10:04am Thursday 4th January 2007
By Owen Houlihan
DELIGHTED head coach John Brown paid tribute to everybody at Swindon Rugby Club after the Greenbridge Road outfit picked up our Team of the Year award.
The South West Two East club won the Advertiser vote by a clear margin, polling 45 per cent of your votes.
Next were the Swindon Robins (17 per cent), following their achievement in reaching the Elite League play-offs.
They were followed by the Esprit gymnastics club and Swindon Town's Milk Cup-winning Under 15s squad, who tied for third with 10 per cent.
Next were Walcot Boxing Club and Bradon Forest School's basketball team.
The award completed a superb year for Swindon RFC, who followed up their victory in the Dorset & Wilts Vase final by clinching yet another promotion with a thrilling victory over Bath side Oldfield in a play-off.
Brown, who was at the Greenbridge Road ground with skipper Scott Chapman and a host of players to receive the award yesterday, said: "We're really chuffed.
"It's brilliant and I know everybody's really pleased at the club.
"Last year everybody worked really hard, from the top to the bottom, the juniors included.
"Everybody contributed to it, so this is not just for the first team but for the whole club in its entirety.'' Swindon also overcame a tough start to this season and are now well placed to stay at South West level this term.
Brown added: "We were under no illusions how tough this season was going to be, but what people forget is that we have gone up three seasons on the bounce.
"We've had no time to consolidate and every season is a new one for us.
"We're getting there (this season), we're confident and the lads are working very hard and I'm sure we will be successful.'' Chapman added: "We want to keep winning.
"That's what we'd like and we're capable of doing that.
"Winning this probably might attract a few more hopefully and as long as we stay up this season, that might attract a few more.''
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