Friday 20 September 2013
Thursday 1 August 2013
Making Up The Numbers - a synopsis
MAKING UP THE NUMBERS
MAKING UP THE NUMBERS looks at the Rugby League Challenge
Cup from a new perspective. It traces the involvement in the Cup of the clubs
that in 1896 were called junior clubs and are now usually referred to as
amateur or community clubs. The junior clubs were honorary members of the
Northern Union and, along with the senior clubs who were full members, were all
able to enter the competition. Once the Cup became established as an annual
event, the involvement of the clubs outside the senior professional league was
restricted to the few required to ensure that there was always an acceptable
number of clubs in the draw for the first round.
The book records changes to the structure of the Challenge
Cup and why some of those changes took place but, perhaps more importantly, it
recognises some of the clubs and people that have contributed to the history of
the competition and whose contribution has never really been acknowledged.
Most of the amateur players that tested themselves against
the professionals will have regarded taking part in the Challenge Cup as one of
the highlights of their playing career. I wonder how many of the Wigan players
who wore the cherry and white hoops at Central Park against Healey Street
Adults in 1920 realised that they were playing against a war hero. Thomas
Steele, who was on the wing for the Oldham junior club, was awarded the
Victoria Cross in 1917. Our sport often produces heroes on the field but there
have very few men who were awarded the highest honour for bravery in wartime
who have played rugby league. Thomas Steele took the field against Wigan only
three years after receiving twelve wounds in the battle in Mesopotamia when he
won his VC. He lived at a time when people who came back from War often did not
want to talk about their experiences and simply wished to return to a normal
life. It is unlikely, therefore, that his involvement in rugby league was
considered significant or important. This is one possible reason why very
little is known about Thomas Steele and why I felt it was important to
recognise his involvement in rugby league.
The significant giant killing acts achieved by clubs like
Beverley, West Hull and Wath Brow Hornets, and the contributions those clubs
and many others have made to the folklore and history of this great competition,
are also recorded in Making Up The
Numbers, perhaps in some cases for the first time in a book about the
history of the Cup.
Also included, to complement this story, is a complete
record of all the junior/amateur clubs that have played against professional
opposition in the Challenge Cup, a list of giant killers, and over forty
illustrations.
MAKING UP THE NUMBERS is available
from:
ypdbooks.com, Philip Howard Books in
Leeds and Rotherham, Amazon and by order from all good bookshops.
ISBN 978-0-9567444-2-5
Saturday 29 June 2013
Making Up The Numbers
My new book is now available from:
ypdbooks.com,
Philip Howard Books in Leeds and Rotherham, Amazon and by order from all good
bookshops.
ISBN 978-0-9567444-2-5
Thursday 28 March 2013
New Book
MAKING UP THE NUMBERS
In 1897, when the first Cup
competition took place, all the clubs playing Northern Union were able to take
part. This book tells the story of how and why that changed and the impact on
the competition of clubs like Beverley, West Hull, The Twelve Apostles and Uno’s
Dabs. The giant killing acts and players, some famous and some long forgotten,
that have contributed to the magic and romance of the competition we now know
as the Rugby League Challenge Cup.
Wednesday 16 January 2013
New book
BOCM v Liverpool City
Action from the 1967 Rugby League Challenge Cup 1st Round
This game and many others will feature in my new book about junior/amateur clubs in the Rugby League Challenge Cup, due out in July 2013.
Please get in touch if you have any memories that you would like to share.
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