AS a club, Greenmount are eager to secure a place back in the Premier League next season, that goes without saying.

Of course we want to test ourselves against the best, but there is another carrot to playing in the top tier.

At present there are three local clubs competing in the Premier, and ideally we would like to make that four.

Now, I know both Bury and Walshaw are struggling to retain their places at the top table, but I for one hope they both manage to avoid that trap door.

For so many years, Greenmount played over in the Bolton League and did not have any local derbies to speak of. It is something I feel we really missed out on.

The atmosphere in the ground for this year’s T20 nights gave us a taste of what we have been missing. And it would be great to see that continue on the GMCL’s biggest stage in the Premier Division.

You can guarantee good crowds for matches against teams like Walshaw and Woodbank and apart from the boost they give to the coffers it all serves to increase the buzz about cricket in the local area.

We have some good clubs playing in Bury and I have said before that one of the big benefits of the GMCL has been the fact that it has brought them all together.

You have to say it has raised the bar, with Woodbank and Walshaw both kicking on after winning promotion last season.

Walshaw also made a cup final last year as did Bury this year, and while Karl Belston’s men got turned over by Egerton they showed their quality and spirit in the cup run.

All of our top local sides are blessed with some real characters, epitomised by the fighting spirit Walshaw showed on Saturday to haul themselves out of the relegation zone with victory over Prestwich.

Their pro, Dylan Blignaut, is turning a few heads and he proved a matchwinner again at the weekend, while I know their captain Mikey Watt will not be giving up without a fight.

So it is all really positive for the local area, and while we might all be competing against each other, I like to think there is a good deal of camaraderie between the local clubs.

That’s why I hope plenty of neutrals from the area will be going down to Ramsbottom on Sunday to cheer them on against Ormskirk in the semi-finals of the LCB Knockout.

I think it is fair to say they go into the game as underdogs, but anything can happen in a one-off match.

And we have seen with the likes of Bamford this season, who had the biggest budget but will finish empty-handed, that it is not always the team with the best individuals that wins the prize.

So I wish Rammy all the best, and while many of my team-mates will be heading down to play the Cross Arrows at Lord’s on Sunday, I will be making a bee-line for Acre Bottom.