Hopping Mad

Former footballer Charlie Hurley, 87. A centre-back, Cork-born Hurley played for Millwall, Sunderland, Bolton Wanderers and Republic of Ireland. He managed Reading. Sunderland tweeted: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Charlie Hurley, one of the greatest and most beloved players in the history of Sunderland AFC." Hurley spent 12 years at Roker Park, making more than 400 senior appearances. An Irish FA statement read: "Capped 40 times by his country, Charlie will always be remembered as 'The King'. We are proud he played for Ireland and offer our sympathies to his family and friends."

King Cross Park ARLFC player Henry Grierson. A 23/4 statement on the Halifax club's Facebook page reads: It is with deepest sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Henry Grierson, who was a member of our current U18s team. As a former Siddal ARLFC junior, we were thrilled when he came to join our U18s, where he became an instant favourite with players and parents due to his outgoing and funny nature. He was always around the lads and became part of the furniture at the club. It is hard to take in that this photo [on the club's Facebook page] was only taken just over two weeks ago as part of our media day to now acknowledge that he is no longer with us. Losing somebody at such a young age is hard to take in so as a club we are simply thankful of the time we had with him and would like to extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and anybody who had the pleasure of knowing him. Rest in peace, young man. You made an impression on the world which will never be forgotten.

1,116 @ Barrow v Doncaster.

Owing to an unfit pitch, tomorrow's (20/4) Division One game between Clock Face Miners and Dewsbury Moor Maroons is off.

I went to Rochdale's previous home game, against Hunslet. Just 448 watching (and that included a coach of away fans). The only bit of the ground open was half the main stand! Clearly, Hornets have barely any supporters left.

If Rugby League Cares doesn't have any amateur club programmes in its archive, it should consider adding some. I'll drop them a line.

It's an independent charity. https://www.rugbyleaguecares.org/news/general/heritage/rugby-leagues-national-programme-archive-nears-25000-milestone/

First game for 'Grelland' ended in a 4-16 home defeat by Dodworth Miners. No disrespect to Dodworth but that's a fair indication of how far two former NCL members have fallen.

Give the residue to Rugby League Cares, for their programme archive. As the name implies, they do care.

Couple of updates from the weekend: Championship club York's programme is a 40-pager for £3. Available in the club shop and from a seller outside the east stand turnstiles. Staff in the club shop told me only 100 are printed. NCL 2024 newcomers Distington offer an all-colour eight-pager, included with their £3 admission charge. Distington were reliable issuers in their Cumberland League days.

Southport very unlucky to be voted out (in 1978), when Wigan took their Football League place. The Sandgrounders had been Division Four champions in 1973. The first vote ended with Southport and Wigan tying (some would say Southport should have survived because they hadn't actually been voted out). Wigan then got through on a second vote.

And Halifax Town (founded 1911, elected to the Football League 1921, after playing only very local opposition).

Halifax used to have a Football League club (and may again).

I made the women's game 70-0. Reported in some places, including BBC Sport online, as 74-0 (although York Valkyrie's twitter later amended to 70-0). Either way, a comfortable win for City of York over Wakefield Metropolitan District!

As I feared, at York, not the most exciting afternoon I've had watching rugby league (bought my ticket, a once or twice a season thing at the LNER, before realising Knights had so many absentees). Two very one-sided games, with little to engage the neutral. Decent conversation - the non-stop loud music notwithstanding - with the people sitting around me, though. Did the crowd look about 3,000? No idea why York can't announce/publicise their attendances, in the way stadium-sharers York City FC do.

