Hey, have you noticed how the post- (or it is pre-?) season crack is gathering momentum? No? Where have you been then? Sunning yourself no doubt.

Well things are certainly on the move at Derwent Park - literally if some pundits have informed me correctly. I await some official confirmations and, in one case, I'll keep fingers crossed that the cracks can be papered over as it were.

However, the directors have truly been busy making tangible improvements to the Town squad for the forthcoming campaign still many moons away.

But be prepared was a motto very significant with my own youthful lifestyle, woggle, knots, jamborees, two fingered salutes and all, fond memories indeed, and perhaps the legacy still holds firm; you must be prepared for battles ahead.

And Town are looking to have scouted well for available talent considering the latest news of recruitment.

Ricky Wright is no stranger to Derwent Park, of course, having been a teenage sensation with the first ever Workington Town Academy squad of '93.

Being lured to join Leeds caused much dismay amidst the Academy chiefs of that era. Ricky also came back home, very briefly, in 1998 and played twice both against Lancashire Lynx. Whatever became of them I wonder? I stand to be corrected here, but I do think injury curtailed that stint back with the Town.

Stuart Rhodes, another good capture? Yes, I reckon he can become a Derwent Park favourite. He is one of those players who combine physical presence with pace. Yes he has perhaps strayed onto thin ice too often in the past regarding his on field discipline - but if he gets it together and his aggression is channelled in the right direction then Town will reap enormous benefits. Can I go overboard here and suggest he is a player who could finally bury the Barry Williams syndrome that all too often at present haunts Town and their fans. I certainly hope so.

So it's looking good, with other "irons in the fire" - I can't wait can you?

Over now to a team still in motion, the Academy. Last weeks win put them back on top of the pile temporarily yet again, as Leigh played on the Tuesday night and beat visiting Oldham to regain top slot.

Boy, I don't envy the RFL's academy press officers role. He has to collate the results as they come in and produce the tables accordingly. The main problem to that end is some twits don't provide him with their match scores.

I, being the representative of Workington Town, have the chore therefore of contacting said Mr Park and never fail to do so…usually by borrowing someone else's mobile phone.

It is the duty of all home teams to supply the info a.s.a.p. I ritually do so too for away games, well you can't trust some clubs you see especially if they lose.

The moral of this story is that on Sunday gone no one from Leigh, or Oldham for that matter, had contacted the Park household regarding the result of their match scheduled for the Saturday. I found it quite strange that the Hilton Park crew had not done their duty. And soon began to think, hey Leigh must have been done over by the young 'yeds. Well you would, wouldn't you?

It was not until Monday afternoon that an e-mail confirmed the match had in fact been postponed on that Saturday. Still, that postponement put Oggy's lads on top following a try fest, sort of, versus the Lynx kittens.

I see this weekends jaunt over to the North East as being a nice change of direction if nothing else well you get sick of seeing the same fields pass you by en route to Penrith, and onto the A1 or M6, it drives you to distraction at times. So this weekend it is off to the land of the Geordies. Not that we are to play at the stadium that has hosted so many athletics champions, we are being side tracked (no pun intended) to a lesser known RU ground.

I can vaguely recall the Novocastrians, don't know if that is spelled correctly, and have even less idea where their ground is…so it could be a fun day out this Saturday. Just let's hope the Geordie Boys are not as good as they proved last year. I'll say nowt else for now being a canny lad.
K.S.