Well our 2024 campaign for ‘honours’ in the forthcoming Season finally got underway fairly successfully last Saturday; although a few Club’s grounds were still not playable due to the ravages of the awful Autumn and Winter weather.
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Our First Eleven along with that of New Mills, their opponents, were able to ‘christen’ the tremendously enhanced Home and Away dressing rooms. Their new entrance doorways, direct onto the ground along with the new heavy duty ‘Karndean’ flooring and a few newly laid carpet tiles in the lobby to the Gentleman’s facilities received nothing but favourable comments from those benefitting by their magnificent transformation. The Club must extend its grateful thanks to those dedicated members who were responsible for these works and those who ensured that our members and guests were dutifully and efficiently served with refreshment during and after the Match.
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Our ground’s outfield and square has managed to look in tip top condition, despite the appaling weather conditions, for a few weeks now. The track on Saturday was a credit to our dedicated ground staff and must have been one of the best, if not the best in the League for the first game, testament to all of their Pre-Season hard graft being rewarded!
We are indeed extremely fortunate to have a specialist team of active grounds and machinery people, who appear to know what they are doing in our midst!
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Wasn’t it a joy to see that our Chairperson managed to record the names and D O B’s of 35 enthusiastic Juniors attending our first  wonderfully successful and enjoyable training evening of the Season last Thursday. They along with their parents, who came from near and far, plainly all had a great time. It was also pleasing to see several players helping Cory with his good works; long may it continue. Watching Cory in full flow is a joy to behold as he appears to be a natural when it comes to ‘marshalling his charges.’
The response to our opening Session can only be good news for the Club as a whole! Don’t forget that on Friday the 17th May our ‘Junior Training Night’ will be receiving a visit from a ‘Very Special Guest’ in the form of ‘Lanky’ the Giraffe, the Official Mascot of the Lancashire County Cricket Club; and most certainly not a Club Member wearing a Giraffe skin as is the scurrilous rumour put about by the odd person or two. Make sure that you are there to have your photograph taken with ‘Lanky’ and collect his hoof print!
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I am certain that all of our three teams have a good chance of being up there competing for Silverware towards the close of the Season. Good luck to all of our Players and I trust that all of our Members and Supporters will enjoy a happy and rewarding Summer supporting good old ‘Dove’ once again with their usual panache!
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Best wishes as always
Roger