Raiders are on the rise and planning for a bright future

The rugby league outfit are reflecting on an impressive summer which saw them crowned Midland League champions for the second successive year.

After losing their first two games, Raiders rallied in style to win their next five and top their group on points difference.

They then extracted some revenge by beating the two sides they had lost to – Sherwood and Nottingham – in their respective semi-final and final showdowns to claim the silverware.

That success saw Raiders, who play their home games at Telford Hornets Rugby Club, progress to the National competition, which they won by default after the sides they were due to play in the last four and the final pulled out.

The club are now waiting to see if they have secured a place in the illustrious Challenge Cup – rugby league’s equivalent to the FA Cup.

Club chairman Fred Baker commented is delighted with the progress both on and off the pitch.

“The season has been a hugely successful on the pitch, but it’s significance goes much deeper,” said Baker.

“Our young coaching team of Nathan Parker and Joe Furlong are two young men who have come up from our junior set up, played with great accomplishment for our men’s team and have now stepped up to put something back into the club.

“That says much about them as individuals, but also about the growth of the club in our 21st year and the roots we’re putting down that will keep us embedded in the local community for years to come.”

It proved to be a hugely successful first season at the helm for Parker, who is determined to push on.

“It was the first time in the club’s history that we have won back-to-back Midlands titles,” said Parker.

“It was a learning curve for me and I was over the moon with how the season went.

“We lost the first two games and then won the rest and won the league on points difference.

“To go from how we started to how we finished was fantastic.

“It wasn’t the way we wanted to win the National title and Harry Jepson Trophy, by default, but we deserved it to get there.

“We are just waiting on RFL regarding the Challenge Cup. The winners of the Harry Jepson normally go straight in, but because we won it by default we are still waiting to find out if we will play in it.

“Hopefully we will be able to because it will be big for the club.

“The aim for next season is to win the Midlands League for a third successive year and then win the National on the pitch.”

Another target for the ambitious club is to increase playing numbers.

“We have one team at the moment, but we are hoping to run a development side next year, playing friendlies,” added Parker, who played three games for Raiders last season and who also turns out for Telford Hornets in the winter months.

“The aim long term is to increase competition and have players playing across two teams each weekend. We had 43 registered last season and most of them figured in five games.

“We get good support, with close to 200 people for our home games, which is good, and we are trying to generate publicity and let people know we have a rugby league side in the area.”