A NUMBER of key changes have occured within Ben Rhydding Hockey Club's first XI following the retirement of Robin Snook as manager.

He has been replaced by Warwick Smither, the long standing first team goalkeeper, who is also the current Yorkshire Under-21 manager and North of England Under-21 manager.

He brings with him enormous experience in hockey management at the top level. He is to be able assisted by Christ Hovington as first team coach.

Chris, a former Ben Rhydding player, now plays his hockey at Brooklands in the National Premier League.

This experience will prove invaluable rower who is responsible for the first team's fitness.

These changes have led to the team now having revised training nights on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Not only have there been changes in the backroom staff but also in the playing personnel. Bevan Gibbs, the New Zealand

international is presently travelling around Europe and is still unclear as to whether or not he will return to the fold.

Warwick Smither may or may not hand up his boots, and Matt Milbourne has decided to call it a day, having encountered knee problems.

Nevertheless, a number of new key players have joined, including Phil Weaver,who has joined from National League side Doncaster, Neil Sugden joins from Midlands Premier champions Harborne, Craig Smith from National League, Loughborough University, Danny Foster from Bradford and Ian Fox from National League side Firebrands.

It is hoped that this new influx of young talent will lead to success on the playing field for the club and particularly to achieving the management's ambition to take the side out of the Northern Premier League and into the National League for the first time in Ben Rhydding's history.

The men's First XI have been busy at home and abroad in preparation for the new season with games in the Yorkshire Cup, National Cup and an international tournament in Dublin.

On September 5, Ben Rhydding hosted the preliminary rounds of the Yorkshire

Cup with games against Bradford (won 3-0) Rotherham (won 6-0) and Leeds (won 4-1).

On Sunday, September 6, Ben Rhydding travelled to Billingham to play in the National Cup and, despite having a youthfull team, ran out comfortable winners 7-1. They will now travel to Warrington on Sunday, September 27 for the next round.

The team also travelled to Dublin to play in the 1988 Budweiser Supercup at Three Rock Rovers.

A great deal was gained from the whole weekend by those in attendance.

The team will now spend the next two weeks preparing for the new season and have games against Norton at Ben Rhydding Club on Saturday (September 19) followed by the finals of the Yorkshire Cup, involving a semi-final clash with local rivals Harrogate in Wakefield on Sunday, September 20th and, assuming success, a final against National side Doncaster on the same day.

The league programme will then start proper with a game away against Neston, last year's runners-up in the league on Saturday, September 26.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.