FARNWORTH Social Circle captain Matt Parkinson expects his side to be up there challenging again next season after clinching the Bolton League title with two games to play.

The trophy will be presented tomorrow when Social Circle host Horwich in the first of a double header, with bottom side Eagley visiting Piggott Park on Sunday.

It is the club’s first title since 2009, when Parkinson led a first XI made up entirely of home-grown talent.

This year, seven of the regular senior squad came through the junior ranks, while last Sunday’s title-clinching side for the first time included three sets of brothers – Christopher and Andrew Lane, Tim and Chris Barrow and Jamie and Josh Bohannon. That family feel, and a new crop of youngsters coming through, makes the skipper confident they will be competitive again next season.

“The win in 2009 was special, but this is up there,” he said.

“The fact we are all mates and grew up together makes it special.

“Last time we won it, the team was broken up and we had to start again from scratch, but I think it is to the club’s credit that we still remained in the top four or five each season.

“That is because we do not just focus on the first team.

“Our budget is probably in the bottom three in the league, along with Eagley and Astley Bridge, but we put in a lot of effort to make sure every level of the club is run properly.

“So this title is for the whole club, not just the first teamers.”

Parkinson has shared the load of the captaincy with wicketkeeper Chris Walsh this season as he has been unable to play more than one game per weekend due to a back problem.

Walsh has blossomed behind the stumps despite the extra burden, and needs just five victims in the final two matches to break the league record of 54 for a season.

Parkinson has also put the team’s success down to the form of strike bowlers Dave Mather and Liam Bones.

“I would say they are two of the best three bowlers in the league, along with Greenmount’s Mark Stewart, so they have been a big factor, while Chris Barrow and Josh Bohannon have also weighed in with their fair share of wickets,” he said.

“Our batting has not always been up to the same standard, but there have been many good performances with the bat.

“Having Tim Rees back at the club, for his batting and coaching, has been a big bonus, and young Josh has had an unbelievable season for us and Lancashire Under-17s.”

While Parkinson believes the nucleus of the squad will remain intact next season, he confirmed the club’s professional, Rameez Alam, has already agreed a move to Tonge.

“We can’t afford to pay our professional as much as other clubs, so we got Rameez from the bargain basement,” said Parkinson.

“He was cheap as chips and was a bit of an unknown quantity, but started off brilliantly for us and really set the tone for the rest of the season.”

Fixtures Tomorrow Greenmount v Heaton, Farnworth SC v Horwich, Farnworth v Kearsley, Egerton v Little Lever, Eagley v Tonge, Bradshaw v Walkden, Astley Bridge v Westhoughton.

Sunday Farnworth v Egerton, Farnworth SC v Eagley, Greenmount v Bradshaw, Heaton v Astley Bridge, Horwich v Walkden, Kearsley v Tonge, Westhoughton v Little Lever.