Whitehaven fans can hear exciting plans for the future of their club at a special open meeting at the Recreation Ground on Friday.

All supporters have been invited to the meeting (starting at 6pm) which will give them an update on how the board of directors are progressing with their five-year plan.

Chairman Tom Todd said: “We are into the second year of that five-year strategy and we thought it was a good time to tell our supporters just how we are moving the club forward.

“One of the first objectives was to provide an all-county-based squad and we are not far off that already.

“Chris Taylor and Dave Thompson are the only two players currently travelling from outside the county, and to be quite honest, the way they have fitted in at Whitehaven, I regard them as our own.

“Jessie Joe Parker and Dion Aiye have been with us for a few years now from Papua New Guinea and we regard them in the same way.”

Todd also said that a key component of the long-haul plan was to create a sustainable A team at the club.

“That is something we are working on all the time and are confident that it is an achievable target,” he said.

There are also ambitious plans for the development of the Recreation Ground, which have not been a knee-jerk reaction to the proposed new multi-million-pound stadium in Workington for both Town and the Reds football club.

“To be honest it’s something that has been around for a number of years now and has never been out of mind.

“There has been progress made on this ambitious project which will be part of the agenda for Friday night,” said Todd.

With Whitehaven riding high after a fine derby victory at Derwent Park which kept them joint top of League One with Hunslet, it’s an opportune time to provide important feedback to the fans.

Gary Charlton and his coaching team of Jonty Gorley and Scott McAvoy are gearing up the squad for a big battle on Sunday against Newcastle Thunder who currently lie fourth in the table.

Haven won’t be taking anything from the big pre-season win they had over Thunder at the Recreation Ground, as Newcastle only used four or five regular first teamers.

This will be one of their toughest tests of the opening two months with Newcastle responding to the appointment of the vastly experienced and respected Denis Betts as director of rugby.

“We have had two weeks as joint leaders of League One and we are beginning to enjoy the feeling,” said chairman Todd.

“Undoubtedly it’s going to be a hard game but there’s a lot of confidence and belief about our team now and the coaches certainly have them playing for each other.

“With the backing our supporters can give the team I am very hopeful, especially if we can pull the magic 1,000 fans and I believe that should be possible given how we’ve been playing,” added Todd.