Buxton rounded off a successful season on Sunday by hosting the latest of their 'Legends' matches. A Manchester United side, including the likes of Sammy McIlroy and Frank Stapleton, took on a team of former Buxton players captained by all-time record appearance-maker (650), David Bainbridge, whose side led 2-0 at the interval with a Mark Balfe brace. However, the crowd of 750 saw goals by Russell Beardsmore and Danny Webber produce a final 2-2 scoreline in an entertaining encounter.
The first season after last summer's major refurbishment at the Tarmac Silverlands Stadium, including the introduction of Greenfields' state-of-the-art 3G pitch, has indeed been a success. The team not only finished 5th to qualify for the play-offs for the first time in 11 years but also enjoyed a remarkable increase in home support. An average for league games of 304 in 2017/18 increased to a very pleasing 497 in the season just completed-a rise of some 63 %! What's more, the season has seen a vast increase in usage of the stadium, partly as a result of the move there by Buxton Rugby Club but mostly through the opportunities afforded to junior clubs and other organisations.
With a clutch of their promising young players already contracted for 2018/19, a pre-season weekend mini-tour of north Wales arranged and the club's academy soon to open, 'the Bucks' are looking to make further progress in the campaign to come.
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