CHAMPIONS IT Sports Wigginton begin the defence of their Yorkshire Premier League squash title on Wednesday with a trip to Sheffield to take on Abbeydale.
Wigginton were undefeated in the league last season, racking up the highest points tally ever recorded.
Their only reverse came in the Yorkshire Cup final against Heaton of Bradford.
Wigginton, who also boast refurbished courts, have managed to maintain the mix of international stars plus local home-grown talent that served them so well last year.
World number four John White returns alongside team management duo Ian Tooms and Matt Lowery and Paul Hargrave, Jon Rooney, Duncan Walsh, Hadrian Stiff and Jamie Hopwood.
Adding to this season's intrigue is the promotion of York SRC to the top flight to ensure local rivalry.
Tooms is looking forward to a return to winning ways but admits Wigginton are likely to face a stiffer test this time around.
He said: "Last season, I felt we were too strong and other teams struggled to compete. We brought in John White to compete against the likes of Lee Beachill and other top international players but, unfortunately, injuries meant it was often a mis-match.
"This time around we will be more careful. I think we can still win the league even if John doesn't play, but it is nice for everyone to see players of that calibre. Clubs will remember us from last season and will be gunning for revenge so I think it will be a lot harder."
Updated: 11:13 Tuesday, September 09, 2003
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