With new Captain Matthew Barnsley in charge of the 1st XV the season commenced with a first foray into the RFU national knockout cup, the Junior Vase, but a first round exit meant that the club would have to wait for success in this competition!

The retirement of Simon Conolly meant an even greater emphasis on the forward orientated game plan and a low scoring and relatively unsuccessful league campaign. Alan Woodhouse was top scorer (65-points 2-tries, 12-conversions & 12-penalties), while Matthew Barnsley (7-tries), Dan Bills (6-tries), Colin Todd (6-tries) and Dominic Allen (5-tries) all contributing scores. The 2nd XV skipper duties were shared that season as Peter England started the season, but another injury meant that Anthony ‘Willie’ Griffiths completed the campaign. Also, towards the end of that season Willie Bache started a long association with the club that continues to this day. Thought more of as a footballer at school, Willie had joined Kidderminster Harriers youth team, but a foot injury had meant that avenue of sporting success was to be closed and he was persuaded to play Rugby. He started at Fly Half but later eased into the Scrum Half position and was the top scorer that season.

At the end of the previous season the club had arranged a couple of junior games at Under-19 level and that was to be a major concentration of the next season with Nigel Williams and Shane Goodman sharing skipper duties. The coaching and match organising was done through the Sports Centre Manager and a full fixture list of a dozen matches were organised and enjoyed by all the youngsters who participated. In addition, an invitation was accepted to enter an Under 15 team in the Lucton Cup, as part of their outreach work, to celebrate the opening of new floodlights on their pitch. These matches were essentially a joint venture between club and school with many club players assisting with coaching and preparing the squad each year in what has proved to be a 10-year association and helped groom many players for the club.

Though the Old Lion was still used occasionally for after match food and socialising, the Rugby club struck a deal with Cleobury Mortimer Sports & Social Club for regular use of the function room and kitchen and has been known as the official home residence. After the initial drink with the opposition the players had a tradition of a good Saturday night out where they had a good old fashioned ‘pub crawl’ starting at the western end of the town and finishing at the Old Lion where many legends, fables and myths of late-night debauchery were established …………!!!!

Early in the season members of the club appeared in the tabloid Sunday press. We are still not sure how they originally got hold of the story, but many of the players at the time were the recent proud parents of an unusual amount of baby boys all with a plan to eventually play for the club. The News of the World and the Sunday Mirror carried pictures of the parents outside the Old Lion and offspring, all babes in arms, wearing mini replica kits. They included Clare ‘Freddie’ Redfern & Tom, Dan Bills & Sam, Stephen ‘Squeeze’ Hems & Douglas, Pete Howman Alex & Ben, Neil Dolphin & Josh, Paul Slingsby & Ben, Tom Lloyd & Will, Graham Pain & James, Simon Hector & Ross, Gareth Leach & Tom, Tim Lloyd & William, Anthony ‘Willie’ Griffiths, Dominic Allen and Matt ‘Barney’ Barnsley.