Preston Grasshoppers is delighted to announce that Olly Viney will be rejoining the club for the 2015/16 season as a player but also as backs coach. Olly has had a break from rugby over the last 12 months to raise his young family.
Olly made his 1st XV debut for Preston Grasshoppers at the start of the 2002/3 season in Alex Keay’s first as Head Coach, making twenty seven appearances and in doing so scoring twenty one tries before going on to keep up this record as a prolific try scorer.
He made his Hoppers debut at Waterloo’s Blundellsands ground, playing on the right wing on the 30th of August 2002, before scoring his first league try against Darlington Mowden Park a month later.
Olly Viney in action for Hoppers
Olly left Hoppers at the end of the 2007/8 season to take his try scoring skills Down Under after scoring eighty nine tries and a single conversion during his six seasons at Lightfoot Green clocking up one hundred and thirty five appearances. His total of seventy eight league tries is a club record for Hoppers with Gary Monaghan’s tally of sixty five second highest.
On his return Olly said “I’m really looking forward to coming back to where my senior rugby career started. It’s an exciting time for hoppers with a great group of young players.”
He added “I’m also looking forward to working with Garth and Alan. They are ambitious coaches and I will be doing all I can to support them and their vision for the club.”
Head Coach Garth Dew commented “We are delighted that Olly has decided to rejoin Hoppers where he became a firm fan favourite as prolific try scorer in the past. The danger he poses in attack, plus his wealth of experience, will no doubt be invaluable to the team as we look to become a real force in National 2 North. I’m also looking forward to working with Olly as a coach and hope his input will really develop our young and exciting backline.”
We look forward to seeing Olly back in the blue and white hoops next season!
