IT’S party time at Pownall Park when Wilmslow kick off the new league campaign against New Brighton.
Music and a barbie will greet our visitors for the first game in North Two West on September 13th.
There will be more fine food from the barbecue after the match and live music in the clubhouse.
It’s an afternoon of fun for the Pownall Park faithful as Wilmslow launch their league campaign against New Brighton.
The Lexus Stockport-sponsored Wolves want all the support they can muster to start the season in style.
The club has been spruced up all summer, with the old grandstand demolished and a spanking, refurbished, smaller but more beautiful one in its place.
Work parties have toiled long and hard to get urgent jobs done and groundsman Maurice Minns has the pitch looking beautiful and ready for action. Now it’s time to bring on the rugby and entertain members and supporters.
The barbie is being stoked up and we’re and laying in supplies, including prime sirloin steaks and fabulous fish from the Charlie Levings Emporium which will be available at extremely competitive prices.
The barbecue fires up at lunchtime before the 3pm kick-off and continues post-match until the music starts later in the clubhouse.

Want to know all about the new laws being trialled this season? Well, you don’t have to go to the RFU, the RFU is coming to Wilmslow.
They’re called ELVs – Experimental Law Variations – and the RFU Roadshow to showcase the ins and outs of what’s going on is coming to Wilmslow on Tuesday, August 19th.
Organised by the RFU and delivered by the Referees’ Department, these sessions are going on off-season all around the country in the run-up to 1st September.
There are six sessions in the North West (four in July, two in August) and Wilmslow is hosting the one for Cheshire on August 19th.
According to club chairman John Harries, the show gets going around 6-30pm for about two hours and will be presented by Will Halford – Referee Development Officer (North) with others.
There will be a Powerpoint presentation, handout’s and anticipated lively Q & A.
The evening is open to all – players, coaches, managers, spectators……
There are 23 ‘new’ ELV’s under consideration by the IRB and 13 of these have now been selected to be trialled world-wide.
There will be a follow-up session at Wilmslow on Thursday, September 4th at 7.30pm.
Want to know about lineout numbers? Not sure where to stand behind a scrum or ruck? Forwards, want to know about pulling down a maul? It will all be explained. Be there.
In the meantime, Chopper has come up with the following YouTube site that helps explain them: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya7UyUqkYtU

It’s small, but it’s beautiful, and it’s ready for the new season.
The old grandstand has been swept away – a health hazard and eyesore that had seen better days – and what remains is smaller, but better accommodation for spectators at Pownall Park.
See pictures of the new stand in the gallery (off the pitch/2008/9).
It’s a handsome structure that has risen from the ashes of the old, asbestos-clad stand and perfectly placed to still be around when development work finally takes place on the clubhouse.
The new stand is the jewel in the crown of a series of summer projects that has seen the club spruced up and ready for competition in North 2 West next season.
There’s one last chance to help prepare the club for the new season’s kick-off on September 6th, when the Wolves play Sale in the first round of the Cheshire Cup Vase competition. The final work day of the summer will be on Sunday, August 31st at 10am. Can you spare and hour or two for your club? Come on down!

AS members of Wilmslow Rugby Club, you’re entitled to cost-saving discounts at certain local retail outlets. Check the back of your members handbook (new one will be issued with your 2008/9 subscription)

Lexus Stockport – Mention that you are from Wilmslow Rugby Club when thinking about buying a new car and see if our new sponsor can help get you the deal you deserve.

Gusto, Alderley edge: Members get special discounted rates.

Total Fitness – Members get special discounted rate available all year

Stannylands Hotel – members are entitled to a 10% discount

Water Lane Clinic – take your handbook along and get a discount on physio treatment

The FlowerShop Wilmslow – Ask Ian or David for your 10% discount

O’Connor Promotions – Chris has information on great prices for Wilmslow Rugby Club members

Wild West Rodeo – discount available on orders and further great savings available. Ask for Mike Brown at the club.

RF Footprint Ltd – £500 off any Class 1 Enterprise Wireless Mobility Solution for Wilmslow Rugby Club members.

Lexus Stockport – Mention that you are from Wilmslow Rugby Club when thinking about buying a new car and see if out new sponsor can help get you the deal you deserve.

Club for Hire – Contact Evonne or Keith to see how much it costs to hold a party at the club.

Fancy yourself as a marketing executive? Want to put a little back into the club?
Our advertising, marketing and sponsorship supremo Colin ‘Chopper’ McKevitt needs help to collate advertising and liaise with design houses and sponsor for copy, boards.
And who’s out there on the recruitment front. Chopper’s also on the lookout for help with player and member recruitment.
Contact Chopper on 01625 520750 or mobile 07984 709 495.

