WITH a new year comes fresh hopes for our teams and individual sportsmen and women.
2023 was certainly a memorable one for all sorts of reasons, whether that was the turbulence at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, promotion for Warrington Town or glory for the likes of Luke Littler and Rhiannon Dixon.
Now, though, a new dawn has broken and here’s a few of our sporting hopes and dreams for the year ahead…
Success for Burgess in charge of The Wire
Opinions will no doubt vary as to what would constitute a successful year for Warrington Wolves in 2024, which will see modern-day rugby league legend Sam Burgess take charge of the team as head coach.
The expectations around the club remain lofty as ever and a return to competing for trophies will no doubt be sought, but will a couple of lean years mean people will be simply happy with stability and gradual improvement?
Burgess himself has been keen to avoid making grand statements about his squad, but we will soon get our first glimpse of the fruits of their pre-season labour.
Friendlies start later this month, with home trial matches against Widnes Vikings (January 26) and Leigh Leopards (February 3) before the Super League season starts with a trip to Catalans Dragons on February 17.
Will it finally be Wire’s year? We’ll soon find out…
Survival on and off the pitch for Yellows
“Stay up on the field, stay up off the field” was Warrington Town’s mantra heading into their first ever National League North season.
With the campaign now past its halfway mark, manager Mark Beesley and his players are in a strong position to fulfil their end of the bargain, sitting seven points clear of the relegation places and only five shy of a play-off spot.
Now, the race is on to ensure Cantilever Park is brought up to the standard for continued Step Two football – improvements such as a new stand and terrace are planned and the club have until the end of March to complete the works or face being relegated back to the Northern Premier League.
The hope for everyone is that by this time next year, Town are still more than holding their own in the National League North with a newly upgraded ground to enjoy.
A new high for Rylands
Across the River Mersey, Warrington Rylands enter 2024 in a strong position for a tilt at joining their neighbours in the National League North next season.
Michael Clegg’s side sit second in the Northern Premier League Premier Division table and are the only side in the top seven tiers of English football to still be unbeaten away from home in the league.
Blues trail leaders Radcliffe by four points having played a game more but have a six-point cushion inside the play-off spots.
Those within the club continue to play down their chances of promotion but the longer they maintain their current position, the more realistic their chances will be.
A continued rise for “Luke The Nuke”
Arguably the most talked-about teenager in British sport at the moment is one of our own – 16-year-old darts sensation Luke “The Nuke” Littler.
The former Padgate Academy pupil has catapulted himself into the nation’s sporting consciousness with his superb performances at the World Darts Championship, where he has become the youngest player ever to reach the latter stages.
Victories over Christian Kist, Andrew Gilding and Matt Campbell saw Littler demonstrate the kind of prodigious talent that has prompted 16-time world champion Phil Taylor to laud him as having the potential to be one of the game’s all-time greats.
Even before his Ally Pally exploits, his dominance of the youth and junior circuits meant Littler, who turns 17 later this month, had secured a two-year PDC Tour card so we can expect to see him compete on the sport’s biggest stages plenty more times.
More title shots for Rhiannon Dixon?
Great Sankey’s “fighting pharmacist” took an almighty step forward during 2023, picking up her first two belts as a professional.
As such, Dixon enters 2024 holding both the Commonwealth and European lightweight titles after victories over Katharina Thanderz and Vicky Wilkinson in her past two bouts.
The Anthony Crolla-trained 28-year-old has a professional record of nine wins from as many fights but does not currently have a fight scheduled.
However, we’d love to see her career progress towards a potential tilt at the British title – and maybe even a world crown.
In Dixon’s weight class, the British title is currently vacant with all four versions of the world title are held by Irishwoman Katie Taylor.
Plenty of Olympic representation
This year will see the Olympic Games take place once again, with Paris playing host to the 2024 summer event.
And we’re hoping there will be plenty of Warrington representation as part of the Team GB travelling party that makes the short hop across the English Channel.
Warrington Rowing Club’s Lucy Glover will be hoping to make it having been a regular in British boats at World Cup events since making her Olympic debut in Tokyo three years ago.
Former Great Sankey High School pupil Kathleen Dawson, who helped Team GB’s swimmers to mixed relay gold in Tokyo, has been struggling with injury but will hope to make the team, as will fellow swimmer James Guy.
England to bring football home
The bars and pubs of Warrington will no doubt be packed in the summer to cheer on England at this summer’s European Championships.
After a heart-breaking penalty shoot-out defeat in the final against Italy last time out, the Three Lions will head to Germany as one of the tournament favourites as they bid for a first major trophy since 1966.
Gareth Southgate’s men kick off their campaign against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on June 16, with group games against Denmark and Slovenia to follow.
We will certainly be cheering them on as they finally look to bring football home.
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