John Willis officially stepped aside as Novos President at the AGM after a hugely successful two years in the role. Under John's tenure the club was hugely successful both on and off the pitch.

Notably, the 2nd and 3rd XV's won their respective cup competitions; the 1st XV won the Senior Plate for the first time and achieved their highest league finish since 1999; the Ladies finished in their highest league standing since the mid 1990s and provided the "backbone" of the County squad; Northumberland Senior County had their first Novo's in the squad since 1995 and the junior section continues to grow and progress!

John hands over the presidency to "one of my Novos heroes" and stated "I was Team Manager when we last played in the final of the Northumberland Senior Cup (1992) and Tommy played in the centre. Although we came a close second to Tynedale, the whole team were heroes that day and Tommy never missed a tackle. I know Tommy will do an excellent job as our President and I wish him well and hope he has a memorable and enjoyable two years!"

We thank John for his service and wish him well on the balcony in the ensuing years! However, who is our new President? Who is President Wilson? And will our incumbent ever forgive Tom Jackson?

President Wilson settles down in a darkly lit room in West Kent and sends us his thoughts:

"I hope that everyone is looking forward to throwing themselves fully into another successful season at our fantastic club! I am glad to hear that training is back in earnest again - I've so far managed one training session and once those fine fellows from St John's Ambulance get their oxygen tent set up at Paddy Freeman's Park again I'll be back for another of Magnus' well-crafted evenings.

I also hope everyone, old and new to the club, has got the first weekend in August firmly marked in their diaries for Novos' extravaganza weekend of rugby?! There will be games for all ages and abilities and we will continue on throughout the weekend. There will of course be the added attraction of our very own beer festival- you really do need to be there!

I first joined Novos in November 1985 when I hadn't fully recovered from an ankle ligament injury just before leaving for the old Poly. I didn't do much more than dabble with the club until I got some fitness back that following summer. I joined properly in August 1990, after moving back into the glorious North East after a few years in Edinburgh getting married and stuff"

Asked why he picked Novos over many other clubs in the area, President Wilson recounts that "I already knew about the club, it was close to home, training was good fun and Gus Walker used to buy me a pint in the Collingwood". Wilson asserted that his proudest moment as a Novo was and has continued to be: "playing many times with the infant sons (especially our first game together in September 2009). However there has been loads of other instances when your teammates, whether from 1st XV to the 4th XV, turns over opposition that were sure they would beat you".

When pressed further on old memories of his time at the club Wilson quipped that the funniest moment he has witnessed was "Jimmy Desmond reading braille to Graham Ward in Prague in 2007". Of course delving back into the time machine, many recall the commentary from 1991-92 when Tommy knocked the ball on when a sure try was to be converted. Wilson stated that "the pair of silver tongued wordsmiths, Nicholson and Shoesmith, can be forgiven for anything!"

Fast forward to 8 minutes within the video to see Tommy and the commentary...

His mind fully nostalgic, Wilson then commented on his worst injury whilst at Novos and recalls that it was to his pride! He remembers "being left for dead after having a huge head start in finishing a boat race against Tom Jackson and being well beaten in the end - though he is a true legend! Of course I forgive him!"

President Wilson ended the interview early rushing off to Carlisle to gather reconnaissance for further Centurions Tours at the strict request of messrs Carlin, Croft and Strange. As he left the room he stated his Presidential manifesto for Novocastrians: "You can expect me to bore the pants off you all with old s***e and hopefully to get a few more of the similarly distinguished and mature thoroughbreds that used to gallop around Sutherland Park in the 90s and 00s out to cheer today's boys on - the quality of rugby that is usually on display this past season or two is very enjoyable. I am however, deeply concerned at my general lack of juvenile idiocy over the past season or two and do plan to rectify that in the coming months."

The final question poised to the new President was to ask him "What he wants to be when he grows up?" His response, to Novocastrain delectation was "I have very little intention of growing up if I can help it!"