CAPTAIN Gavin Hughes is setting some lofty goals ahead of this weekend’s start of the new season for Ludlow Hockey Club men’s first XI – a tilt at promotion and a return to the Olympic Stadium.

Hughes’s side have dropped a division due to Midland Regional Hockey Association (MRHA) league restructuring – and will wield their sticks in West Midlands Division One this campaign.

But after strengthening during the summer – bringing in Craig Heath from Shrewsbury while Gareth Hughes and Lawrence Richards also return to the club – Hughes is expecting a successful season in both league and cups.

Hughes – who took over the captaincy last year – said: “We will be looking to finish high – possibly even getting promoted – and we want to start the season strong away at Bournville seconds this weekend.

“Then we have got a big second game, a local derby at home to Shrewsbury, who we did the double over last season.

“We will also be entering the England Hockey Cup at Tier 3 level. We got to the final three years ago and we will be looking to get back to the Olympic Stadium again.

“We finished off our pre-season with a 5-2 win at Hereford on Saturday and it’s looking like it will be a promising season.”

The reason Ludlow have dropped a division is due to the MRHA’s decision to mix first teams with seconds, thirds, fourths and so on – previously first teams had their own division.

Now, Ludlow will be playing the likes of Leek thirds, Edgbaston thirds and Bournville seconds, the latter being their hosts in this Saturday’s curtain-raiser.

Every team but one in the MRHA voted in favour of the proposals and Hughes says Ludlow have no problems with the changes.

He added: “They gave each club a ‘weight’ and points based on how good they are, where they have finished, previous successes, and that has meant some second teams have been placed above us.

“It will take a couple of years for the leagues to settle down. But we are effectively playing in the same league as we were – virtually every team in the league is the same as it was last season.

“The only problem is with things like Shrewsbury and West Brom being relegated last year but now being back in the same league as us – but that’s okay, we will just beat them again!”