By Sarah Tunney
March 1 2005

A year on from the magnificent win over Wasps and the excitement returns to Sharmans Cross Road Twickenham is only 80 minutes away for The Bees and Solihull.

Its fair to say that around this time last year there were a few people waking up feeling the worst for wear. I certainly remember turning up at work Monday morning feeling a strange mixture of tiredness, “ouch my head” and at the same time being hyper walking around with a fixed smile on my face. Even remember one of my mates who isn’t interested in rugby in the slightest, being very amused at me being on cloud nine and going with me to the local W.H.Smiths to load up with every single tabloid and broadsheet to read about my heroic team’s win over the English and European Champions, London Wasps.

Then the start of the 2004/2005 season started with hope and promise, last season was amazing, where would we end up this season? First game of the season, fans travelling away to Henley in style on the Aston Villa players coach on a baking hot Saturday afternoon, wining 45 - 22. Further big wins came over Penzance/Newlyn, London Welsh and Otley in the opening weekends of the campaigned and the Bees sat proudly at the top of the National League One table through October with five wins out of five, collecting maximum points in each.

However as the season has moved on there have been thought times to keep our feet on the ground. We’ve all become aware of how hard it has become to be a semi pro team in a division made up of increasing numbers of professional outfits.

We’ve had a bit of a rocky patch of late and most fans will admit this seasons been a bit of an anti climax. However, there’s a buzz of excitement around Sharmans Cross. This Saturday could bring the excitement which we experienced this time last year back to our club with the possibility going to Twickenham through the Powergen shield. It looks to be a huge fixture as already 1,200 Bedford fans have bought their tickets to come to support their team. This is the fixture that club is looking to, to add a sparkle to the season. With no playing for promotion or relegation, this is the fixture that matters to the club - the players, the staff and the fans. With the possibility of both Bees and Solihull travelling to Twickenham on the same day, there’s the potential for the 2004/2005 season to be a very special one for the club and for the Birmingham and Solihull area.

The club and players are putting in all the hard work to try and make this happen. But what about you? Please come down to Sharmans Cross on Saturday and cheer your team. In the Powergen Cup fixture against Coventry there were a few of us pleasantly surprised at the amount of Bees support, people wearing Bees fleeces, jackets and hats - but where are they on a normal Saturday afternoon? Saturday is your chance to make your presence felt, show the lads your behind them all the way.

Go on, make some noise, be proud to be a Bee!!!