Woking Rugby Club chairman Andy Jones is delighted with the club’s success after the first team’s promotion from Surrey Counties Five was confirmed.

“I feel success has come from a group of talented key individuals that have been forged together over the past four years into a competent, credible team, on and off the pitch,” said Jones.

“For me, the club’s success isn’t just defined by the much-deserved promotion on the pitch it’s also recognition the club is alive, thriving and looking forward to next season’s challenges.

“The club now has soul and a strong, spirited community feel to it, created and nurtured by those key individuals who have walked the talk.

“Rhys Parker, Jacob Woods, Matt Childs, Mark Rose, Chris Wallis and Alistair Hamilton-Wilkes have all been instrumental in leading the way, enduring the numerous significant challenges, and should feel justifiable proud of what they have achieved.

“Coming out of the pandemic the club was practically on its knees facing existential challenges – not enough players and potentially losing the facilities we regarded as our home base for the past 25 years.

“My first steps were very much mandated by the gravity of the club’s situation – most notably not having enough players to field even one side.

“The lack of playing membership also focused the off-field effort in needing to rebrand our club image and ethos.

“Promotion is important in its messaging of recognition of that success on the pitch but more importantly it was made possible because of the success we had off the pitch with improving playing membership numbers.

“Plainly speaking a club won’t exist for long without players committed to the sport.

“The importance of successfully increasing our player base numbers and quality is second to none and has shored up Woking’s prospect of a bright future and continued longevity.

“For me, promotion was never in doubt from the first game of this season away to Staines RFC.

“The route to success as I saw it was with focusing on fundamentals by investing in coaching staff, training equipment and helping club members voluntarily giving time and effort.

“There are many key factors that contributed to this season’s promotion, however the driving force has been the head coach Mark Rose who has created a squad of players that command healthy respect and invariable the opposition have been left in no doubt they have played some good rugby against a well-organised, disciplined, quality side.

“Woking RFC are in a good place right now with an upbeat, positive outlook for the next season and beyond.

“The club is no longer concerned whether we’re going to able to host a home game and suffer the indignity of using other club facilities and all the logistical hassle that goes with that.

“We continue to focus on attracting more players with the aspiration of Woking RFC running out two squads consistently for the forthcoming season, and the aim of finishing mid-table or higher in Surrey Four.

“We want to continue the success we’ve had by securing the current facilities we have access to as a long-term arrangement.

“Ultimately we want Woking RFC to have its own ground with clubhouse facilities running two to three senior men’s sides, two senior women’s sides, colts’ rugby, a vets’ side and a large youth section.”