Fylde RFC chairman Matt Filipo calls on new generation to lead Woodlands club into new era

That’s the message from Matt Filipo following his appointment as club chairman last week.

The businessman and former Fylde prop was full of praise for predecessor Mike Brennand, the committee, club members and everyone whose support has maintained a stable financial position for the Woodlands club throughout the pandemic and a platform to build on.

Yet the New Zealand-born 49-year-old believes the time is right for a new beginning – and how better to start the Ansdell club’s new era than with a friendly at home to local adversaries Preston Grasshoppers this Saturday afternoon?

Apart from an in-house game watched by members in May, this will be Fylde’s first game for over 17 months and Filipo is as excited as anyone.

He told The Gazette: “After the Covid shutdown, it’s almost like a fresh start and it’s important for my generation and younger to come forward and take control.

“We are the biggest club in Lancashire and we need to portray that.

“We want to be the hub of the community. We have a club to be used and it needs to be buzzing with activity.

“It’s a members’ club and, if members want to use it, they can.

Filipo relished his time as a player at the Woodlands between 1997 and 2010, becoming Fylde’s first overseas captain, and now wants to build the club for future generations.

He added: “I always enjoyed it here. I brought my own lads here, we live around the corner and aren’t going anywhere. It’s time for a new generation to come forward now.”

That extends to the coaching side, where Fylde have a new head coaching team in Alex Loney and Chris Briers, whose long wait to lead the team into National League action will finally end with a visit to Tynedale on September 4.

Fylde were battling for promotion from National Two North when league rugby halted so abruptly in March last year, with the whole of last season cancelled.

Filipo is hopeful of seeing Fylde challenge at the top again in what will be the final season before a National League restructure.

He added: “That has always been our ambition and we have to play the best rugby we can at the highest grade we can.

“With Steve Rigby (Fylde’s new chairman of rugby and manager of the Lancashire county side) and Mark Nelson (Lancashire’s head coach who is back at Fylde deputising for Rigby), we have the Lancashire team at the club who will provide excellence, and our two young coaches Alex and Chris are ex-Lancashire players.

“We also have a strong set of young players who will go on to represent Lancashire if they haven’t already, so there are a lot of good things on the playing side.”

Saturday’s 3pm match will be played in four 20-minute quarters, with a combination of first and second XV players involved.

Players from the third and fourth XV squads at both clubs will contest a curtain raiser from 12.30.

Admission to both games is free and full hospitality is on offer.

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