Really looking forward to getting into pre season training on Tuesday at 1900 on Paddy Freeman's Playing Fields. Sure our Irish, Scottish lads will take great delight in heading to training rather than watch England play football on the tv. The sooner its all over the better !

A great season behind us of incredible league victories, cup finals won and lost, beers consumed. We are now charged with doing it wall again. Huge amounts of work is going on behind the scenes to ensure that recent progress is maintained.

The start of the new season will see some changes at the club as we say goodbye to Nick Arbuckle and Callum Taylor who are moving away for work reasons. In addition, several of our university students who had been playing third and fourth team are heading back home.

However, the top two teams look very strong heading into the new season with great retainment from last season - the best I have known it in the time I have been at the club. In addition, there has been great interest form new players wishing to come to pre season and/or join us at the start of the league campaign.

Pre season schedule looks fantastic and it is hoped that more meaningful training will take place. I have tried for the past two seasons to train against other clubs and I hope that this will be the pre season that it occurs. A couple of clubs seem keen to make this happen and understand that it would be mutually beneficial - watch this space.

Coaching support will continue to be provided from Newcastle Falcons in Rob Vickers and Callum Green. Support will again come from Gareth Bowden, Graeme Cooper, Andy Holman and it its hoped that ex Gosforth player Rob Snow (Head of Rugby at Kings School, Tynemouth) will be added to the group.

Pre season fixtures are almost all finalised with matches against Gosforth and Morpeth prior to our league campaign starting at West Hartlepool. We are also hoping to have some friendlies for our 2/3/4's before their season begins.

Hope to see you all on Tuesday for some touch games before pre season begins in earnest on Thursday.