To collate what I think we know, as of 15/4 (any help filling the blanks and/or corrections appreciated): Super League/Challenge Cup Printed programme: Leeds (48pp, £4, 250 for sale on matchday, £75 season subscription and £4+P&P individual match copies through Ignition Sports Media), Leigh (68pp, £3.50, individual match copies through MatchDayCreative), Warrington (32pp, £70 season subscription and £3+P&P individual match copies through Ignition Sports Media), Wigan (76pp, £4, individual match copies through MatchDayCreative). Digital programme: Leeds (48pp, free, available only to 2024 club members), Leigh (through MatchDayCreative), London (scan a barcode at the stadium), St Helens ('Saints and Proud', free to download via zeeon.co.uk), Warrington (32pp, free), Wigan (76pp, £3, PDF, through MatchDayCreative). Printed magazine: Castleford ('Roar', £2, monthly, in-season only). Printed teamsheet: Salford (available from the stadium's main reception). Nothing: Huddersfield, Hull FC, Hull KR. To be confirmed: Catalans. Championship/1895 Cup/Challenge Cup Printed programme: Barrow (£2), Sheffield (£3), Swinton (£3), York (40pp, £3, Championship games only, with a 100-copy print run). Digital programme: Bradford (26pp, free to download, from the club's socials), York (Championship and 1895 Cup, free to download, via QR codes at the stadium). Printed teamsheet: Bradford (free, available from the stadium bars), Dewsbury (free, from the club office), Doncaster (free, available, from 2pm, in the stadium restaurant and on the concourse), Featherstone (free). Nothing: Batley (possibly a printed teamsheet available), Halifax, Wakefield, Widnes. To be confirmed: Toulouse, Whitehaven. League One/1895 Cup/Challenge Cup Printed programme: Midlands ('The Eye of the Storm', £3, free with a 2024 Storm Card). Printed magazine: North Wales ('The Crusader', £2, monthly, available from the stadium fanzone). Printed teamsheet: Hunslet (free), Keighley (free, available from the club shop), Rochdale (available only in 'hospitality'). Digital magazine: Keighley ('Pride', monthly, 26pp, free), North Wales ('The Crusader', £2, monthly). Nothing: Cornwall, Newcastle, Oldham, Workington. Note: for the 17/3 League One game with Cornwall, Keighley printed 40 copies of their monthly magazine (a digital version was offered also), but they were available only in 'hospitality'. It seems printed copies of 'Pride' can be reserved, for non-'hospitality' attendees, by emailing the club. Note: for the 24/3 League One game with Hunslet, Rochdale Hornets issued a one-off printed programme (32pp, £3) in memory of their late player, director and chairman, Peter Rush. World Club Challenge @ Wigan Printed programme: £8 (copies through MatchDayCreative). Pre-Season Friendlies Printed programme: Leeds (32pp, £3, copies through Ignition Sports Media). Printed teamsheet: Bradford (free, available from club shop and tea bars), Doncaster (free, available, from 2pm, in stadium restaurant and on the concourse), Featherstone (free). Testimonials Printed programme: James Donaldson, Leeds v Hull KR, 4/2/24 (32pp, £3, through Ignition Sports Media). Printed brochure: Scott Taylor, Hull FC (£5). Amateurs Challenge Cup Printed programme: Clock Face (24pp, £1), Doncaster Toll Bar (8pp, £3, w/a), Fryston (4pp, £1), Leigh MR (£3, w/a), Lock Lane (8pp, 50p), Lowca (4pp, £3, w/a), Orrell St James (8pp, £1), Royal Air Force (4pp, free). Printed teamsheet: Stanningley (£4, w/a), Thatto Heath (free, colour). Digital programme: Royal Navy (7pp, free), Thatto Heath (16pp, free). National Conference League Printed programme: Clock Face (24pp, £1), Dewsbury Celtic, Dewsbury Moor (24pp, £2.50, w/a), Distington (8pp, £3, w/a), Egremont (12pp, £3, w/a), Ellenborough (£3, w/a), Hensingham (£3, w/a), Heworth, Hunslet (26pp, £2), Leigh Miners (£3, w/a), Lock Lane (8pp, 50p), Millom, Pilkington (£3, w/a), Seaton (£3, w/a), Skirlaugh, Stanningley (£1), Thornhill (16pp, £2), Wath Brow (£4, w/a), York Acorn (12pp, £3, w/a). Digital programme: Egremont (free to download, post-match, from the club's socials), Hunslet (available, free, via the club's socials, usually the day before the game), Normanton (20pp, free to download, from the club's socials), Oulton (39pp, free to download, from the club's socials), Thatto Heath (16pp, free to download, from the club's socials), West Bowling (9pp, downloadable, free, via the club's socials or from QR codes at the Horsfall Stadium turnstiles or in the clubhouse), Woolston (33pp, free to download, from the club's socials). Nothing: Barrow Island, Bentley, Beverley, Crosfields, Drighlington, East Leeds, Featherstone Lions, Hull Dockers, Kells, Leigh East, Milford, Myton, Oldham SA, Shaw Cross, Siddal, Wigan St Judes. To be confirmed: Ince, Rochdale Mayfield, Saddleworth, Waterhead, West Hull, Wigan St Patricks. Note: a printed programme was issued, at Boundary Park, Oldham, for the 30/3 final of the Standard Cup. Regional Leagues Printed programme: Bramley (28pp, £2), Lowca (4pp). Women Super League Digital programme: York (free to download, via QR codes, at the stadium). To be confirmed: Barrow, Featherstone, Huddersfield, Leeds, St Helens, Warrington, Wigan.

