London Broncos Launch new Squad,
Shirt, Numbers and Season

London Broncos yesterday officially kicked off the 2004 season with a press conference in the morning at home base Griffin Park, and a Fan's Meet The Players event in the evening in Brentford.

Tony Rea reappointed both captains from last season, with Jim Dymock again to lead the team, and Mat Toshack announced as club captain.

The 24-man squad boasts eleven new players, and just two foreign imports in Wests Tigers' Mark O'Halloran and South Sydney's Andrew Hart.

Official squad numbers were also released. (See below).

This season will continue the 'best of British' shift and the squad contains just eight non-British players.

The new home shirt made by leading sportswear manufacturer ISC is predominantly in the club's corporate red carrying the logos of major associate sponsors VB, Metro and TNT.

The shirt no longer carries the Virgin logo, and an announcement of the major shirt sponsor is imminent.

London last night were drawn to play newly promoted Super League club Salford City Reds in the fourth round of the Powergen Challenge Cup - one of three all Super League ties in the fourth round. This game will be played at Griffin Park at 3pm on Sunday 29th February. Tickets are now on sale - call 0871 222 1657.

One week later, on Saturday 6th March, London will host their very first Tetley's Super League match of the season in Brentford against St Helens - the very team that defeated London in last season's Play Offs.

The club has some big plans for this 'season opener' in Brentford against St Helens and has today launched the 'Try It Now' promotional campaign in the Hounslow and Ealing Boroughs, in an attempt to attract 'first time fans' to the London Broncos Match Day Experience.

London's first game of Tetley's Super League is against Leeds Rhinos at Headingley in less than two weeks - 3pm on Sunday 22nd February.

London's next and final 'friendly' in preparation for the opening game against Leeds, will be played this Thursday evening against London Barbarians, a team comprising representatives from other leading clubs in the South, including National League Two team, London Skolars, and National League Three clubs Hemel Stags, St Albans Centurians and South London Storm.

The game will kick off at 7.30pm on Thursday 12th February at Woollams, the multi-million pound new home of St Albans Centurions, based on Harpenden Road, St Albans, Herts.

In other news the club confirmed that the Tetley's Super League round 12 game against Castleford Tigers will now be played on Friday 28th May at 8pm, instead of the originally scheduled date of Sunday 30th May.

Tony Rea last night said: "We're in good shape. Sunday's game was important for us, and so too will be this Thursday's game.

We're well on track with our preparation and the signs within the team are pleasing. This squad has a great balance, some good power in the middle and some good speed out wide. It's a young team, and we have the nucleus from last season that gives us plenty of experience."

It's an exciting time for this club and a very busy next few weeks. We're looking forward to putting into practice what we have been preparing so hard for."

For Broncos Membership & Season Ticket enquiries, call - 0871 222 1132.

London Broncos first home game in Tetley's Super League IX is against St Helens at 6pm on Saturday 6th March at Griffin Park - tickets for this big season opener can now be bought online or through the ticket booking hotline: 0871 222 1657

SQUAD LIST:

1 Paul Sykes 2 Jon Wells 3 Nigel Roy 4 Mark O'Halloran 5 John Kirkpatrick 6 Robert Purdham 7 Dennis Moran 8 Francis Stephenson

9 Neil Budworth 10 Steve Trindall 11 Mat Toshack 12 Steele Retchless 13 Jim Dymock 14 Andrew Brocklehurst 15 Mitchell Stringer 16 Joe Mbu 17 Tommy Haughey 18 Andrew Hart 19 Dave Highton 20 Radney Bowker 21 Rob Jackson 22 Lee Sanderson 23 Lee Greenwood 24 Andy McNally