Themed on the Great Gatsby era the dining room was filled with Flapper & Dappers dressed to suit. The event brought the 2017/18 season to its final conclusion with recognition for key volunteers and the players. Top of the list was the mercurial Tom Hill taking the hours with three First XV trophies, followed by Alison Morris with two Ladies trophies, her team mate Steff Sillitto winning most improved Ladies player. Chris Cunningham, Graham Whyte and Callum Tootle came up trumps for the Second XV, Third XV and Colts Players of the Year respectively, with Charlie Southwood and Haydn Barnes winning the other Colts awards. Kristian Griffiths capped an excellent season as First XV Newcomer of the Year with the final award of the evening going to Louise Dale the massively deserved Club Person of the Year.

Diners were regally entertained by MC & DJ Trevor Ford, later joined by his side kick Dave Quinn for the raffle and auction, a 1930s style soloist and live band the Whiskey Chasers.

With large numbers turning out for the Wednesday evening touch sessions the senior players hit the ground running as 2018/19 training commenced at Scarisbrick Hall School on Thursday with sessions on Tuesday too leading up to the big kick off.

Finally it looks like the 1st XV now know which league they'll be in: a very tough looking South Lancs and Cheshire having been gearing up to possibly face new challenges in North Lancashire and Cumbria because of RFU reorganisation at level 7 and below as 17 Lancashire clubs have pulled out to form their own leagues. The 2s, 3s and Colts are sorted too, again in highly competitive leagues. The fixtures v Wilmslow have added spice with the respective Presidents of both clubs having been in the same class at Bramhall Grammar School and played in the year school team all the way through; factor in the Chairman of Macclesfield was two years below and the league, the top one in the NW with Southport the ONLY Lancashire club at this level, now has an altogether parochial feel to it.

With exciting things in the pipeline this promises to one of the best seasons ever with everyone pulling in the same direction. Also great news the players insurance which the club put in place did its job big style this week too!

More to come....watch this space.