Phoenix club. Bramley folded in 1999. Fan-owned Buffaloes didn’t get started until 2004.

My first visit this afternoon (13/4) to Bramley Buffaloes since they relocated to the West Leeds RUFC ground on Bluehill Lane, Wortley. A nice set-up, much better than The Warrels, the Bramley Phoenix RUFC ground shared previously by Buffs. Signs of ring rust, on the opening day of the Yorkshire League season, from each team, as Bramley beat Division Three rivals New Earswick All Blacks, 14-0. Tries in the 23rd, 48th and 53rd minutes. The second was converted. Highlight of a scrappy contest (the whistle-happy referee, eager to enforce various RFL clampdowns, didn't help) was Bramley's final try - a beauty. From a break inside their own half, several Bramley players, showing strong support instincts, exchanged passes, inside and outside, before their scrum-half, cover sabotaged, raced over to the left of the posts. New Earswick had plenty of ball in the home 20 but, at key moments, lacked the composure to execute a telling pass. Thankfully, a hefty pre-match shower gave way to lengthy spells of sunshine, although at elevated Bluehill Lane it was decidedly breezy. The crowd I estimated at about 120. Admission was £3, and a 28-page programme sold for £2. The latter included an appreciation of legendary former Villagers player, Peter Lister, who died recently; the story (with photos) of club chairman Martyn Cheney's visit to Morpeth, to meet 98-year-old Eddie Mullin, the oldest surviving former Bramley player; and a report about the 50th anniversary celebration of the original Bramley club's 1973 BBC Floodlit Trophy triumph (achieved, famously, in broad daylight). I didn't bother staying to watch the second game, a weather-delayed Yorkshire Shield tie between Bramley 'A' and Guiseley Rangers.

Turned out today (13/4) to be a 28-pager for £2. Every good effort.

A recent development that, until last night, had passed me by: Yorkshire League clubs Greetland Allrounders and Elland have merged - but only at open age level. Each club will retain their own junior teams, playing in their own club's colours. The merged open age team have been referred to - jokingly - as Grelland. Starting this afternoon (13/4), Yorkshire League Division Three open age home games will be staged, alternately, at Elland's Goldfields (at Greetland) and Allrounders' Spring Rock (at Upper Greetland). A Greetland statement says the merger is necessary to "enable open age rugby to thrive in the area". It adds: "We understand this is a big move but one that both clubs' committees and players agree is the right one."

Yorkshire League fourth tier club Bramley Buffaloes have a printed programme this season. Reliable issuers, in the years since re-forming, as an amateur operation. To my surprise, Midlands Hurricanes will have their usual 'The Eye of the Storm' programme (£3) on sale at Sunday's 'home' game, with Hunslet, in Sheffield. I'm told York Knights now offer only 100 printed programmes (£3) on Championship matchdays. Down from 300 last season. Useless digital programmes available also (I would hope they're free).

Bought a ticket for the double-header at York on Sunday. Could be in for two very one-sided games!

Wales Students rugby league player Gabriel Holt, 21. Atherton-born, Holt played for Atherton Roosters, Leigh East, Folly Lane, Wigan St Patricks and University of Central Lancashire (Preston). https://wrl.wales/rip-gabriel-holt

Nothing at the NCL's Leigh East this season. Apparently, they can't find a volunteer to act as programme editor.

High wind at elevated Overthorpe Park made life difficult for players and spectators this afternoon (6/4). Oldham St Annes held out for a 12-10 win over hosts Thornhill Trojans in Division Two of the NCL. Tries in the 15th and 30th minutes (the second converted) gave the visitors a 10-0 lead. Trojans fought back, to 10-10, by crossing in the 35th (converted) and 42nd minutes. St Annes probably had the better of a tight second half (couple of held up in goals), and in the 65th minute kicked a match-winning penalty. Awarded, in front of the posts, for a tip tackle. The home fans weren't happy about the decision but it looked clear enough to me. Third win from five (two defeats) for St Annes. Trojans now three losses and two wins from five. Circa 250 watching, in mostly brilliant spring sunshine. Free admission (because they play in a public park, Thornhill cannot take a gate). Brought round in a bucket, a 16-page programme sold for £2. Once the bucket was empty, donations were sought. Raffle tickets a quid. Always a few skinflints content to hand over nowt!