STOWMARKET was celebrating this week after being named ‘Club of the Year’ at the Suffolk Sports Awards.

The newly-promoted London 2 North team scooped the honour ahead of Woodbridge Rugby Club and West Suffolk Swimming Club.

The club boasts three senior men’s team, a vets team and a burgeoning youth section which was highlighted by the under-12s recent success at the Woodbridge Festival.

Senior head coach Simon Brown said: “The club has a real community feel to it.

“Everybody knows everyone else and are all friends away from the pitch.

“Stowmarket is a real sociable club.

“We have a strong youth set-up and a target to field three senior sides as well as a veterans’ team.

“All but one player in our first-team squad comes from Suffolk and the one that doesn’t is maddening, as he lives about five miles over the Norfolk border!” Brown joked.

Meanwhile, the club held its Colts 15/15 Festival at the weekend.

The cup winners were Colchester, who beat Stowmarket in the final.

The Plate winners were Westcliff, who saw off Norwich.