Vale of Lune Rugby Club's fixtures are released

But at the moment all hopes are pinned on a successful restart of the league programmes on the first Saturday.

After such an unprecedented hibernation, interest in a restart is mounting day by day, muscles are being flexed, distant horizons are being scanned for any signs of a return to normality.

An early indicator has been the the publication of the North One West fixtures on the RFU Northern Division website.

The usual suspects are embedded in the North One West fixture list but the return of Kendal is a mouth-watering prospect because there is always intense, long standing rivalry between the two clubs.

The fixture at Powder House Lane on December 18 is bound to light up the Festive Season.

This will be the first local derby meeting since the 2018/19 season when both clubs were relegated from North Premier.

Two other clubs, Carlisle and Manchester, last faced Vale in the 2017/18 season when Vale topped North One West.

Glossop are the surprise package and are very much an unknown quantity. The Derbyshire-based club recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and will be determined to mark the occasion in style having achieved their highest league level.

Vale are putting in place their plans for the coming season, player numbers have increased at all levels, with some returning to the fold.

Despite all the restrictions, players have maintained high levels of personal fitness throughout these challenging times.

Interest has increased now that players and supporters are at long last beginning to see a flickering light at the end of what has been a dark tunnel.

Vale’s Estates Committee has been hard at work when the restrictions were eased. The playing surfaces are in tip-top condition, the clubhouse interior has undergone a massive make over.

All areas have been repainted and refurbished, new furniture and fittings have been installed, attention to detail has been paramount.

Vale, without losing its identity as a rugby club, is also determined to fully utilise its eye catching location and amenities on offer as a hospitality venue for a wide range of social events, both formal and informal.

The Annual General Meeting, which will be combined with the Financial AGM, will be held in the clubhouse on Thursday, June 24 at 7pm for the election of officials and a question and answer session with reference to replacing the training pitch with an all weather surface.

2021/22 fixtures

September

4 Douglas (a)

11 Kendal (a)

18 Penrith (h)

25 Broughton Park (a)

October

2 Bowdon (h)

16 Manchester (a)

23 Glossop (h)

30 Carlisle (a)

November

13 Altrincham Kersal (h)

20 Firwood Waterloo (a)

27 Wilmslow (h)

December

4 Birkenhead Park (a)

11 Stockport (h)

18 Kendal (h)

January

8 Penrith (a)

15 Broughton Park (h)

22 Bowdon (a)

29 Manchester (h)

February

12 Glossop (a)

19 Carlisle (h)

March

5 Altrincham Kersal (a)

12 Firwood Waterloo (h)

26 Wilmslow (a)

April

2 Birkenhead Park (h)

9 Stockport (a)

23 Douglas (h)