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Long lost amateur clubs


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A few short-lived/disappeared sides from the 80s/90s who played against or around the same time as Kirkholt WMC :-

 

Smallbridge - Rochdale

Freemasons - a Milnrow based pub team run by Mayfield legend John O'Donovan

Heyside Eagles - Royton side run from Heyside Cricket Club

Watersheddings Wanderers - based at Oldham Cricket Club

Shaw - Oldham (Where Iestyn Harris started)

Chadderton - Oldham

Failsworth - Oldham

Moston Rangers

Greater Manchester Police

Calder Vale - Mytholmroyd, Halifax

Mixenden - Halifax

Ovenden Way - Halifax

Paddock - Huddersfield

Milnsbridge - Huddersfield

Silsden Rangers - Keighley

Adlington

Weaverham

 

Are any of these still going ?

Looks like it wer' organised by't Pennine League

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A few short-lived/disappeared sides from the 80s/90s who played against or around the same time as Kirkholt WMC :-

 

Smallbridge - Rochdale

Freemasons - a Milnrow based pub team run by Mayfield legend John O'Donovan

Heyside Eagles - Royton side run from Heyside Cricket Club

Watersheddings Wanderers - based at Oldham Cricket Club

Shaw - Oldham (Where Iestyn Harris started)

Chadderton - Oldham

Failsworth - Oldham

Moston Rangers

Greater Manchester Police

Calder Vale - Mytholmroyd, Halifax

Mixenden - Halifax

Ovenden Way - Halifax

Paddock - Huddersfield

Milnsbridge - Huddersfield

Silsden Rangers - Keighley

Adlington

Weaverham

 

Are any of these still going ?

 

There is still a team in the Pennine League from Silsden. I do think though at one time here were two teams but they ended up combining.

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There is still a team in the Pennine League from Silsden. I do think though at one time here were two teams but they ended up combining.

I think they both used the same changing rooms but Silsden played on the adjacent pitch whereas to get to Rangers you had to walk through an estate to play in a sloping field with a telephone cable running just above the pitch.

 

Might have posted this before but one of them used to go back to the fantastically named "Warp Dressers & Twisters Social Club".

Looks like it wer' organised by't Pennine League

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I think they both used the same changing rooms but Silsden played on the adjacent pitch whereas to get to Rangers you had to walk through an estate to play in a sloping field with a telephone cable running just above the pitch.

 

Might have posted this before but one of them used to go back to the fantastically named "Warp Dressers & Twisters Social Club".

 

 

This has piqued my interest and I have been googling to see if I can find any history of RL in Silsden without success. I think they go way back but have no specific knowledge of that. Talking of fantastic names isn't Silsden also known as Cobbeydale ?

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Todmorden, I hoped this side would rise again, anyone anything about them or why the folded. I knew a couple of lads who played for Tod

A few lads from Tod play with us (Burnley & Pendle) during the summer. They are looking to get Tod going again to play in the Pennine League during the winter. Was a bit much to ask for this year, but hopefully with a bit longer to prepare things will get moving for 2014. We'll give as much support as possible.

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Sorry Keighley, I know you were not questioning me and I didn't mean to come across that way. Amateur Rugby League in the heartlands reached a peak about 1987-88. I don't have access to my records now because I am at work, but there were more leagues with more divisions and the biggest ever entry in the BARLA cup round about then. Sadly I have to say that amateur Rugby League in the heartlands is diminishing. A look at the number of amateur clubs outside the heartlands makes the game look healthy but in truth, my experience, and I have been to see a lot of these teams, is that the majority would not exist without Rugby Union players, playing out of season. There have been some clubs that have stood the test of time and there are a lot of volunteers working hard all over the Country, but I fear for the future of the game. Its not just Rugby League though. There are so many other things for young people to do now. Ive watched hundreds come through the ranks at amateur clubs only to disappear when they get into their teens. No doubt people will disagree and there will be people from clubs that a thriving who will say I'm wrong but you asked my opinion so there it is.

I've played against Todmorden Burnleywelsh and still got the programme. mmp I think my Milton Keynes programme is against Prestwich and I have about 60 Prestwich home programmes.

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Todmorden, I hoped this side would rise again, anyone anything about them or why the folded. I knew a couple of lads who played for Tod

 

 

Sorry for boring everyone by repeating this tale, but it is funny.

 

1. Todmorden first joined the Pennine League in the 1970's and played in a farm field behind the big church on top of the hill that overlooks the road in from Halifax.

