Relegation hits the Shire captain hard Pattinson planning to bounce back next season
Perthshire Rugby Club captain Adam Pattinson admits being relegated out of the national leagues is a bitter pill to swallow.
Haddington’s victory against Dalziel at the weekend has confined the Eagles to the drop zone and Caledonia League action next season.
A lack of commitment to the cause across the season has been highlighted as a contributing factor to the North Inch side’s downfall.
But Pattinson has vowed to fight on for another campaign, despite back issues, to help Shire return to the national set-up.
“We knew it was going to happen and that we hadn’t done enough,” a disappointed Pattinson said.
“It would have been a miracle for us to stay up.
“It wasn’t to be and you get what you deserve in a league season.
“It’s tough to take and it’s tough to have been at the helm when it has happened. You take it personally.
“A core of people trained but there wasn’t enough commitment to training unfortunately.
“We had a problem with second
Adam Pattinson team and first team training. Too often there have not been enough numbers. It’s a reality check and something we need to fix.
“We had 50 people at training one week but it has got progressively tougher. We got a few wins, but not enough.”
Pattinson has witnessed a number of youth players impress at the club this term.
But he would love them to have a national league side to aspire to.
“You do want the youth to have something to aspire to,” Pattinson explained.
“What is positive is that, for the first time in a while, it feels like there has been some good progression from the Colts to the seniors.
“I feel we have turned the corner with that and it can bode well for the future.
“In terms of potential, there is tonnes of it at the club. The youth section is thriving and has been for several years.
“A huge amount of work has gone on behind the scenes for that. Our perennial challenge is translating that into senior players.
“The pull of universities is too strong and people are reluctant to travel back. That is tough to take for someone who went to uni myself. I used to love coming back.
“I would like to make a special mention to Ross Cameron.
“He has been away teacher training in Edinburgh and has come back for 95 per cent of the games and trained most weeks.
“That was just fantastic and people like him are the future of the club.”
Plans for next season are still to be talked through but Pattinson hopes the current crop of players can remain loyal to the club.
He said: “I don’t know of anybody who is leaving. We have had players before who have chosen to stay when they could’ve gone on to play with other clubs.
“I certainly hope that will be the case this year. I know there is a lot going on in terms of recruitment and trying to get people in.
“The staff are really grafting to get some quality players in to fill gaps in the squad.”
Shire players will be taking part in the popular Perth Beer Festival at the North Inch this weekend.
Pattinson said: “It’s a big weekend coming up with the beer festival and we have a team meeting in the morning before that.
“A couple of weeks later we have the end of season dinner, celebrating all of the good stuff that has been going on in the club.
“There has been a lot of positives, it’s just unfortunate that it has been a tough season for the senior section.
“I will, personally, be diligent with my rehab and try to get one last push.
“The back isn’t great but I feel like I don’t want to leave now. Especially with what has happened.
“It feels like there is unfinished business so I would like another crack at it and help out as much as I can.”