If you're at a loose end on Friday evening, Featherstone Lions coached by former Wildcats player Jamie Rooney are playing York City Knights at the Big Fella's Stadium (8pm KO) home of Featherstone Rovers. Admission on the gate on Friday evening is £10 adults, £6 concessions and £3 juniors. Bars and food outlets will be open around the Stadium from 6pm and the 1921 Suite open for spectators.

Jamie who had a successful playing career is looking forward to locking horns with a professional side for the first time in his coaching career and said "It's a big game and something I'm really looking forward to. As a player, I thought coaches had it easy but that certainly isn't the case and I'm sure a few grey hairs are coming through! It's a fantastic draw for us and a big challenge but it's something all the players are buzzing about."

"There's a bit of extra spice there with Ryan Mallinder who is a fev lad and also James Ford being a former Rovers player so it should be a good tussle. It's a big game for our boys and probably will be the biggest game they will ever be involved in for the Lions."

With such a big game taking place in Featherstone, Jamie is hoping that the local community come out in force on Friday and support their local team "It's important for the town that we do well. We have a proven track record of nurturing quality local talent, so hopefully we will be rewarded with a healthy crowd on Friday. Every single player from 1 to 17 is a local lad and we are hoping the crowd can be our 18th man and cheer us on. We have players who could definitely play at a higher level and they are looking forward to testing themselves on Friday."

Jamie also had a special mention for the hosts Featherstone Rovers "I'd like to thank Rovers for hosting the game and in particular their Chairman Mark Campbell. They are allowing us to train on Thursday evening on the pitch and also looking after the players afterwards which will help in our preparation for our big evening on Friday."

Rooney still play?

I wish you well, unfortunately I wont be there, Barra on Sunday and Cockney rebels the week after Mrs Halifaxjohn has tightened my purse strings.
Even Bentley man won't be there, he will be leaving very early Saturday morning for Sundays game.
He always likes to check out the museums and art galleries when we play away.

You are correct HJ however i will not be doing anything so vulgar as "yomping" us RAF types left that to our Army colleagues however i have spent many unhappy days on training areas such as Otterburn,Salisbury Plain & Stanford.
Looking fwd to my night out in Barrow no not really !!