LATCHFORD Albion will host their inaugural Armed Forces Day at Victoria Park Stadium on Saturday as the new community rugby league season kicks off in earnest.

In a double header, Latchford Albion’s second team will take on the Parachute Regiment at 1pm before the first team host the Army at 3.30pm.

With Warrington Wolves playing away to Catalans, officials are hoping for a bumper crowd and for the event, which includes stalls, activities, refreshments and bar, to become an annual one.

Leading the charge for the Parachute Regiment will be 34-year-old former Woolston Rovers and Warrington Wolves Academy player Colour Sergeant Dave Nunnerley, who grew up in Orford and attended Woolston High School.

Nunnerley started his Parachute Regiment journey in 1999, joining the 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment in Colchester, in 2000 and going on to serve his country on exercises and operations all over the world, including six-month stays in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.

During duties in Afghanistan in 2010 Nunnerley's actions on the battlefield were ‘Mentioned in Despatches’ for his gallantry.

Currently living in Lymm with his wife Emma and their children Oliver and Evie, the hard-running second rower has the occasional ‘run out’ with Lymm Rugby Club but his heart lies in rugby league.

He has represented Army Rugby League almost every year since 2002.

Nunnerley, an assistant coach for the Army team, will coach and lead 'The Paras' on Saturday as they set sights on silverware this season.

“The narrow loss to the Royal Marines in last year’s (annual) Trafalgar Cup Challenge match really stung," he said.

"We want that trophy, we want to show people what we can do, we want to make the Para’s proud, and Saturday is just the start of our campaign to regain the Traf’ Cup.”

Coaching has given Nunnerley some of his most memorable days in the Army.

“One of my best rugby moments has been coaching the Army Foundation College – Harrogate Team," he said.

"We went over to Australia in 2009 and stayed in Penrith, Sydney. We took in NRL games and trained alongside the Penrith Panthers. It was an amazing experience!”

Another of Nunnerley's fondest memories took place last year at Warrington Wolves' Halliwell Jones Stadium.

At the Wolves' Armed Forces Day celebrations Nunnerley carried the Challenge Cup onto the pitch for the quarter-final tie against Leigh Centurions. “That was an awesome day. The crowd were brilliant and it was an honour to be able to take part. The Warrington fans and our community really get behind the troops, it’s fantastic, I love being a Warringtonian!”