BEARS PARTNER WITH DERBY CITY

COVENTRY BEARS & DERBY CITY FORM NEW PARTNERSHIP 

Coventry Bears will join forces with local Midlands club Derby City to work together to offer young players more opportunities to play open age rugby league.

The Bears have a number of new signings discovered from trials, local recruitment and the student game but many need to play regular open age rugby league in the spring and summer to help them develop towards Betfred League One. 

This is the first of a number of new relationships the Bears are developing as clubs look to benefit from the clubs experience on and off the field while players from clubs get new opportunities through Dual registration.

Bears Alan Robinson commented on the new partnership:

“Derby City approached me last year to discuss our clubs working together and I was really impressed by their ambition and outlook to how they wish to grow their club. Jon Doughty from the club has been involved in the game for many years locally and was also involved in the representative game so has an interest in promoting young talent. We will be working closely with Derby to give some of our players game time this year and I’m confident it will be of huge benefit. We have a lot of players coming through the student game and indeed from trials have discovered others who have great talent but need to be playing regular open age rugby league. The Midlands is in a state of growth once again and with us playing in League One, a World Cup game coming to the Ricoh next year in 2021 we need forward thinking if the game is to grow in the region and players get more opportunities at all levels. We are looking to develop more relationships like this and it can only benefit the game in the region in the long run.”

Jon Doughty

Jon Doughty from Derby City commented:

'Now in our 30th year we are very pleased to be entering into partnership with a highly professional club such as Coventry Bears. It's very apparent that Alan and his team see the Midlands as a place of great opportunity and growth with a vastly untouched pool of players, the League One club will provide opportunities for those wanting to progress within the game and we will assist with providing valuable game time for players needing experience from the Bears. Having these players in our environment can only bring positives to Derby City.

2021 is World Cup year here in England and Derby have benefited from funding to restart the junior section this season so the future looks bright for the Midlands!'

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