1969/70 was my first season at Barnsley and when I recently looked at the fixture list for that season I was struck by how things have changed in rugby union over the past 40 years. Exactly why some clubs have disappeared, while others have improved their status and still another group has declined is hard to explain. Was the reason the impact of leagues, professionalism or the increasing range of leisure activities available? Notably, rugby union has suffered a decline in playing numbers. Clubs that once organised four or five teams now only organise two or three. Players can now move freely between the two codes but that hasn’t had a significant impact on player numbers.
The reality is that the reasons for the changes are complex. There isn’t just one reason for clubs disappearing, improving their status or declining. I have listed below the clubs that were in the 1969/70 Barnsley fixture list, the name they go by today and, if they are still in existence, which league they are in.
1969/70 | CURRENT CLUB NAME | 2011/12 LEAGUE |
HEATH OLD BOYS | HEATH RUFC | NORTH ONE EAST |
YORKSHIRE COPPER WORKS | NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE | |
ROTHERHAM | ROTHERHAM TITANS | THE CHAMPIONSHIP |
BRAMLEY BARBARIANS | BRAMLEY PHOENIX | YORKSHIRE THREE |
RODILLIANS | STANLEY RODILLIANS | YORKSHIRE FOUR |
STOCKSBRIDGE | NO CHANGE | YORKSHIRE FIVE |
LEEDS CHIRONS | NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE | |
SHEFFIELD TIGERS | NO CHANGE | NATIONAL LEAGUE 2 (NORTH) |
WEST PARK OLD BOYS | WEST PARK LEEDS | YORKSHIRE TWO |
BEVERLEY | NO CHANGE | NATIONAL LEAGUE 3 (NORTH) |
OLD WATHONIANS | WATH UPON DEARNE | YORKSHIRE TWO |
YARNBURY | NO CHANGE | YORKSHIRE TWO |
HUDDERSFIELD YMCA | NO CHANGE | YORKSHIRE ONE |
CLECKHEATON | NO CHANGE | NORTH ONE EAST |
OLD RISHWORTHIANS | NO CHANGE | YORKSHIRE THREE |
LEEDS CORINTHIANS | NO CHANGE | YORKSHIRE FOUR |
BAILDON | NO CHANGE | YORKSHIRE THREE |
LEEDS ENGINEERS | NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE | |
BURLEY | NO CHANGE | YORKSHIRE THREE |
HALIFAX VANDALS | NO CHANGE | YORKSHIRE THREE |
OLD GRAMMARIANS | NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE | |
EAST RETFORD | NO CHANGE | MIDLAND FOUR EAST (NORTH) |
YORK | NO CHANGE | YORKSHIRE ONE |
Barnsley currently play in Yorkshire Two and in 2011/12 only have fixtures against three of the twenty three clubs listed above.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.