Monday 29 June 2009

Taking a Break

It has been a strange June so far but one I have thoroughly enjoyed.

Having spent the last 9 years playing in National Division One, now the Championship, I have decided to take a break from rugby and concentrate on some exciting projects (including this blog) away from the training ground.

I am hoping, for the sake of rugby at this level, that the Championship is a huge success - there have been huge advances in the 9 years that I have been involved as a player and I believe that with the increased funding and, hopefully, exposure the Championship will continue to flourish.

As the Championship becomes a fully professional league I am unable to make the commitment to training that is required to be successful and I have decided to take a break from playing for the forseeable future.

I made the decision very early on after leaving University that I did not want to be a full time rugby player but I have been lucky enough to mix playing with work, largely thanks to some very understanding bosses!

For the last three years my life revolved around Nottingham Rugby.

I was a player but also a full time employee at the club, which gave me a fantastic opportunity to understand the inner workings of a professional rugby club and also the media.

I left my full time post at the end of April to join Macesport - a role I am already enjoying immensely.

So the end of the road as a player but I am hoping it is just the start of my association with the Championship.

I decided very quickly after retirement that I wanted to write about the Championship and hopefully give the fans an insight into what happens behind the scenes at rugby clubs in this league.

Every club will be back in preseason training from June - something I am certainly not missing - and it is relentless rugby, rugby, rugby until the end of April and if you are successful this season even longer.

I am really looking forward to using this blog as a discussion forum for the fans, employees and who knows even the players in the Championship.

I hope you like the blog and it provides plenty of discussion points.

Look forward to seeing you on the other side of the fence this season!!!
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4 comments:

  1. Colette29 June 2009 at 04:26

    Hi Ben,
    Best of luck with your new venture into life after rugby and both this blog.

    I'm sad to see you leave Nottm Rugby as you have done so much for the club over the years, both as a player and an employee. I'm also disapointed that you and Charlie Davies didn't get a decent send off from the club at the end of the season in the same way as Joe and Dan did.

    The first I properly knew of you departure was seeing you wandering through Nottingham on the first day of pre-season training! I'm not a stalker honest! I just spy on Nottm Rugby players......

    Anyway, good luck, I shall be following the blog with interest, hope to see you at some games and maybe even on the Green Army bus!

    Regards, Colette

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  2. Ben Thompson29 June 2009 at 04:59

    Hey Colette

    Thanks for your lovely message - very pleased you are the first person to comment on the blog.

    I hope it will be interesting for you during the season. Would be great to get lots of people discussing the Championship here.

    I will definitely be around and look forward to catching up.

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  3. Black_Buzzer29 June 2009 at 05:21

    Hi Ben

    I'm with Collette on this. I've enjoyed watching you play over the last few years, and I don't think there are many better tactical players around, so you will be a huge loss to the team, especially when we need that extra boost. Best of luck with the new career, and hope the blog and other projects work out well.

    The Championship will be an interesting experiment. I don't understand why Welsh have gone into administration at this point - I thought there was going to be more RFU funding for a fully professional league?

    You, Charlie, Dan and Joe? Hope the recruitment programme is up to speed...

    Best of luck

    Martin

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  4. Ben Thompson29 June 2009 at 06:19

    Much appreciated Martin - will certainly be looking forward to how it all unfolds in the coming months.

    It will be an interesting campaign given that you only have to finish in the top 8 to reach the play offs.

    I am positive Welsh will be up and running and a very competitive side in the league.

    Certainly look forward to discussing it here.

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