OLD XAVERIANS: NO PROFESSIONALS BUT BAGS OF PATIENCE

Date: 11th March 2013

A Paul Edwards copyright exclusive for L&DCC Official Website.

Tibetan calm

There are times when David Reynolds makes a Tibetan Buddhist monk look hurried. The chairman of Old Xaverians possesses the sort of calm which allowed him to watch his club progress steadily from being a Sunday friendly team to playing in the Merseyside Competition. Then last year they made their debut in the Liverpool Comp, just a year after Reynolds celebrated the 50th anniversary of his first appearance for the club. You get the sense that he believes progress is best achieved by steady improvement than throwing pots of cash at a situation.

Thus it comes as little surprise to hear Reynolds say that while Old Xaverians will welcome anyone who wishes to represent the club they will never pay anyone to play for them. This is stated as something of an inviolable rule, and the fact that Old Xavs won only three of their 20 league games in 2012 won't make a ha'porth of difference to it. As it happens, Reynolds was delighted they won so many.

"We had a young and inexperienced side," he said. "They were a bit disappointed with their season but I suspect they didn't appreciate the step up in standard they were making. Gradually, they realised that this was serious sport they were playing and they had to do things properly."

Reynolds is determined that Jamie Doyle's players will be given the time he believes they need to develop. Old Xaverians have a big youth development programme and the chairman is committed to seeing it bear fruit. If it takes time, that's acceptable. After all, the club spent half a century playing Sunday friendlies. Where's the hurry?

"The truth is that some of our players were more suited to Echo knockout games than seven-hour cricket," said Reynolds. "I observed them last summer and they were ground down in some games.

"However, we've had a very good pre-season in which people have practiced hard. Nobody's joined, nobody's left and I'm delighted that Jamie Doyle is still captain because he is a fantastic character and his family is the heart and soul of the club."

So as to 2013, has Reynolds targeted a number of wins for Doyle and his men to achieve? One gets the slight impression that he regards the question in very slightly poor taste.