 

They were coached by a fellow Welshman, Malcolm Price (from the Eastern valley like me). He had been a brilliant player (very much not like me!!) 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Price

 

2. The field was still used for grazing and was covered in cow pats. I got very acquainted with what I was conviced was each of them. At the end of the game there was a shed containing two tin baths of lukewarm water ... one for each team to use.

We then repaired to the pub next door where we must have stunk to high heaven.

 

3. The following season, the teams still had a tin bath each, but these were housed in the upstairs room of the pub.

 

 The pub had  striptease on every Sunday afternoon. We had to play them twice at their place and, following the advice of another Bradford team, we switched the second game from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning. We rolled up and found that the pub's upstairs room was used as a changing room for the striptease lady. Therefore, we had to use the post-match tin baths that were set behind some rudimentary screens in the pub carpark. The people coming out of the church were met with a less-than-pretty sight.

 

The stripper was good, though.

 

:biggrin:

Under Scrutiny by the Right-On Thought Police

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Sorry for boring everyone by repeating this tale, but it is funny.

 

1. Todmorden first joined the Pennine League in the 1970's and played in a farm field behind the big church on top of the hill that overlooks the road in from Halifax.

 

They were coached by a fellow Welshman, Malcolm Price (from the Eastern valley like me). He had been a brilliant player (very much not like me!!) 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Price

 

 

Malcolm Price coached Kirkholt WMC, before I was involved and also presented the Rochdale Charity Cup (to our captain) in 1990.

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=404364882928141&set=oa.407309505970142&type=3&theater

 

Kirkholt had another Todmorden link when they were coached by ex-Hornet Norman Brelsford who hailed from tod.

Looks like it wer' organised by't Pennine League

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A few short-lived/disappeared sides from the 80s/90s who played against or around the same time as Kirkholt WMC :-

 

Greater Manchester Police

 

 

Are any of these still going ?

 

A GM 'combined services' side was put together about 18 months ago to play a game against Manchester & District RL. Mainly firemen, some police, and a couple of prison officers

In Bury or North Manchester? Interested in Rugby League? Check out the Rugby League in Bury web-site: http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/burybroncos/

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Todmorden are one of the few teams, in fact I can't think of another off hand, who have played in both the Lancashire cup and the Yorkshire cup. Greater Manchester Police entered the North West Counties League division 5 in 1981-82 finishing 11th of 16 clubs. 82/83 9th of 11. 83-84 11th of 11. At this point they changed their name to Strangeways (prison) and were relegated to division 6 and finished 4th of 11 in 84-85. They changed their name back to Greater Manchester Police for the 85-86 season and finished 7th of 12 in division 6. 86-87 promoted to division 5 as champions. 87-88 promoted to division 4 as champions. 88-89 champions of division 4 but promoted straight to division 2. 89-90 division 2 - 5th of 11. 90-91 6th of 12 but division 1 split into 2 divisions to accommodate new teams moving over from the Pennine league and GMP were promoted to division 1B. 91-92 division 1B 9th of 11. At this point GMP had trouble getting players released from duty and they disbanded. GMP were well known for treating visitors to a "sit down" 3 course after match meal while their own players got nothing. On the 13th August 1988 I should have played against GMP but my daughter took her time being born and by the time I got to the game somebody had taken my place in the team!

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I used to like Brassmoulders. It had a real south leeds artisan name about it. Although it was in fact a pub. The pub was next to the sun in near Beza bridge. The sun in still exists(last time I looked), and where the brass moulders arms was is still a patch of wasteland.

The Sun has now gone also.(Well boarded up)

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I can trace Mysons (or Bilton Mysons as they were sometimes known) back to 1975 and I don't think they folded HKR away days? They were Mysons in 1995-96 and the following season 96-97 they were East Hull. They never appear in any league tables or competitions together. East Hull merged with Beverley, who were in the Conference league premier division at the time for the 1998-99 season, but it was a failed merger. I remember going to watch them play Leigh Miners at Beverley and when I got there the game had been switched to Hull Kingston Rovers. I made it in time for the game. At the end of 1998-99 the merged club was not retained by the Conference league and Beverley joined the Hull league while East Hull went into the White Rose league. East Hull were accepted by the Conference league in their own right for the 2003-04 season.

