On Thursday evening, over 150 local businesses attended the launch of ‘Back to the Start’, a global campaign designed to re-position Rugby as the town that gave the sport its name.

The historical links between the sport of Rugby and the town are well-documented; it was Rugby School pupil William Webb Ellis who, in 1823, reportedly first picked up the ball and ran with it while playing on The Close, the playing fields of the school. Since then the proud people of Rugby have spread the gospel of their game far and wide but without getting due recognition – or financial reward - in return for being the birthplace of the game.

Michael Aland, Chairman of The Rugby Football Club, is determined to put that right and called on the local businesses in attendance at the packed Webb Ellis Road Clubhouse to share in his vision for a better and brighter Rugby.

Mr Aland spoke of the need to regenerate the town of Rugby, his own birthplace, using the historical links to the sport that bears its name as the catalyst.

He wants the eyes and the ears of the world to be on Rugby, and a state-of-the-art Sports Village, that will be the new home of Rugby Lions, is just one part –albeit a major one - of his wide-reaching and exciting vision.

He said: “We need to remind an international audience that Rugby town gave its name to the game. How do we do that? We take them, ‘Back to the Start.’”

During his presentation Mr Aland also unveiled the ‘1823’ clothing and coffee shop brand, with three unique stores in the town centre identified and leased as the launch pad for a global franchise system.

‘Back to the Start’ is being supported by a secondary campaign designed to get the local community fully behind Rugby Lions’ push for the Premiership.

‘We Believe’ is for the people of Rugby to show their pride in the team that has ambitions of playing top flight rugby within the next five years and has so far swept all before them in National 3 Midlands.

T-shirts, car stickers and shop stickers promoting both the town and the club, and adorned with the ‘slogan’ We Believe’, were distributed to the invite-only guests.

CEO Andy Key also spoke about the need to bring homegrown players through the system, as he did in his previous role as Leicester Tigers Academy Manager.

He explained what would be needed to for the Lions to start a Rugby Academy of their own and called on the local businesses present to get behind the project financially and help the Lions deliver stars of the future on their own doorstep.

The Rugby Football Club is now calling upon its growing band of supporters to do what Webb Ellis did all those years ago, but pick up the idea, not the ball, and run with it.

For more details about how you can get behind the team, contact Commercial Manager, Charlie Parker.

Email: Charlie.parker@therugbyfootballclub.co.uk,

Tel: 07793-185746

Seen below is local businessman David Dearden of Withybrook Equestrian Centre near Rugby in his We Believe T-shirt.