WHARFEDALE have made their first signing for next season.

Tom Barrett, who was at Greene King IPA Championship club Rotherham Titans, is returning to The Avenue.

Wharfedale's rugby chairman Michael Harrison said: "Tom is an excellent attacking fly half who can also kick goals, but as we already have a fly half here (Jamie Guy), Tom will have to fight for his place like everyone else."

Barrett, also known for his ability to make a break and land drop goals, made his debut as an 18-year-old for Wharfedale in a 27-9 pre-season friendly victory over Preston Grasshoppers in August 2010 when he was fresh out of Sedbergh School.

Bingley-based Barrett moved to Doncaster in July 2012 but was loaned back to the Greens for the second half of the 2012-13 season, after which the Knights were relegated from the Championship, and he signed permanently for the Dalesmen again that summer.

Barrett joined Rotherham Titans, another Championship club, before the 2015-16 season, but his opportunities often only came off the bench.

Harrison added: "We have lost players such as Cameron Hudson, Huw Morgan, Max Labasse and Matt Beesley, but I am sure that we will be fine at level four (National League Two North)."

However, he rubbished news that prop Adam Howard might be joining Fylde, saying: "He works in Leeds and, as far as I am concerned, he has committed himself to us for next season."

Wharfedale have already announced pre-season friendlies against National League One clubs Blaydon (away, Saturday, August 13) and Hull Ionians (home, Saturday, August 20).

Harrison added: "We are playing a level up in both of these matches. There is no point in us playing a level down for our pre-season friendlies and then being found out in our opening league match."

He also confessed that the final four weeks of the season just ended were probably the hardest that Wharfedale have ever had as a club.

Speaking at their annual dinner in the clubhouse, he revealed: "I didn't envisage back in the 1960s when I captained the club for eight seasons, or in my ten years as director of rugby, that kind of emotional involvement."

The first team may have been relegated from National League One but Harrison feels that the club have never been in such good heart overall.

He explained: "We have 200 minis running about every weekend, our under-17s are through to their Yorkshire Cup (they beat Old Brodleians 45-5 at Harrogate) and Mick Greenwood and the Rams have even played a couple of games under floodlights!

"They finished second in their league and had the North Yorkshire Trophy snatched away two minutes from time, our third team have won 18 and lost five and the Wharfedale Foresters won 92 per cent of their matches, winning 19, drawing one and losing one to take the Kath Harrison Trophy.

"The Damian Foley Trophy for the most important contribution to the third and fourth team goes to Sam Mason and Adam Mason, while the Foresters won the Yorkshire Premiership and the Northern Pilot League, which is in the Last Chance Saloon, and it remains to be seen if Hull Ionians will be invited to play in it."

One of the most uplifting things for Harrison through the 2015-16 season has been the gymnasium extension.

He thanked Andy Hodgson for his organisation and for the volunteers who have their time and expertise, calling it "an example to the rest of the club".

Harrison added that now is the time to "work harder than we have ever worked" in order to get back up to level three.

"He added: "There is nothing wrong with failure but next season is the time that we strike back, and I want you to drink a toast to our new challenge."