Leeds Chirons biggest game?

On 21st November 1953 Leeds Chirons played at Selby in the 4th Round of the Yorkshire Cup. The game ended in a 6-6 draw. This was a surprising result as Selby had a better fixture list than Chirons and were therefore, in theory, a stronger club than Chirons.

The replay took place on 28th November, at Chirons home ground on Soldiers Field. The game attracted possibly the largest crowd that had ever watched a Chirons home game. Contemporary sources reporting that spectators lined both sides of the pitch. Selby won the game by 6-0 and progressed in the competition finally losing 9-3 to Wakefield in the 6th Round.

I doubt that there was ever a crowd at a Chirons home game to match the one that lined the pitch on 28th November 1953. Also Chirons never reached the 4th Round of the Yorkshire Cup again, most seasons a defeat in the first or second round was the usual outcome. In my view this was Chirons biggest game.

The report below was published in the Skyrack Express on the 4th December 1953.