Leigh Glazebrook has been playing rugby for Stow-on-the-Wold since he was nine but 27 years on he has set what he believes to be a club record.

The front row forward is in his first season as club chairman and reckons he might be the first person in the club’s 138-year history to hold the post and still be playing first-team rugby.

“The past chairman that I’ve known have all long hung up their boots,” said Glazebrook, who took over from Dave Oughton – a leading second row back in the day.

It’s been a difficult season for Stow in Southern Counties North but Glazebrook, married to Catherine, has seen reasons to be cheerful.

“We’ve brought through quite a few youngsters – Max Burnside, Neil Atkinson, Jake and Ben Collett, Elliott Lockey, Tom Marks and Henry Oughton – and they’ve all done well,” he said. “They’ve all stepped up to the mark.

“They’ve all come through the youth set-up and that is something that is very important to the club.”

Like all rugby clubs, Stow could do with more adult players.

“When I started we were running five teams and a vets side,” said Glazebrook, whose dad Alf played for the club for a couple of years. “Now we’re running two teams. I think all clubs are struggling for commitment and numbers. Despite the great success of our minis and youth section, the first team is the flagship of the club. It all starts with the first team.”

Stow lost coach Nick Runciman before Christmas when promotion at work meant he could no longer continue in the role.

However, their coaching set-up, which is headed by former player Andy Cartlidge as director of rugby, has been supplemented over the past few months by the arrival of Gloucester prop Nick Wood.

Wood was a regular for Gloucester for more than 10 years and when asked if he’d passed on any tips to him, prop to prop, Glazebrook joked: “Yes, probably to be a bit less lazy around the field,” before adding, “but the progressive drills have been excellent.”

Although Stow have been nearer the bottom than the top this season, Glazebrook, who plans to play on next season “if my wife allows me” believes the club should be aiming to finish in the top six next time around.

“The Southern Counties North is the right level for us at the moment,” he said. “I think promotion would be a step too far because we don’t have the strength in depth but the top six is definitely something to aim for.”

Off the field, the clubhouse in Oddington Road has always been a hive of activity and Glazebrook wants to continue to improve the community feel.

“We’ve got a fantastic new club stewardess in Hannah Close and we’re spending money on improving the clubhouse,” he said. “There’s always plenty going on.”