We started the season with 16 players, they say small is beautiful so compared to other teams in the area we must be gorgeous! One really nice fact is that this meant we hadn’t lost a single player from last year.

Summer training was abruptly ended by the Manchester Festival, of course it is the same for everyone, but we were just not ready and with numerous absentees we struggled.

Lessons must have be learned though, a week later we went up to Rossendale and won their festival!

The season was noticeably tougher than the previous year but we managed to continue to win our Sunday fixtures on aggregate scores, however, the dreadful weather and numerous cancellations and lack of training meant that our rate of improvement seemed to lag behind some of our peers.

As Winter turned to Spring we started to see our rugby improving and we were winning in style again.

The early Easter saw us off on tour to Gloucestershire at the start of April, the bonding experience for dads and lads was fantastic and when we played and beat a mixed aged feeder team for Gloucester we produced our most impressive performances ever.

Festival season was too much, we had three in the calendar and were then told we had been overlooked for the Cheshire Cup but were given a last minute invite meaning four tournaments in a row.

Our boys have a problem, they talk themselves out of games before they kick off, they continually look at who else is there and what tries they’ve scored and decide they are going to get beaten…we need a sports psychologist in the coaching staff!

Regardless, Preston, we won our group and won the Plate Final, Cheshire Cup…no comment, Vale of Lune, won our group, gave away the semi, Rochdale, won our group, gave away the final!

Was it a great season, heck yes, silverware, tour, across the board increase in skills and knowledge and four new players who joined in the year and have added to our squad tremendously.

N.B. If anybody in Year 6 Sep 16 would like to join the squad please email nickr@imago.gb.com

Nick Roberts