Wizards go back to their roots

WARRINGTON Wizards have gone back to their roots and merged with Woolston Rovers in readiness for the 2013 season.
The Wizards, who were known as Warrington Woolston Rovers for the opening two seasons of National League Three, were formed in 2005 to allow Woolston Rovers to rebuild at a local level following the devastating fire that destroyed the clubhouse in 2002.
As Warrington Woolston Rovers they were the inaugural winners of National League Three in 2003 defeating Teesside Steelers 42-6 in the Grand Final at Winnington Park RFC and then the following year they were runners up to Coventry Bears following a 48-24 defeat at the Halton Stadium, Widnes as it was known then.
The Wizards finished in the top four of the league in seven out of the eight seasons they have been in existence, with the highlight being the 23-18 Grand Final success over Huddersfield Underbank Rangers at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in 2010.
An application to join the National Conference League for the 2013 season will now be submitted under the Woolston Rovers name although it will be as the Wizards that they compete in the 2013 Challenge Cup which gets underway on Sunday 28th October 2012 when they entertain the British Police at Wilderspool Stadium, kick off 2.00pm.
Wizards Club Administrator Dave Whalley said, “This is an exciting development that will hopefully provide top flight Amateur Rugby League for the club. If the application to get into the NCL is successful then we can start planning for what promises to be a very bright future. Woolston Rovers were one of the original ten clubs that joined the National League in 1986 and when the NCL was formed in 1992 Rovers became the best amateur side in the country on a regular basis as we were Champions for the first three years and then runners up for the next two. Our aim will be to attempt to return the club to those former glories.”
Rovers Chairman John Welch added, “The joining of both of these great clubs will hopefully mean that Woolston Rovers can re-attain their rightful position playing alongside the best amateur teams in the country; it has been ten years since Rovers played in the NCL and everyone involved with the club is looking forward to taking it to new heights and going from strength to strength. We are playing at a new club; we’ve got Junior teams at nearly all age ranges and our plans to make this club great once again can only be aided by playing at the highest level possible. The Wizards have quality people involved both on and off the pitch that will complement the quality we already have at Woolston and we are delighted that we will be able to move forward now as one club. Our application for the NCL will be submitted immediately and we will then keep our fingers crossed that we get a positive response off them.”