IF being prepared is anything to go by, Baildon are set for a strong start to their Yorkshire Division Three campaign next season.

Player-coach Jake Duxbury revealed at their players’ dinner in the clubhouse: “Pre-season has already been planned for 2019-20, including a friendly at York that involves an overnight stop.”

Baildon seemed destined for relegation until Duxbury arrived with his father Dave, with the Jenny Laners winning five of their last seven matches to finish 11th, two places above next-to-bottom Aireborough, who went down with basement club Leeds Modernians.

Duxbury junior added: “A massive thanks from me to you for last season but someone like Pete Haydock exemplifies what is best about this club, stepping in to play at short notice at 60 years old.

“Thanks also to Harrison Strauss as skipper, senior players Andy Magee, Matty Robinson and Adam Hewitt, Dan Cookson, team manager Chris Williams, coaches Dave Duxbury, Andy Pollard and Dave Ruff and doc Mark Purvis.”

Cookson remembered former touch judge Martin Peel, who died of cancer, and the efforts of his sons Chris and Tom to help preserve his memory.

Jake Duxbury won the Johnny Bell Trophy as the club’s leading points scorer, while Dave Padgett was the club’s top try-scorer.

Luke Strauss won the first XV top try-scorer award, while Ollie Murphy was their young player of the year and Harrison Strauss their player of the year.

Second XV player of the year was Max Sutcliffe, and Pete Haydock was Clubman of the Year for filling in against Knottingley.

Telegraph & Argus rugby union correspondent Bill Marshall was made an honorary life member.