A warm welcome to Wilmslow’s new president, Jonty Fallows.
A familiar figure at Pownall Park for many years, he has served the club long and hard in many capacities following a distinguished playing career here at Wilmslow.
If you still don’t recognise him from his few words below, take a look at his pictures in the gallery (off the pitch 2008/9). One you will see in the new handbook, the other shows Jonty in his true light.
Educated at Pownall Hall School Wilmslow and Bromsgrove School, Bromsgrove, his sole academic achievement at school was a single O-Level (achieved at the first attempt, he remarks, adding that girls and sport were his downfall).
After much extra work, a lot less involvement with girls and sport, he went on to study Architecture at Manchester College of Art, (which became Manchester Polytechnic and is now Manchester Metropolitan University) and qualified as an architect in 1969.
He now runs an Architects and Interior Design Practice called The Fallows Gowen Partnership with 12 staff in Davyhulme, Manchester.
Jonty, now 67, says: “My history with Wilmslow Rugby Club started when I was 14 during the school holidays from Bromsgrove School. I joined the club when I was about 17 and have been a member ever since.
“I have held various offices within the club over the years and met some wonderful friends and acquaintances which has enriched my life, however I am not sure my wife Sue would agree with me.
“Playing achievements are not great but I have participated on all levels except the first team, which is my one regret, with the height of my career being captain of the vets. With about six ex –county players, we did not lose many matches.
“My philosophy as President of the club is to thoroughly enjoy myself in all your company with lots of laughter and drinking with friends and acquaintances old and new… and to purchase shares in a taxi service to drive me home.”

Barry Fisher writes:
England are playing four Internationals this Autumn; against the Pacific Islands on November 8th, Australia on November 15th, South Africa on the 22nd and New Zealand on the 29th.
The Club has just received notification from the R.F.U. of their allocation for these games and I will sending an application form to all those members who have applied for tickets in the past.
If any other members would like a form, please ring Barry Fisher on 0161 439 2972.
For the Pacific islanders game, the R.F.U. have reduced the prices and have half-price tickets for children under 15, so this would be a good opportunity to go to Twickenham for those who don’t want to pay the usual prices. Prices for this game are £60.00, £50.00 and £25.00 for adults and half those prices for children.
Prices for the other games range from £81.00 to £41.00 and most of our allocation are at £71.00

THE club has had a summer facelift.

Members, players, friends – even sponsors – all gave up a Saturday morning to give the Pownall Park ground a fresh new look for the coming season.

We’re celebrating promotion to North 2 West and the arrival of a brand new sponsor – Lexus, Stockport – whose £30,000 backing will be the driving force behind the club for two seasons.

So we want the memorial Ground looking pristine for the all important first match against New Brighton at home on September 13th.

Just as important will be registration day for the club’s flourishing junior section the previous Sunday, September 7th.

A band of 30 happy helpers pitched in to clear drains, repair gutters, paint walls, dig trenches, clear rubbish work on the grandstand and give the club a much needed spruce-up.

Our marketing and sponsorship boss ColinMcKevitt was delighted to welcome Lexus Stockport’s Iain Burt to the ground when he offered to help as well.

Said Colin: “This latest work day at the club shows the commitment of both members and our sponsors to rugby in Wilmslow. It was great to see so many turn up and lend a hand, especially Iain Burt, whose company has already backed us financially. Now they’re backing us with their own sweat and toil as well. It is seriously appreciated.”

We are working hard to retain the character and fabric of our family-friendly club, whilst stepping up a gear on the rugby front and planning more development off the field in the future.

The club is always on the lookout for sponsors, advertisers and anyone who wishes to explore business opportunities at one of the prettiest and best-run clubs in the area. For more information, contact Colin McKevitt on colin.mckevitt@wilmslowrugby.com

There’sa final workday at the club on Sunday, August 31st at 10am.

See pictures in the gallery (off the pitch 2008-9)

NEWLY-promoted Wilmslow are back in training and happy to welcome new players.
The Wolves have stepped up their pre-season training at Pownall Park from last year and are looking to hit the ground running when the new season starts in September.
Fitness training is well under way at the Memorial Ground, as the 1st XV set their sights on their first fixture against New Brighton at home on September 13th.
Coach Darren Lucas has already attracted new players to his squad, but is keen to emphasise that the door is open to new players, both young and old.
“We are riding high on the strength of promotion from South Lancs/Cheshire One last season, which followed relegation from this league the year before.
“Now we’re back, we aim to stay here, if not progress just as soon as possible. There is a lot going on here at Pownall Park, and we are keen to welcome players of all abilities.”
Training takes place at 7pm Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Kings Road ground and a series of pre-season gam,es are already on the drawing board for next month.
Registration for the club’s flourishing mini and junior sections is on Sunday, September 7th.
For senior training, turn up at the club or call 01625 522274 on training nights.

CONGRATULATIONS to Maurice Minns and the running club, who have secured another four years’ sponsorship for the Wilmslow half marathon.
The deal with ASICS secures the future of the race at Wilmslow Rugby Club until 2012, the year of the London Olympics.
It is a remarkable feat, in these straitened times, to secure financial backing for just about anything, but to make it last another four years is incredible.
The Wilmslow half marathon is one of the best-run – and prettiest – half marathons in the runners’ calendar and attracts thousands of competitors every year.
It also provides a much-needed cash boost for the club.
As an added bonus, ASICS will be bringing with them fresh technology for next year’s run, with each competitor running with an electronic ‘chip’ to time their performance.
Every competitor will cross a high tech mat at the start and finish, which will accurately record their time – and so much more.
Casual runners are well used to a ‘bang’ time, when the elite runners at the front start the race, and then their own ‘start’ time, when they eventually reach the start line.
Now their tiny chip will accurately and automatically record their start and finish times, as well as how many people they make have overtaken, or been overtaken by. Computer info will also be able to instantly analyse how teams and groups of runners of different ages and sex have fared.
Said Maurice: “We are delighted. It is great news for the running club and for our hosts the rugby club too. We are extremely pleased to be able to continue our relationship with ASICS, especially up to and including the year of the Olympics, when all eyes will be on athletics in and around Britain.