ASHBY
Dale Whetton, Press Officer
“I have been involved with the club
for over twenty years now. Over those
years I have played in a number of
different age groups and teams, and
cemented friendships that have lasted
from my early teens through to now.
Originally I fancied myself as more
of a footballer, but I just couldn’t get
to grips with the egos that come with
that particular sport. My best mate
asked me along to rugby practice one
evening and I never looked back. I feel
extremely honoured to play the part I
do within the club - especially as I am
more deadly with the pen than carrying
the ball, nowadays!
With a club the size of Ashby the
biggest challenge is making contact
with the right people at the right time
of the week. As we all have jobs and
parental responsibilities, getting hold
of someone can become an issue
- so I sometimes end up making the
decision myself.
The first home game of the season
has also seen the publication of the
‘Red Rag’ match day programme. This
is a project that I see as important
for a club going forward through the
leagues as we are. It is a key way of
raising new funds through sponsors,
sharing news and events with visiting
teams, plus basically giving the club
something else to shout about. One
of our key sponsors is a printing
company; they have been brilliant in
dealing with my sometimes shoddy
design capabilities! I very much look
forward to seeing what it looks like in
print, if not a little nervous.
Last season our first XV gained
promotion to Midlands 2 East (North).
Conceding very few points throughout
the season sent a ripple of excitement
through the course of the club. Our
attendances were up on previous
seasons, we have seen increased
media attention and the total number of
our members has shot up once again,
not to mention the most successful 7’s
tournament to date. To say the feeling
in the club is positive at the moment
would be an understatement.
58
ISSUE 49
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Having witnessed the previous 20 years of
Ashby RFC I am more than happy peering
into the future. From the clubs origins as
Old Ashbeians to its 21st century Monica.
Its upheaval from the old, much smaller
location to Notts Road and our brand new
third pitch and clubhouse. If the club can
keep on attracting like-minded folk who
are after the social side, children looking
to learn their skills in the minis and juniors,
with the clubhouse and grounds becoming
utilised for other social events and even
festivals. We have a lot to shout about here
and we shall continue to do for many years
to come!