

To the main point of my message for the forthcoming AGM is the Club is progressing very well on the field and has a good working committee, but as with most Clubs our committee is getting older by the year. Our average age is 67 and we need to drag the committee into the 21st century. We desperately need new younger blood. I would like to see us hold more social function for the Players & Supporters, this helps bring much needed revenue behind the bar. Last Year we did not hold a Sportsman’s Dinner, this lost valuable income for the Club.

I would also like to see the Club being promoted more on social media, something most of the Committee members do not understand but the youth of today do. My thanks to Paul Kilshaw & Matt Ringland for their valuable efforts in this field but they need assistance & valuable content & information on a regular basis. We are also looking for a Press Officer to write & coordinate the match reports for the Free Press.

At the time of writing this message I am not aware of any Officer or Member of the Committee resigning their post but as mentioned we need youth on this committee. It is not an onerous task, in fact it can be quite a rewarding one and that is why most continue in their role.

This is your opportunity to have your say on how you would like to see the Club progress in the future and also offer your assistance, however large or small a contribution you can make, to help promote & sustain this Great Club of ours.

PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR CLUB - EVERBODY WELCOME PLAYERS, SUPPORTERS & SPONSORS.
Nick.