Glasgow Hawks and Scottish Club Internationalist lock forward Richie Maxton has confirmed that he will be playing his rugby next season at Laigh Bent when he rejoins his home town team.

Welcoming him back Ian Smith the club President said “it is tremendous news that Richie has decided the time is right for him to return. A player of his calibre will enhance the team and his ability and attitude will inspire our young players to achieve their own potential. Our aim was and remains to prepare players for rugby’s highest possible challenges & levels and we have never stood in the way of a player looking to develop themselves at another club. Richie has always maintained links and friendships within the club and has lived up to his assertion that he would return at some point.”

Richie stated that “it was always my intention to return to the club and I believe the time is now right for both me and the club.” He went on to say that “It was important that I came back while I could make a contribution at a high level and still had ambition to play against the best. With the progress Hamilton has made in the last few years both my own and the club’s ambitions coincide. In addition after winning three Premier 1 championships with Hawks I need a new challenge. All of this together with the fact that I again live and work in the area helped me in making the decision.”

Hamilton veteran number 8 David Gemmell commenting on Richie’s return said “ I was club captain when Pepsi played under 18 and he showed great potential as a player then. It is fantastic news that he has decided to return after a successful career in the upper echelons of Club rugby in Scotland. The attractions of having a fantastic athlete and selfless team player are obvious and he will benefit our side enormously through his experience and abilities. We have never played a senior game together although the u-18 team featuring Richie nearly beat the 1st seven at the Lanarkshire sevens in 1996. Now we will get the opportunity to play side by side and I’m as excited about getting to play with him as he is about playing with me!!

It proves that the work put in over the years developing the atmosphere and camaraderie within the club has paid off that players wish to return. Current success of the club has been an attraction to a lot of players but “the Hamilton style” of treatment and development of players has meant we have, over the years, retained most of our players. Pepsie will also be an idol to Hamilton’s many young players both mini and midi and having a player of his stature around could be the catalyst to further developments on this front.”

This article was posted on 22-Jun-2006, 09:47 by Hugh Barrow.