While several long-established junior rugby clubs in Middlesex are facing a struggle for survival, Finchley's situation appears much healthier.

After finishing mid-table in the London League Division Two (North) last season, they join Staines and Ruislip as the county's representatives in the Tetley Bitter Cup next winter.

It'll be their first appearance in the senior national knock-out tournament for several years.

But president Carl Elliott feels there is a need for change if Finchley are to maintain their position and avoid sliding down the same slippery path as some of their past long-time opponents.

Speaking during the annual dinner at their Summers Lane, North Finchley headquarters, Elliott said: "There is a strength and also a great fragility about our club. There is a need to increase revenue to meet our needs for such essentials as coaching, coaches for travel, floodlighting, junior rugby and an administration staff.

"The days of committees are gone, we need to change the way we think and our way of doing things."

Club captain Micky Clifford is worried about the mood of apathy that dominates the current scenario.

Clifford told members and their guests: "This, unfortunately, is not the speech I originally had in mind for this function, it is in fact my AGM speech. But, because only a dozen or so people attended the meeting, I decided to save it for tonight.

"The lack of support for the AGM typifies more than anything else the amount of apathy that exists, and unless members, playing and non-playing, get off their backsides and start to show a lot more commitment, we may as well call it a day now and stop wasting the time and effort of those who really care.

"Their hard work could all be in vain, because new and existing players will only remain in a club they see is well organised and committed.

"But next season is just around the corner, and we still don't have captains for the second, third or fourth XV's, virtually nobody apart from the first XV has trained since February, and there is hardly anyone on the committee, only the same four or five people who do too much already. We don't even have anyone to run touch on Saturday afternoons."

Looking back at the previous campaign, Clifford said Finchley might have finished higher, but don't have a big enough pool of players to compete in the 20-25 league and cup games the season now demands.

He felt if the club is to continue to go forward, plans to attract new players must be supported and help given to Chris Bloor in developing the future through junior rugby in the mini and colts' sections.

There will be U7,U8, U9, U10 and U12 sides in the mini section. The colts' teams are U13s, U14s, U15s, and U17s.

The latter, to be known as the development squad, and sponsored by club member Brendan Morrissey, is expected to provide several contenders for a place in the senior team in the near future.

It will consist mainly of players from the successful U15 side of two years ago. Spike Clark and Jim Sams, two club stalwarts, will be the leading lights in coaching the U17s.

Bloor is chairman of the junior section, and any boys eager to learn to play rugby or develop their game should contact him on 0181-449-7366.

Martin Kiddle received the Clubman of the Year accolade in recognition of his hard work in coaching the first XV, looking after the finances, and running the club during Elliott's absence.

Graham Fox ended Drew Clark's five-year monoply of the Kicking Cup; Mark George took the trophy for the highest try scorer, and the first XV were the team with the best percentage.

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