CALNE captain Andy Donegan is relishing the chance of leading his home town club and believes this season could be the start of an upturn in fortunes.

The Wiltshire club narrowly avoided relegation from Dorset and Wilts Division One last campaign as they struggled to find enough players to field a team.

In the last few matches the team was packed with youngsters as they tried desperately to fulfil their fixtures and retain their current status.

Donegan, 30, was appointed club captain at last month's annual meeting and the scrum half is determined to make sure last season's problems don't repeat themselves.

He said: "We struggled last year to say the least. We never had enough players and often people in charge were being forced to phone around on the eve of a match begging people to play.

"It was not good enough and we have to make sure it is different this season, and the early signs are very encouraging.

"Since June we have had 18 to 20 players at training so it is looking as though we might have some competition for places which is exactly what we need."

Donegan joined the club in 1995 but missed four years from 1998 due to a knee injury.

He made his comeback last campaign and was voted player of the year.

He has represented Calne in as high a league as the Southern Counties League and admits it is sad to see the club back in the lower leagues.

He said: "I have always lived in Calne and so it is a great honour to be leading my home town club.

"After surviving last season we have to be looking at getting above midtable this time and then moving on from there.

"The club are currently in the process of launching a big recruitment drive and once this has had effect hopefully we can get back to where we used to be."

Calne's communication officer Matt Snell revealed that this time last year the club was in danger of folding.

He said: "At the 2003 annual meeting a handful of us sat down and all hung our heads in shame about the lack of interest in our club.

"We said if it continued we would not be playing competitive rugby in three or four years' time and that something had to be done.

"So we have made ourselves more accessible to the community and with better coaching and a good youth set up we seem to be turning the corner.

"We now have a second team who will play 11 fixtures this year rather than the one they played last term."