Copy of a press release sent out to local St Albans newspapers for 2016 -
St Albans Centurions are celebrating their twentieth anniversary in 2016, and it looks like being another great season for the St Albans Rugby League Club. As part of their 20th anniversary celebrations, the Centurions will be wearing a specially designed retro kit for the 2016 season. On this shirt, they hope to have woven in, the names of as many past and present players, coaches and club volunteers as they can. The club have been on social media to ask all past players to get in touch with the club and be immortalised on the 2016 playing shirt. The shirt will be unveiled on Wednesday 3rd February 2016 at their ‘2016 season signing on’ evening held at their clubhouse in High Oaks. The shirts will also be available to buy, from the club shop, early next year. More good news for the club came with head coach Andy Lake pledging himself to the Cents for the 2016 season. Centurions chairman Brian Parker said “ Andy Lake missed a large part of the 2015 season, through no fault of his own, due to a major operation on his leg and knee, and he was sorely missed, but now he is up and about and has committed himself to the club for 2016. More good news for us was the return to the Cents of Tony Bottomley as our first team manager.” Tony, known as ‘Mr Rugby League’ in the rugby league community returns to St Albans after a three year break that saw him as team manager and adviser to Cambridge University Rugby League Club. St Albans will be playing in the East Rugby League competition and will be joined in twenty sixteen by near neighbours and local rivals Hemel Hempstead Stags ‘A’ team. The East Rugby League held their pre-season meeting in December where league fixtures – including, cup, origin and play off dates were released. The East RL season starts on 30th April with the East RL 9-a-side Tournament at Brentwood Eels when all the clubs in the Premier and first divisions will compete against each other, although training and pre-season friendly games are expected to start in March. The Club are also arranging an anniversary dinner and will be releasing news about their sponsors in the new year. Cents stalwart Sam Norris is aiming to support 'Dry January' and earn a bit of cash for charity as well. Sam has chosen the London Rugby League Foundation and the British Heart Foundation to share the spoils of his abstinence and asks that anyone who feels in a charitable mood after all that mulled wine and Christmas pud, support him by going to his fundraising page, and reading all about it. Further great news is that any monies raised by Sam for the London RLF will be used by them to help St Albans Centurions. Go to Sams fundraising page by clicking the 'Dry January' logo above. Thank you.
**Update 21st December - Fixtures for 2016 season are now on the 1st team page.**
Following a meeting of representatives from each of the East RL clubs, East Rugby League have just announced the following - Brentwood Eels will host the preseason East RL 9's Festival on April 30th before the League and Cup kick off the following week! The 6 team Premier and 5 team Division 1 line up as follows: PREMIER Bedford Tigers Brentwood Eels Hemel Hempstead NH Crusaders St Albans Centurions St Ives Roosters DIVISION 1 Breckland Spartans Cambridge Lions Kings Lynn Black Knights MK Wolves Southend Spartans The expanded division 1 competition is a major step forward for the region as the East RL attempts to provide more rugby league than ever before! The Cup, Shield and Vase knockout competitions will return for the 4th consecutive year and are now a solid feature of the summer! There is a dedicated second team league and an U14s merit league competition too! Although sad to see Kings Lynn and Breckland drop out of the league, they were the farthest away teams from us, and their replacements, Hemel and Brentwood are much closer to St Albans, so no long road trips this season. Brian Parker, Centurions Chairman, has announced the return of 'Mr Rugby League', Tony Bottomley, to the Cents. Brian said "I am delighted to confirm that after speaking with our head coach, Andy Lake, Tony has agreed to take on the role as Cents 1st team manager. I cannot think of anyone more capable to do this job. Welcome back Tony."
Tony Bottomley was club secretary and first team manager for many years, and also voted club president for life, before stepping down at the end of the 2013 season. Tony has been involved in Rugby League all his life, from playing professionally in Yorkshire in his younger days, helping to set up Fulham RLFC (now London Broncos) in London, and numerous other clubs when he moved 'down south'. Tony has also been involved on numerous rugby committees throughout his career. For the last two years Tony has been helping out at Cambridge University with their rugby league team. Welcome back Tony |
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