Twenty-four years after the goalposts were famously shifted on them, Rotherham Titans have taken matters into their own hands and moved those goalposts themselves - literally.

Back in 2002, Rotherham won National One at canter, only for the governing body to deny them promotion to the Premiership just days after the season had ended by invoking the kind of bureaucracy that continues to strangle the second tier a quarter of a century later.

In April, the upwardly-mobile Titans earned their place back in the second division - now called Champ Rugby - and are determined to stay there, with a dramatic 90-degree movement of the pitch the first part of a major, long-term facelift their outdated Clifton Lane is undergoing.

Having finally got hold of all the land leased by Rotherham Athletic Company now the cricket team has gone, the Titans have set to work and visitors to Clifton Lane for their opening pre-season test against Old Albanians on Saturday are in for a surprise.

New look: Rotherham Titans director of rugby Harvey Biljon in front of the tilted pitch at Clifton Lane.

placeholder image — New look: Rotherham Titans director of rugby Harvey Biljon in front of the tilted pitch at Clifton Lane.

For decades the goalposts were situated in front of the clubhouse and conservatory, and onto the backs of the houses at the other end of the ground.

Now they back onto the stand affectionately known as ‘The Shed’, with the opposite end across the old cricket square towards the pavilion, which in time will become the new changing rooms. The work is being done to meet the RFU’s standards criteria for the second tier and will continue throughout the season.

“It’s a statement that the club wants to take a big step forward from where it’s been,” said Harvey Biljon, the club’s director of rugby, whose piloting of Rotherham to two promotions in three years has prompted the need for a facilities makeover.

“People are going to turn up and see the difference and I’m hoping that they can see into the vision too, not where it is now.

Rotherham Titans staff and players celebrate becoming National League 1 Champions back in April (Picture: Kerrie Beddows)

“I understand that some of our ground probably looks a bit like a building site, but this is just part of the project, this is the first phase, there’s a fair way to go around the media tower, dug outs, new changing rooms, a new medical room, a new gym. Nothing happens overnight and this is just the first stage of what this project is going to look like. I’m excited to be a part of it and see where it’s going to be in two or three years’ time.”

Erection of the media tower across from the clubhouse has begun and two new dugouts will be in place for the start of the Champ Rugby season on September 19. Three new stands are part of the plans. Biljon has welcomed the buy-in from the club’s loyal fans.

“People often don’t like change, so when you move the goalposts - literally in this case - you’re always a little wary but we’ve had so much support from the fans,” he said.

“What we’ve now got to make sure of is that we don’t get distracted by things going on around the pitch, that we stay focused on our job on the pitch. Just because a facility is en route, doesn’t automatically give you a right to be in that position. We need to make sure we keep on reminding ourselves where we need to be from a performance and attitude point of view.”