TWO stalwarts of Ilkley rugby are set to hang up their boots at the end of the season.

But how many games JH Johnson and Charlie ‘Chuckie’ Ramsay have left has still to be decided as they seek silverware.

Ilkley’s 61-19 home victory over Kendal in the Papa Johns Community Cup gave the Dalesmen a winner-takes-all Regional One Shield Pool Two decider at Wirral next Saturday, with both teams having earned maximum points from their two matches so far.

After that comes a knockout semi-final, and a potential final at Sixways on Saturday, May 6.

Of the potentially retiring duo, winger Johnson, 33, seems more set on life after rugby.

He said: “It is probably about time that I got my priorities straight because I have a child on the way during September.

“I will be available for rugby if needed but my body is telling me after 12 or 13 years, and something like 230 appearances, that it is time to retire.”

Fly half Ramsay, who is only 30, sounded a little more conflicted.

He said: “Potentially this is my last home game. I will have the summer to think about things but potentially it is.

“My decision has come over the course of the season, whereas JH’s was more spur of the moment, but I might stay away for five or six weeks and realise that I can’t do without rugby.

“I have played here for five or six years and loved every minute of it, but we have had a tough few years, with relegation, promotion and Covid, and it feels like it is time for a change.”

Ilkley, who were well led by flanker Joe Lowes, were 33-7 ahead at half-time but then rather took their foot off the gas – something they will not be able to do at old foes Wirral.

Ramsay said of the Papa Johns: “It is our first game in it as Stoke pulled out last week.

“I think that the idea is right, but it was always going to take a bit of time to settle.

“It has been difficult finding out quite late about fixtures, but I understand why they have done that – to try and make it as even as possible – and we have had other cups in the past where we have won a round and then played a National League One team, and lads aren’t interested in that.

“They need to make a few tweaks so that teams aren’t getting into the semi-finals without playing a game.”

As for next weekend, Ramsay said: “Wirral are a team that we know quite well as we played them when we were in National Three.

“We know what it is like to go there and we know that they will give us a really tough game.

“Hopefully we will take a strong team and progress to the semi-finals.”

As for the display against Kendal, Ramsay said: “It felt in the warm-up that we had a few cobwebs to blow off as we haven’t played in a little while, but we kept it simple and were pretty clinical and then opened things up.

“We got a bit lazy towards the end and we know that we will need an 80-minute performance there rather than the 60 minutes we gave against Kendal.”

Johnson said: “It was a strong performance and it was good to get out there.

“We will back ourselves at Wirral, but it is a tough place to go and it will be similar to a lot of games that we have played this year – tough up front – and we will have to dig in.”

As for the cup, he said: “I know that some teams have pulled out but playing different clubs at the end of the season is something to cherish.”