There is a post on this blog about Bob Fox, one of the authors of the article.
Wednesday, 10 October 2018
Ebbw Vale N.U.F.C.
I found this short article in a Kent Invicta programme from 1984. The Ebbw Vale unbeaten record was, of course, beaten in 1995 when Beverley defeated Highfield by 27 points to 4 in the third round of the Rugby League Challenge Cup.
Thursday, 6 September 2018
The 'All Golds' in York
The groundbreaking All Golds tour in 1907/08 stopped off in York on Wednesday 29th January 1908.
I am grateful to Nigel Wood for allowing me to use an image of the 'Official Card' with the teams that took the field that day. The card is part of the Nigel Wood Collection, a remarkable programme archive, the majority of which is housed in the Rugby League Archives at the University of Huddersfield.
The tourists put out a strong team including H.Messenger and L.B. Todd whose names live on today.
I am grateful to Nigel Wood for allowing me to use an image of the 'Official Card' with the teams that took the field that day. The card is part of the Nigel Wood Collection, a remarkable programme archive, the majority of which is housed in the Rugby League Archives at the University of Huddersfield.
The tourists put out a strong team including H.Messenger and L.B. Todd whose names live on today.
York won the game by 5 points to 3
Tuesday, 3 January 2017
A Changing Game
In this article I am attempting to illustrate how Amateur Rugby League has, over the years, responded to changes in the way in which young people spend their leisure time. I am going to list the Open Age clubs, in Leeds, in the 1953/54 season and compare that list with those clubs taking part the 1974/75 season.
In the 1953/54 Rugby Football League Official Guide the following clubs were listed as members of the Leeds and District Amateur Rugby League.
1953/54
OPEN AGE CLUBS
ALL SOULS
BEESTON W.M.C.
BURTON SPORTS
BUSLINGTHORPE VALE
EAST HUNSLET L.C.
FOX ROVERS
GREENTHORPE
HAWKSWORTH O.B.
HUNSLET SUPPORTERS
KIRKSTALL R.L.C.
LEEDS ELECTRIC
MIDDLETON COLLIERY
MIDDLETON O.B.
MULBERRY TREE SUPPORTERS
R.O.F. BARNBOW
ROWLAND ROAD W.M.C.
THORPE MELBOURNE
It is interesting to speculate on why none of these clubs are still in existence today. One reason may be that some of them were works teams e.g. Burton Sports, Leeds Electric and Middleton Colliery and those places of work no longer exist in Leeds. Another reason might be that some of the other clubs were based at pubs or working men's clubs that either don't exist today or that young people no longer frequent e.g. Beeston W.M.C., Mulberry Tree Supporters and Rowland Road W.M.C.
1974/75
OPEN AGE CLUBS
BISON SPORTS
LEEDS UNIVERSITY
MIDDLETON ARMS
MILFORD
STANNINGLEY
THREE HORSE SHOES
THORPE
SUNDAY LEAGUE OPEN AGE CLUBS
ARCHBOLD SPORTS
AIRE & WHARFEDALE COLLEGE
BELLE ISLE
BLUE MOON
BURWELL REED & KINGHORN
BRAMLEY WASPS & TIGERS
BRASSMOULDERS
COURTIER
CRABTREE VICKERS
CORPUS CHRISTI
COOKRIDGE
DOCK GREEN
EAST END PARK
FLEECE ROVERS
KIRKSTALL REC. CLUB
HAREHILLS LABOUR CLUB
HUNSLET HOLDINGS
LEEDS CITY TRANSPORT
LEEDS POLYTECHNIC
NEWLANDS
OLD RED LION
PLANTATION
RICHMOND
ROYAL PARK
SHEEPSCAR W.M.C.
STAGING POST
SHERBURN
TETLEY SPORTS
WOODWAY HORNETS
WHINMOOR
WEST GRANGE SOCIAL CLUB
WOODHOUSE HILL
YEW TREE
When you compare the list of clubs from 1953/54 with those listed in the 1974/75 Official Guide only Thorpe is still in existence.
Amateur Rugby League has always had a strong presence in Leeds but the type of club playing the sport has changed. In the 1974/75 list there are two clubs that are still in existence today, Milford and Stanningley plus the Three Horse Shoes, a club that evolved into Oulton Raiders. Of the 33 Open Age clubs that are listed as members of the Sunday League only Sherburn and Woodhouse are still around today.
Since the 1950s there have been many changes in the way in which young people spend their leisure time and in many Northern towns and cities the employment opportunities are very different from those available in the immediate post war period. This snapshot featuring clubs in Leeds does, in my opinion, support the theory that Amateur Rugby League has always changed and evolved over time possibly without the people involved even realising it was happening. The fact that in 1974/75 the vast majority of Amateur clubs in Leeds were playing on a Sunday morning is perhaps an indication that even in the 1970s the sport and clubs playing Amateur Rugby League reflected a change in the sporting priorities of young people.
Some of the Amateur clubs in existence today may possibly not be around in 20 years time, Perhaps if they no longer exist it will be because they were unable or unwilling to adapt to a changing world and provide playing opportunities that fit in with the priorities of young people in the 21st Century.
Is the Amateur game dying? In don't think so. My belief is that, as in the past, the sport is changing, evolving and adapting to the different interests, work opportunities and lifestyles of young people in 2017. I hope that the sport recognises the challenges it faces, very different to those even 40 years ago, and continues to adapt and change to meet those challenges.
