CAPTAIN Klinger is coming back. That is the best news Gloucestershire cricket supporters have had for some time. He has been an important character at Bristol on and off the field and knows work is still to be done.

Players like Tavare, Roderick and Miles have all made a fine start to their cricketing careers and Michael wishes to help take them forward to the next stage.

One chairman of a Southern county who is not averse to spending a few bob confirmed with me in May that Michael’s contract expired this year. He then added 'he may well be getting a letter from us'.

Whether he did or not I do not know and there is no point in speculating, but we can wonder what our county will do until Michael arrives in June.

My suggestion would be to sign a fast bowler to play in April or May. That way we can fill the Will Gidman gap with a proven overseas player.

James Fuller will not be returning to the county side this season. His troublesome foot needs surgery. James managed just six championship games, Craig Miles will have played in just four and, of course, Ian Saxelby broke down in his second match.

Those bowlers could have played 48 games between them but collectively managed 12. Look no further for our lack of championship progress.

Sunday afternoon in Cirencester Park was very pleasant. The Reg Tugwell memorial match took place and there was also a presentation afternoon for the club youngsters.

This happy scene would have delighted Reg whose contribution to the town club in bringing on so many good young cricketers was immense. Your columnist is old enough to have played against Reg who never seemed to get angry. He was occasionally sad, perhaps if standards of behaviour slipped but was possessed of a genial encouraging nature. I only ever played against him, but would love to have played under him, it would have made me a better cricketer.

Fifty years ago Phil Carter rolled (he never rocked) up at Cirencester CC.

A host of runs, countless wickets and an infinite number of cigarettes later, Phil is still there, puffing away at the end of a bowling spell, and not just because he is out of breath.

He looks like going on forever. His contemporary Dick Tugwell claims Sunday’s game was his last. We shall see.

The gathering of veteran cricketers at the town ground on Sunday proved yet again that sport is about much more than winning or losing. It is about camaraderie and companionship leading to deep and lasting friendships.

You may meet someone just at the wicket, the skittles alley or the games field but relationships are made there that are genuine and true.

Never more has this been apparent than in Cirencester this week. Two funerals took place for two different sportsmen. Skittles, darts and crib colleagues packed into the South Chapel at Cheltenham to say goodbye to Derek ‘Decker’ Day. Decker, who started his working life as an errand boy at International Stores in a time when Cirencester had proper grocers’ shops, was a popular and respected player of the three pub sports that are so much part of the winter life of this town.

For Ashley Scrivens it was so different, he lost a brave battle at the age of 24, falling victim to melanoma. The huge throng of more than 800 people at his splendidly conducted funeral did him proud. Family, rugby colleagues and the Reverend Warwick Heathcote led tributes to both son, player, coach and friend. Ashley had touched so many in his short life and had brought so much life and vigour to this town.

In return, the love, loyalty, affection and respect of his many young friends made it a memorable afternoon. His parents, Nigel and Sharon, should be very proud. Anyone who doubts the youth of today should have seen the pall bearers, the players Ashley coached and his many young friends all acting properly and with commendable maturity. Sport is special in evoking such a response, but of course Ashley was special as well.

I am now back on the Forest Green trail. It is a different team but with greater hopes. There was a sad defeat on Saturday but many more matches are to come. Mrs Light, who is coming with me, says it could be worse – we could be ‘shed heads’. Looking at the score from Northampton where more than 50 points were conceded, I realise she is, as usual, right.