SO LONG MIKE.

 Present club captain and former England regular, Mike 'Pig' Parsons has decided to retire from playing top-flight Lacrosse.

 Such Lacrosse, widely recognised as being a young man's game these days, has clearly taken it's toll on the man returning to Timperley for next season.

 Now in his early thirties, Mike admitted:- "I haven't been enjoying my Saturdays, not because of Cheadle, but because I can't motivate myself to play every Saturday. At the beginning of the season I seem okay, but towards the end it becomes a chore and feels like it takes one of my two rest days (weekend) away. Anyway to cut a long story short I have decided to have one season playing with the guys that I grew up playing with (at Timperley). After that I can happily hang my stick up."

Mike can look back on his one season in charge at Cheadle with pride. He led us to 3rd in the Northern League and a nail-baiting semi-final berth against eventual Senior Flags winners, Manchester Wacs.

Mike has played County Lacrosse at all levels and has toured the U.S.A. with Timperley Lacrosse Club.

As an up and coming teenager the fitness fanatic (sorry, Pig, you earnt that title when you ran around one of Alsager's fields twice as a warm-up for an England development squad training session at 9.30a.m. on a Sunday!) played for Timperley in a Senior Flags Final against Heaton Mersey in 1993.

Unfortunately for him Heaton Mersey won 13-9 and it was to prove the only time Mike graced a field on such an occasion.

'Pig' represented England at the 1995 inaugural European Championships in Prague, Czech Republic with honour. Indeed England always won this reguarly annual tournament whenever Mike was playing or even coaching (Prague again, this time, 2004) on one occasion.

Mike also went on to play long-stick midfield for his country in the 2002 World Championships (Perth, Australia) when arguably in his prime at 27 years old.

Not content with that he was an Assistant Coach for England Under 19's at their World Championships in Towson, U.S.A. the following summer. 

To sum up more recent times, Mike said:- "Thanks for everything over the 3 years I have been at Cheadle. It is very much appreciated. I am hoping to play some 'A' and maybe 'B' team games next season so I may see you on the pitch!".