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In the sixties I played U17 for Ossett Trinity, who seem to have disappeared from the fixture list recently. We played in the Dewsbury and Batley League against teams from Chickenley (now defunct) Thonhill (still thriving) Shaw Cross (who ran five teams 3 U19 2 U17) Staincliffe, and Batley Supporters. The rest of our fixtures were friendlies against teams like Corpus Christi, Market District from Leeds, Glasshoughton, Clayton. We also played a team from York (could have been Heworth) and the pitch was in the centre of York Raceourse. Having read his book I'm sure I must have played against Stevo, but I can't say I remember him.

U17s also played against Wakefield T, Cas, Hunslet and Doncaster junior (colts) teams.

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My first seaon playing Rugby League in the South was 90-91 for Cambridge City Tigers.  That was in the London League Division1 which was a really hard league.  Lots of Kiwis and Aussies played in those sides.  I think we lost every game that season the other sides were South London, Hemel, London Colonials, Peckham, Fulham Travellers, St Marys and Milton Keynes.  I remember playing against Peckham at Battersea Park with the after match hospitality in a pub which appeared to be miles from there.  All we got was a tray of cocktail sausage rolls.

 

After that season our esteemed leader and sponsor decided that we were an embarrassment and decided to get rid of the majority of the players.  This led to the City Tigers splitting into two clubs - Tigers and Eagles.  The Eagles were based around forces players and I left after a few games to go to St Ives.  I also played a couple of games for Newmarket against Brent Ealing and Rotherhithe.  Rotherhithe played in a kit very similar to Fulham.

 

Other clubs I didn't include on my list were Middlesex Lions (played at the Kodak Sports Centre), Felixstowe Easts (who became Ipswich Rhinos), East London, Aylesbury Bears, Reading and Peterborough 

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My first seaon playing Rugby League in the South was 90-91 for Cambridge City Tigers.  That was in the London League Division1 which was a really hard league.  Lots of Kiwis and Aussies played in those sides.  I think we lost every game that season the other sides were South London, Hemel, London Colonials, Peckham, Fulham Travellers, St Marys and Milton Keynes.  I remember playing against Peckham at Battersea Park with the after match hospitality in a pub which appeared to be miles from there.  All we got was a tray of cocktail sausage rolls.

 

After that season our esteemed leader and sponsor decided that we were an embarrassment and decided to get rid of the majority of the players.  This led to the City Tigers splitting into two clubs - Tigers and Eagles.  The Eagles were based around forces players and I left after a few games to go to St Ives.  I also played a couple of games for Newmarket against Brent Ealing and Rotherhithe.  Rotherhithe played in a kit very similar to Fulham.

 

Other clubs I didn't include on my list were Middlesex Lions (played at the Kodak Sports Centre), Felixstowe Easts (who became Ipswich Rhinos), East London, Aylesbury Bears, Reading and Peterborough 

Rooster,

 

Some history of the Tigers.

 

The Tigers were formed in 1987 and played their first game against Peterborough on 21 February 1988 which was won 34-28. The referee that day was Ray Tennant who was using one of his days off from refereeing the pros to help a new amateur club. The club applied to the London League and played the 88/89 season in Division 2, winning 2 games all season and finishing bottom but the increasing interest and standards meant that in the 89/90 season we won the second division and promotion to the first.

 

This season (90/91) was much more difficult and the 'esteemed sponsor' (he was not the club sponsor but a club official) you referred to decided that all the spirit and comradeship built up over the previous two and a half years were not enough and he set about removing all the founder and pioneers which eventually ended up in him forming a new club. I left before this and did not play in the game against Walnut Warriors you refer to, as it was made clear that I was not welcome (despite being one of the aforesaid founders). Some of the remaining Tigers tried to continue the old club (which had a tremendous team spirit and was great fun to play for- even when we were being beaten) but the damage was too great and the heartbeat of the club disappeared with those who had formed the original side.

 

I saw a previous post referring to Ravensthorpe in Leicestershire for whom I turned out in one game when they were short (I also turned out for Peterborough when they were short and before the Tigers got going). This contact lead to a county match being played in (I think) 1988 at Peterborough RU club between Cambridgeshire and Leicestershire. I cannot remember the score but still have the memento and the programme from the game which was produced by another great pioneer, Maurice Rigby, a Wiganer who had settled in the Peterborough.

 

We got no funding or assistance of any sort from the RL to do all this and in the end the financial and time pressures told and these clubs slid away.

 

Hope this fills in a few gaps.

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Rooster,

 

Some history of the Tigers.

