Mike Eccles: Message to fans

A warm welcome back to Plough Lane for the start of what promises to be another amazing journey as we take on Super Leagues best here in Wimbledon in 2024. 

Before getting on to this year I’d like to revisit comments I made post-match in Toulouse following the championship grand final last year. I would like to sincerely thank each and everyone of you for your unwavering support across the 2023 season. Many doubted us, but you did not. You stuck by the team and myself and continued to believe in us through some incredibly difficult periods. Whilst many may point to the obvious epic run in, I also look back on some of the other amazing stories from the year that almost get forgotten in the hysteria of promotion. The round 2 victory up at Whitehaven on an extremely heavy pitch and given our recent record in Cumbria was a very important 2 points to get us up and running. The Batley game away from home in June- missing upwards of 9 players and with five players making club debuts against a team currently sitting second and going up the infamous Mount Pleasant hill second was as impressive a victory as any last season. Finally, the Toulouse game at Ebbsfleet. The turn out that day was amazing and the team delivered a very clinical performance to put a high flying Toulouse team to the sword. All victories last season proved crucial as the fight to make the top 6 was so tight, but I look back at those 3 victories in particular as ones of huge importance on the ladder and the backing received from you guys, the fans, knowing the significance of those fixtures and our need for your support when needed the most. 

On to this year. It’s well documented the challenges we face as a club. It is quite simply unprecedented in any sport I would imagine. But a year is a long time in sport, who knows what will happen come October? It’s important that we stick together, as we did last year. We need to fight tooth and nail to keep our Super League status and continue to build our club in all areas. For that to happen, we desperately need your support once more. I always mention how proud I am of the players because they continue to defy the odds and they continue to improve at a rate that outside of London, people appear surprised by. Well this year you can expect more of the same. We will need time to adjust to Super League, that’s for sure. We will once again have to recruit shrewdly as the weeks go by to now accommodate for the injuries that have hit us across January and February. But this has team has BIG heart. This team will compete on absolutely everything, week in, week out. This team will continue to improve and we will get there! I’m sure they will make you as proud as I am of them and make it easy for you to get behind them here at Plough Lane and away on the road. 

In relation to the off-field staff, I would like to welcome Shez and Jordie as assistant coaches. They have done a great job in supporting me and preparing the team across the preseason and worked tirelessly alongside the performance staff. 

Finally, I can confirm that Lewis, Ethan and Josh will all hopefully be back in action in around 10-12 weeks’ time. We will know more on Emmanuel next week following a hip injury sustained against St Helens. In good news, Alex Walker is back in training and may even play as early as this evening. 

Enjoy the game and enjoy the season. 

All the very best,

Mike