Essex Scimitars

[EastLondonMike]

1 hour ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Jesus that is a horrible place to play rugby... Of either code

The Marshes are pretty good now. Dockers played a season over there after leaving Memorial Park for a year. Pitches on the marshes were better than at ELRFC at the time. Real nice changing rooms and bar also.

[Rowan]

I remember playing Hackney on the Marshes back in the early 70s with Corby Pioneers. Formed in 1969 Corby were members of the Southern League for five years playing against Ealing, Hillingdon, Peckham, Aldershot Paratroopeers, St. Albans, Luton and I think Watford among others.

It was back in the days when  Union and League just didn't mix so it was a bit of a job getting a regular team for home games - not too bad for the long trips where nobody would be able to snitch on players .  We actually staged a Southern League X111 v. Hull KR Colts representative match at our local rugby union ground. (Fortunately it was owned by the  council so they couldn't stop the game although they did try).

It was always a struggle and we didn't win many matches but we did stage an annual sevens event inviting such northern clubs as Milom, Dewsbury Celtic and Wakefield Supporters.

When Hackney found they could  not fulfil a game against a team of French visitors we took over the fixture which I refereed. Treize Lutece beat us 16-2.

We eventually joined a short-lived Midland League - Corby, Loughborugh, Walsall and Fred Lindop's Sheffied but the club folded in 1974 through lack of money as much as anything.  I moved north and became involved with Tameside Borough who then became Manchester Knights.

Happy days all of them.

 

 

 

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

5 hours ago, yanto said:

What a Nation wide tournament that was.

North Wales Coasters played in it one year (did it only run for one year ??) and if I remember Ray French was guest of honour .

Did Lionel Hurst not have something to do with organizing it??

I have a tournament programme at home (curently back in Norway working) and a map shows development teams from all over England and Wales.

Of the top of my head (apart from Essex Scimitars and North Wales Coasters), I can remember Garibaldi (Mansfield area) Aberavon,Crewe and Nantwich and Carlisle and Birmingham....going to have to check when I get home.

Pretty sure it ran for more than one year, seem to recall Gateshead Panthers playing in it as well.

[Number 16]

5 hours ago, RP London said:

The amount we must have put behind the bar in an early evening before heading off into town must have been good for the club in the off season!

The union club didn't make as much as it should have because of a sticky-fingered steward... allegedly.

[RMBJ]

9 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

And is still played there now. The mighty Newham Dockers RLFC have played there since 2012, prior to that Phantoms RL played there for 2 seasons before disbanding.

It was more notable to me due to the years RL was being played there. 

[EastLondonMike]

23 minutes ago, RMBJ said:

It was more notable to me due to the years RL was being played there. 

Theres actually a photo on the wall in the club house of the union team playing a game at Wilderspool. Some time in the 80's. Not sure what the RFU would have made of that.

Like most places im sure, there were some at the club who warmly welcomed the Rugby League games being played there, and there were others who would rather look away than look at you. 

[Number 16]

37 minutes ago, EastLondonMike said:

Like most places im sure, there were some at the club who warmly welcomed the Rugby League games being played there, and there were others who would rather look away than look at you. 

That's what is so frustrating about S-C today. One person in particular is so anti-RL, but he is a respected and long-serving member of the club and a doer so no one says... -'hold on'. 

South London Masters would move there in a heartbeat given that plenty of S-C old boys turn out for the team. I'm sure an OA team could follow. Maybe that is what the obstructionists fear. That said S-C now play at the very bottom tier of Surrey union so anything that gives the place fresh impetus and a boost means winners all round. Over the years Storm provided dozens of players for our hosts. 

But some people never learn... 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

8 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

The Marshes are pretty good now. Dockers played a season over there after leaving Memorial Park for a year. Pitches on the marshes were better than at ELRFC at the time. Real nice changing rooms and bar also.

I played there last year!  The big rusty coloured changing rooms are okay but pitches still dodgy! 

[RMBJ]

1 hour ago, Number 16 said:

That's what is so frustrating about S-C today. One person in particular is so anti-RL, but he is a respected and long-serving member of the club and a doer so no one says... -'hold on'. 

South London Masters would move there in a heartbeat given that plenty of S-C old boys turn out for the team. I'm sure an OA team could follow. Maybe that is what the obstructionists fear. That said S-C now play at the very bottom tier of Surrey union so anything that gives the place fresh impetus and a boost means winners all round. Over the years Storm provided dozens of players for our hosts. 

But some people never learn... 

Do any RU teams regularly play at RL owned grounds in the heartland areas? 

[Number 16]

53 minutes ago, RMBJ said:

Do any RU teams regularly play at RL owned grounds in the heartland areas? 

Who knows? Who cares? How is this relevant?

[RMBJ]

22 minutes ago, Number 16 said:

Who knows? Who cares? How is this relevant?

I found out today that RL was being played at RU clubs in London before RU went open in 1995/6. That's a fairly massive revelation, especially in this place. I'm just curious if this hand of friendship goes both ways.

[Number 16]

I'd guess that prior to 1996 the RFU would have looked darkly upon any union club using RL facilities, so it probably didn't happen, but if it did, then only very rarely.

Also, a brief comparison of the average union club's facilities compared to RL's doesn't show our sport in the best of lights. The overwhelming majority of union clubs are well established organisations with their own facilities. Many RL 'clubs' are, or certainly were, based out of pubs, clubs and workplaces without their own pitch even.

I very much doubt that the hand of friendship ever had to be extended to union teams.

 

[RP London]

15 hours ago, Number 16 said:

The union club didn't make as much as it should have because of a sticky-fingered steward... allegedly.

Thats a shame. 

[RP London]

8 hours ago, Number 16 said:

I'd guess that prior to 1996 the RFU would have looked darkly upon any union club using RL facilities, so it probably didn't happen, but if it did, then only very rarely.

Also, a brief comparison of the average union club's facilities compared to RL's doesn't show our sport in the best of lights. The overwhelming majority of union clubs are well established organisations with their own facilities. Many RL 'clubs' are, or certainly were, based out of pubs, clubs and workplaces without their own pitch even.

I very much doubt that the hand of friendship ever had to be extended to union teams.

 

Also, and especially in London, you may live in "union territory" and finding a league team to play for is difficult/rare. So for the most part you need to set one up and that then needs facilities. If you live in a League territory but you want to play union you are probably not going to be that far away from a union club so the need to set up a union club in league territory is pretty limited.