 

The Tigers were formed in 1987 and played their first game against Peterborough on 21 February 1988 which was won 34-28. The referee that day was Ray Tennant who was using one of his days off from refereeing the pros to help a new amateur club. The club applied to the London League and played the 88/89 season in Division 2, winning 2 games all season and finishing bottom but the increasing interest and standards meant that in the 89/90 season we won the second division and promotion to the first.

 

This season (90/91) was much more difficult and the 'esteemed sponsor' (he was not the club sponsor but a club official) you referred to decided that all the spirit and comradeship built up over the previous two and a half years were not enough and he set about removing all the founder and pioneers which eventually ended up in him forming a new club. I left before this and did not play in the game against Walnut Warriors you refer to, as it was made clear that I was not welcome (despite being one of the aforesaid founders). Some of the remaining Tigers tried to continue the old club (which had a tremendous team spirit and was great fun to play for- even when we were being beaten) but the damage was too great and the heartbeat of the club disappeared with those who had formed the original side.

 

I saw a previous post referring to Ravensthorpe in Leicestershire for whom I turned out in one game when they were short (I also turned out for Peterborough when they were short and before the Tigers got going). This contact lead to a county match being played in (I think) 1988 at Peterborough RU club between Cambridgeshire and Leicestershire. I cannot remember the score but still have the memento and the programme from the game which was produced by another great pioneer, Maurice Rigby, a Wiganer who had settled in the Peterborough.

 

We got no funding or assistance of any sort from the RL to do all this and in the end the financial and time pressures told and these clubs slid away.

 

Hope this fills in a few gaps.

I'm sad to see the Eagles are no more too :-)

I played for them about 20 times, even after I left the city I'd get the occasional call and turn out.

The Unicorn is not a Goose,

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Sorry Keighley, I know you were not questioning me and I didn't mean to come across that way. Amateur Rugby League in the heartlands reached a peak about 1987-88. I don't have access to my records now because I am at work, but there were more leagues with more divisions and the biggest ever entry in the BARLA cup round about then. Sadly I have to say that amateur Rugby League in the heartlands is diminishing. A look at the number of amateur clubs outside the heartlands makes the game look healthy but in truth, my experience, and I have been to see a lot of these teams, is that the majority would not exist without Rugby Union players, playing out of season. There have been some clubs that have stood the test of time and there are a lot of volunteers working hard all over the Country, but I fear for the future of the game. Its not just Rugby League though. There are so many other things for young people to do now. Ive watched hundreds come through the ranks at amateur clubs only to disappear when they get into their teens. No doubt people will disagree and there will be people from clubs that a thriving who will say I'm wrong but you asked my opinion so there it is.

I've played against Todmorden Burnleywelsh and still got the programme. mmp I think my Milton Keynes programme is against Prestwich and I have about 60 Prestwich home programmes.

 

Thanks for that post. I thought that was the situation and it's very sad and troubling. Maybe the world Cup will generate some interest ? Still it's a lot better than immediately pre BARLA. The amateur game was practically dead. I don't have any opinion of the present RFL/BARLA dispute, but back then it was undeniable the the RFL could care less and the BARLA rebellion saved not only the amateur game but ultimately the pro game as it's supply line of players was going extinct.

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all. I'm new to this site and have been looking through the past threads with great interest. I (mainly) played for, the now defunct, Tameside Borough ARLFC but also had spells at Salem Hornets and Heyside Eagles. Tameside formed approx, 1981 and won the Pennine League Div 8 title in their first year but nearly folded the year after due to a player exodus. I signed for them in their second season. We had been given a "stay of execution" by the Pennine League committee until we got a team together. I made my debut away at Greetland All Rounders, Halifax. We won our first game that season just before Christmas at, table topping, Stainland Stags. We not only staved of relegation that season but due to a final day win at home to Emily Moor and league restructuring we got promotion. After that, Tameside, went from strength to strength and won 5 back to back promotions, usually as champions, as well as a few cups on the way. It was sad to watch the club die as we entered the 90's but the spine of the team got aged and the young blood coming through wasn't of a good enough standard. Eventually, they joined the NWCL and then into a summer league (can't remember what that was all about) where they tried to change their name from Tameside to Manchester Knights but, apparently, Swinton RLFC had already registered that name. Not long after that the team died. Had some great times there though, even as I tell my two football playing daughters, "trophies don't mean anything, memories mean everything". We played against French professional outfit, St Marie's, Perpignan and met the GB squad before their game with France. We Played the British Army in Munster, Germany and after that, Dublin University, Dublin (I had retired by then). Happy, happy memories.

