ADRIAN Knox will achieve another milestone in his impressive rugby career when he makes his 300th appearance for Lydney in their big Senior Cup match at home to Worcester on Saturday (kick off 3pm).
Knox – 'Knocker' to the world at large – celebrated his 35th birthday this week and is racing cert to take his place in the side for the cup match.
"I'm not taking anything for granted. I might get the drop," said Knox who is now one of the club's three-man coaching team together with the other senior players Julian Davis and Nick Nelmes.
Knox, a carpenter, says he is enjoying his rugby more than ever this season.
"The club had a tilt at semi professional rugby last season. Now we are back to playing for the honour of pulling on the shirt and in a sense it has drawn us much closer together. Everyone is playing for each other and there is a great atmosphere in the team," he says.
"Win or lose we have a few beers afterwards and while we are as intense as ever about the rugby we also enjoy ourselves. There's a lot to be said for not taking ourselves too seriously," he said.
Saturday's game against the big names of fully professional Worcester will be just one more game in the many top and tough fixtures Knox has appeared in during his 18 year Lydney career.
"Over the years we have been involved in a lot of big matches. They are always special occasions and everyone wants to play in them. They are very special for the younger members of the team and I can remember how I used to look forward to playing. The town is always alive with interest in the days before a game and its all you think about in the week before," he said.
With Regan Toroua, Dean Jenkins and Julian Hill still injured the team will be based round last Saturday's successful league team which shattered Old Patesians' two year ground record.
"I was very pleased with the attitude we showed there. There are a lot of youngsters in the squad but they played with character and didn't panic. Once we established superiority up front the scores followed and we ran out deserved winners," he said.
Knox made his Lydney debut as a 16 year-old on a club tour to Cornwall.
"We played St Ives on the Friday night and Penryn on the Sunday. I played in the Penryn game and spent the game following scrum-half Paul Howell around.It paid off because I scored a try and I picked up a lot more over the years by staying on Howeller's elbow," he said.
Knox has now scored 87 tries for Lydney – more than any other Lydney forward.
"I would really like to make that 100 but we are in a competitive league and you don't get that many chances," he added.
Knox's rugby career has taken him to Gloucester and Cinderford before returning to Regentsholme. He has also made many appearances for the county.