By Mally
July 29 2002

There is more to promotion in Yorkshire than the Rotherham / Tykes saga. Cleckheaton are celebrating their second successive promotion. Cleckheaton are playing in North One this coming season, just one step away from the National leagues. One driving force behind the promotion has been Leeds Tykes' own British Lion John Bentley.

Bentos is the club's player-coach, a role which he combines with his duties as Tykes' Community Marketing Manager. John Bentley has come full circle having begun his career at Cleckheaton, he eventually went onto play for England and the British Lions.

Cleckheaton and Bentley are aiming for the best of both worlds, having a successful first team and still being able to be a real rugby club. Bentley explains, telling International Rugby News:

"...we never lose sight of what the game is about. We have a first team who are very ambitious, but it's about providing rugby on a Saturday for 90 lads who represent Cleckheaton."

So far they appear to be succeeding. Bentley is not the only well known rugby name involved with the club, others include Rugby League's Garry Mercer, Phil Veivers and Graeme Steadman.

Remembering what rugby is about is important, and hopefully Cleckheaton will be able to maintain the balance as it's progresses. As the Premiership becomes increasingly about money, the traditions of club rugby will have to continued in the lower divisions for the game to survive.

Tykes suffer as fans feel distanced from the "club", or rather the business entity that is Leeds Rugby. It's hard to drum up support for a business!

Let's hope that some of what John Bentley and Cleckheaton are acheiving rubs off on Leeds Tykes.