RUSKIN Park Rugby Club will be playing in the recently created ADM Lancashire Rugby County League First Division next season.

The club’s new committee, which has met for the first time, agreed this would be ‘the most competitive league’ for their players in a 2020-21 campaign scheduled to start with an away fixture against Bury on September 12.

The first home game would be a week later against Clitheroe.

Ruskin will also face Ashton-under-Lyne, Colne & Nelson, North Manchester, Bedians, Liverpool Medics, Birchfield, Marple, Broughton and Dukinfield as the season unfolds in the new third tier of what will be the league’s third year since inception.

The ADM Lancashire Rugby County Leagues cup competition will see Ruskin at home to Dukinfield in Group A on October 21 and away to Clitheroe on January 23.

All of this is assuming that the community game is allowed to be back together and playing matches under Government guidelines and lockdown measures resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

The new committee met for the first time last Thursday, after the annual general meeting the previous week, and believe that the club will be playing fixtures next season and will be competitive.

“The aim of the club is clear – to fulfil every fixture this coming season with a full team,” says a club statement.

A decision has been taken that membership fees will be suspended for the 2020-21 season in a bid to encourage players to join Ruskin Park RFC.

Mike Parsons