In the 1953/54 Rugby Football League Official Guide the following clubs were listed as members of the Leeds and District Amateur Rugby League.
1953/54
OPEN AGE CLUBS
ALL SOULS
BEESTON W.M.C.
BURTON SPORTS
BUSLINGTHORPE VALE
EAST HUNSLET L.C.
FOX ROVERS
GREENTHORPE
HAWKSWORTH O.B.
HUNSLET SUPPORTERS
KIRKSTALL R.L.C.
LEEDS ELECTRIC
MIDDLETON COLLIERY
MIDDLETON O.B.
MULBERRY TREE SUPPORTERS
R.O.F. BARNBOW
ROWLAND ROAD W.M.C.
THORPE MELBOURNE
It is interesting to speculate on why none of these clubs are still in existence today. One reason may be that some of them were works teams e.g. Burton Sports, Leeds Electric and Middleton Colliery and those places of work no longer exist in Leeds. Another reason might be that some of the other clubs were based at pubs or working men's clubs that either don't exist today or that young people no longer frequent e.g. Beeston W.M.C., Mulberry Tree Supporters and Rowland Road W.M.C.
1974/75
OPEN AGE CLUBS
BISON SPORTS
LEEDS UNIVERSITY
MIDDLETON ARMS
MILFORD
STANNINGLEY
THREE HORSE SHOES
THORPE
SUNDAY LEAGUE OPEN AGE CLUBS
ARCHBOLD SPORTS
AIRE & WHARFEDALE COLLEGE
BELLE ISLE
BLUE MOON
BURWELL REED & KINGHORN
BRAMLEY WASPS & TIGERS
BRASSMOULDERS
COURTIER
CRABTREE VICKERS
CORPUS CHRISTI
COOKRIDGE
DOCK GREEN
EAST END PARK
FLEECE ROVERS
KIRKSTALL REC. CLUB
HAREHILLS LABOUR CLUB
HUNSLET HOLDINGS
LEEDS CITY TRANSPORT
LEEDS POLYTECHNIC
NEWLANDS
OLD RED LION
PLANTATION
RICHMOND
ROYAL PARK
SHEEPSCAR W.M.C.
STAGING POST
SHERBURN
TETLEY SPORTS
WOODWAY HORNETS
WHINMOOR
WEST GRANGE SOCIAL CLUB
WOODHOUSE HILL
YEW TREE
When you compare the list of clubs from 1953/54 with those listed in the 1974/75 Official Guide only Thorpe is still in existence.
Amateur Rugby League has always had a strong presence in Leeds but the type of club playing the sport has changed. In the 1974/75 list there are two clubs that are still in existence today, Milford and Stanningley plus the Three Horse Shoes, a club that evolved into Oulton Raiders. Of the 33 Open Age clubs that are listed as members of the Sunday League only Sherburn and Woodhouse are still around today.
Since the 1950s there have been many changes in the way in which young people spend their leisure time and in many Northern towns and cities the employment opportunities are very different from those available in the immediate post war period. This snapshot featuring clubs in Leeds does, in my opinion, support the theory that Amateur Rugby League has always changed and evolved over time possibly without the people involved even realising it was happening. The fact that in 1974/75 the vast majority of Amateur clubs in Leeds were playing on a Sunday morning is perhaps an indication that even in the 1970s the sport and clubs playing Amateur Rugby League reflected a change in the sporting priorities of young people.
Some of the Amateur clubs in existence today may possibly not be around in 20 years time, Perhaps if they no longer exist it will be because they were unable or unwilling to adapt to a changing world and provide playing opportunities that fit in with the priorities of young people in the 21st Century.
Is the Amateur game dying? In don't think so. My belief is that, as in the past, the sport is changing, evolving and adapting to the different interests, work opportunities and lifestyles of young people in 2017. I hope that the sport recognises the challenges it faces, very different to those even 40 years ago, and continues to adapt and change to meet those challenges.
Monday, 8 August 2016
Where are they now?
The two photographs below appear in 'The Other Rugby' - The story of Rugby League in Rotherham. I am sure quite a few of the players in these two photographs are not aware of the book. If you recognise any faces or names please let them know about 'The Other Rugby'.
The first ever league game 18th September 1977
Back row L-R Ted Pickering, Kevin Parlett, Mike McLoughlin, Dave Wilmot, Dave Henshaw, Dave Lidster, Sam Mara, Kevin Ceaser, John Essex.
Front row L-R Paul Mortimer, Fred Toyne, Jim Abrahams, Stuart Sheard, Alf Davis, Ray Bramham.
Doncaster Continuation Cup Final team 1981
Monday, 23 May 2016
A Review of 'The Other Rugby'
This review by Harry Edgar appeared in the latest issue of Rugby League Journal
Wednesday, 6 January 2016
'The Other Rugby'
£7.99
The book tells the story of how rugby league arrived in Rotherham, struggled, prospered, declined and finally disappeared
Updates
6th January 2016
My new book is now been designed. It should be in print by the 5th April 2016, thirty nine years to the day since the Rotherham club was formed.
8th February 2016
The second proofs have been signed off. The book will be in print in early April.
In future updates there will be further information on how to buy a copy of 'The Other Rugby'
29th March 2016
'The Other Rugby' is now available from ypdbooks.com
follow the link below:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)