A good start to the league season was followed with a stunning 42-3 victory over Kynock 1st XV in the First Round of the RFU ‘Inter Cup’, which gave cause to think that we could have a decent cup run!!! Until the side ‘came a cropper’ against local rivals Kidderminster 1st XV, but the 58-8 defeat was not as damaging as the couple of injuries to vital players that affected the league form. This included Captain Matthew Barnsley, returning for another season that didn’t last long before Colin Smith took over.

In an even more prolific season, the 1st XV managed 33-matches (winning 21 and drawing 1) including a massive 24-League schedule (16-wins, 2-draws and 6-defeats) in a largely successful campaign. The late recovery meant just one defeat in the final 8-games lifted the team to climb into the promotion spots, which with the inevitable League restructure, saw promotion again.

Willie Bache rose to the top of the scoring chart this term with 161-points, (3-tries, 31-conversions, 24-penalties & 4-drop goals) with Colin Smith also contributing 99-points while the main try scorers were Julian Harding (15) and some kicks for 92-points, but Pete Howman (12) and Colin Todd (10) managed good scoring seasons. The club were able to purchase 2-second hand, generator powered temporary floodlights for training purposes.

Ian ‘Ento’ Dayus agreed to take on the captaincy of the 2nd XV who played 29-matches that season, the most that team have ever played. This was mainly due to the emergence of so many keen youngsters from the junior section. Interestingly Dan Bird captained the U17/18’s in 18-matches a snapshot of the future as he is the new 1st XV skipper this season, 11-years later. Neil Greatwich led the U15/16’s in 6-matches involving even more youngsters, a magnificent commitment from all the players and the Manager Hilton Smith, but also from Coach ‘Aussie’ James Smith.

Progress was still being made on the ‘Sport 2000’ project, but it was slow. A public planning meeting to allow for the development of the 2-acres of school land and an equivalent piece of the agricultural field adjacent to the Catherton Road was eventually passed but there were local complaints about the blocking of views from existing houses and the pressure that increased build would bring to the town, but the schools were eager for the additional pupils and other services would be up graded, but eventually approved on the basis of ‘capital gain’ for the town, but the delays continued.