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Hi all. I'm new to this site and have been looking through the past threads with great interest. I (mainly) played for, the now defunct, Tameside Borough ARLFC but also had spells at Salem Hornets and Heyside Eagles. Tameside formed approx, 1981 and won the Pennine League Div 8 title in their first year but nearly folded the year after due to a player exodus. I signed for them in their second season. We had been given a "stay of execution" by the Pennine League committee until we got a team together. I made my debut away at Greetland All Rounders, Halifax. We won our first game that season just before Christmas at, table topping, Stainland Stags. We not only staved of relegation that season but due to a final day win at home to Emily Moor and league restructuring we got promotion. After that, Tameside, went from strength to strength and won 5 back to back promotions, usually as champions, as well as a few cups on the way. It was sad to watch the club die as we entered the 90's but the spine of the team got aged and the young blood coming through wasn't of a good enough standard. Eventually, they joined the NWCL and then into a summer league (can't remember what that was all about) where they tried to change their name from Tameside to Manchester Knights but, apparently, Swinton RLFC had already registered that name. Not long after that the team died. Had some great times there though, even as I tell my two football playing daughters, "trophies don't mean anything, memories mean everything". We played against French professional outfit, St Marie's, Perpignan and met the GB squad before their game with France. We Played the British Army in Munster, Germany and after that, Dublin University, Dublin (I had retired by then). Happy, happy memories.

Welcome aboard!! Great post - those memories will stay with you for ever

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We not only staved of relegation that season but due to a final day win at home to Emily Moor and league restructuring we got promotion.

 

I'm pretty sure that I will have been at that game at Emley.  They have come a long way since playing in essentially one of JB's pastures right by the mast.

The Unicorn is not a Goose,

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I played for Kirkholt WMC a few times against Tameside.  Pitch was at Medlock (?) sports centre and then went back to Droylsden CC for a drink.  Brought back some memories when I went back to Droylsden CC when my son was playing cricket for Bamford-Fieldhouse CC as u13/u15.

 

I remeber a particularly bad-tempered game there when Tameside had a huge stand-off who was a good footballer and pretty handy in the "pugilism" department and I think he dispatched a couple of ours to the sideline  - :tongue:

 

I always enjoed playing Emley Moor, decent footballers and no headbangers.  I remeber going back to a pub, post-game, where they had hand pulled Stones Bitter which was really good, especially compared to the abomination that they put into cans.

 

Stainland were a good club as well - I remember playing on the wing in an early season game and nearly being hit by a cricket ball from the game in the next field. 

Looks like it wer' organised by't Pennine League

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I can trace Mysons (or Bilton Mysons as they were sometimes known) back to 1975 and I don't think they folded HKR away days? They were Mysons in 1995-96 and the following season 96-97 they were East Hull. They never appear in any league tables or competitions together. East Hull merged with Beverley, who were in the Conference league premier division at the time for the 1998-99 season, but it was a failed merger. I remember going to watch them play Leigh Miners at Beverley and when I got there the game had been switched to Hull Kingston Rovers. I made it in time for the game. At the end of 1998-99 the merged club was not retained by the Conference league and Beverley joined the Hull league while East Hull went into the White Rose league. East Hull were accepted by the Conference league in their own right for the 2003-04 season.

all correct rooster
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I get the impression that the current situation is a continuing illustration of the evolution of sporting participation in wider society, and not just within RL, although things have been clouded somewhat by the change of playing season.

 

Teenagers will always be pulled in different directions, that's something we can't do much about. I did the same when I was 17 and for six months decided that I'd rather spend my time boozing and chasing women than getting my head stoved in every Sunday.

 

Club-wise, we've obviously lost the workplace teams, and teams based on pubs/social clubs have been in decline since at least the eighties - again, social change.

 

It seems to me that well-organised clubs based around a deep community link, possibly encompassing more than one sport and bringing in other activities as well are the future - the Manchester club that combines RL and handball one recent example.

 

Obviously, many local factors are also relevant - it's easier to get people together in a city, but maybe tougher to forge a club spirit. Clubs in smaller locations may struggle for sustainability, but then may gain from community links, shared facilities and official cooperation.

 

All in all, it's still reliant upon an army of volunteers running the thing well, making it attractive, bringing in a steady flow of new players, being visible in the community, and above all enjoying it! But things move on - it's no good trying to keep doing what worked in 1975, at least not all the time. Imagination, energy and evolution are all important as well.

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