If there was ever a David v Goliath or Spartans v Persians this is it!! Tonight at 7:30pm we play Darlington Mowden Park. The same Mowden that play in National 1! The same Mowden that play at a 20,000 seater stadium! The same Mowden that are a professional rugby club aiming for Championship rugby!

We may be little old Billingham from a small town at the very south-west corner of County Durham that everyone looks down on, but we and YOU know who we really are. The Billingham that may only plays in National 3! The Billingham that may only have a bench for 2 people! The Billingham that is 100% amateur but understands the true value of our sport of rugby. We may be small but we have spirit! We have the spirt that has seen us promoted twice in 10 years and win both the Intermediate and the Senior County Cups. We have the spirit that has seen our Youth section become one of the best in the area in recent years. We have the spirit that has seen us develop both on the field and off the field over the last 10 years to be on the brink of something very special. We know how important spirit is in this club, our spirit is our strength! This is Billingham!

So first to you our supporters. In the past you have been there to see us through promotions and cup wins. You have been there on cold, wet dark winter days. But at times you have been missing. Apart from the faithful, you have been silent of late in your support. Today, this evening it’s time for everyone to come out and to raise your voices. Its time for you, our supporters to show your spirit and see the season conclude with noise, with support and with a win. We need you there tonight to help us over that finishing line and raise the Senior County Cup for only the second time in our history! How poignant would it be to win it tonight, the last time we will play a senior match on this pitch!

And to the players. The squad that is chosen tonight is going to be a squad that people will recall in the future. Like England in 2003, we can all recall that team. This tonight is your time to build your legacy. With what is happening over the summer, this will be the last time we get to play a match on this pitch; and what a match. There have been games this year where we have left part of ourselves on the coach. There have been games this year where lady luck was against us. There have even been games this year where the man with the whistle seemed to be against us.

But none of that matter because tonight it can all be put straight. The season can be one of 9th in National 3 North or one of County Champions. It can be one of ‘well we were beaten by a bigger club’ or one of we are big enough to take on anyone. Moreover, this is your opportunity to be in that County Championship team that played the last match on this pitch. In times to come and when the memories fade, there will be over 50 people that will claim to be in tonights squad, but only you are in it! Only you can decide what your destiny will be, only you can decide whether we bring everything to the game and whether or not we can compete to put ourselves in the frame.

Mowden may bring their size and their status to our door step. They may threaten us on the pitch with defeat. But I have chosen my words carefully. This is not madness. This is BILLINGHAM! !