A Reminder for the Old Folk

[Blind side johnny]

I know that we had all remembered that today marks the 30th anniversary of our first game at Owl Lane, more than 3 years after leaving Crown Flatt. I recall being ever so impressed with our facilities having had 3 years as guests of Batley. Mount Pleasant was an uncomfortable stay, mostly because it wasn't home and also thanks to a long uphill slog from wherever I had parked my car. We were eternally grateful to them for helping us out, which has been reciprocated over and over since by handing them regular victories.

Like many I remain nostalgic for Crown Flatt, yet would be the first to admit that it was a dump. Had the fire not forced us out I suspect that economic forces would have meant that we would have had to leave eventually.

I still hold many happy memories of the place however. {Raises glass in toast}

 

 

Edited September 11 by Blind side johnny

[Therein73]

I've been to Rugby league internationals at Old Trafford, Twickenham, Central Park, KC Stadium, John Smith's Stadium etc etc and a World Cup Final at (old) Wembley..... Quite a few Super League Grand Finals and even one game in Australia at West Tigers v Brisbane but NOTHING has ever matched the excitement of seeing the first glimpse of my late 1960's / early 1970's heroes emerging from that tunnel with the expectation of victory every time - even though it wasn't always the case. No warm-up routines in those days so the first sight of the players emerging had its own magic.

Great teenage days and memories .... even going up sometimes on a Tuesday or Thursday night just to watch them train !!

Occasionally got there early enough to get the Scoreboard job ... hated putting the scores up for the opposition

I'll join you BSJ in raising a glass to the old (and true) home of Dewsbury RLFC 

[Hugh Jarce]

Never forget going with my Dad to watch Dewsbury, and being lifted over to run on for tie ups from my favourite of the day. (Always Jack Austin)

Even playing and training there, and the big day when we played on the wonderful pitch.

Many happy memories singing in the bath after a big victory against Lock Lane!

The new place is great, but childhood memories tend to miss out the dump it became.

I will definitely join you in raising a glass....or two.

[creditwhereitsdews]

Cheers to both Crown Flatts, new and old. My first game at the old one was Easter Monday 1988 v Keighley, my only one before the stand burned down (though some floodlights had already blown over).
My next was Boxing Day 1988 against Batley when the temporary stand went up and I remember the players throwing sweets into the crowd after they ran out. Clung on to those white iron railings for another couple of years before moving to Mount Pleasant and I enjoyed the time there, mainly because we had an exciting team.
Every match I'd buy a programme to look at the artist's impression on the back of what the new ground would look like – though it's only got to look like that image in the last few years since we put up the terracing behind the goals.
I'm still grateful we've got our own ground and it's a proper rugby league ground, unlike those of the likes of Wigan, Halifax, Hull etc who lost theirs to share with soccer clubs. Here's to another 30 years, and hopefully a lot more.

[Wakefield Ram]

First game early January 1974 home v Castleford and we won 14-12 and Jeff Grayshon scored two tries. 

Following week we beat Hull KR 17-7 and I was a fan. Crown Flatt had character but once the main stand burnt down, that was the end really. 

[Blind side johnny]

Who remembers the steam rising up from behind the Long Stand at half time?

[muddyfunster]

My first visit to the old Crown Flatts would have been mid 80s vs Huddersfield. I remember my mate asking if I wanted to go to the rugby with him and his dad. Never been to a game before and I was hooked from that momenton, (good job he and his dad didn't go to mount unpleasant every week, otherwise I might have been a Batley fan )

I was also very lucky to get a run out on the ground of my then heroes, in a heavy woolen school boys cup final, although we got a good hiding from St John Fishers on that occasion. 

[coolie]

13 hours ago, Blind side johnny said:

Who remembers the steam rising up from behind the Long Stand at half time?

Funnily enough this was only talked about yesterday, a long line of blokes watering behind the Long Stand and the clouds of steam rising in winter rugby

[STEVE P]

I have so many happy memories of being at the old ground. Until I was 9 we lived on Leeds Road, just below the bottom of the cutting. We used to go up to the ground during the week and sneak in from Sugar Lane, just to sit and look at the pitch. Later on we would go on Tuesday and Thursday nights to watch the players train.

On a Saturday afternoon, when the match kicked out, Leeds Road would teem with people walking down to Dewsbury centre for their bus or train home. Often so many that the pavements couldn't cope and people were spilling into the road. The biggest crowd I was part of was in the 60s for the Cup third round against a newly reinvigorated Salford. I can't quite remember if it was 11500 or 13500, but the ground seemed rammed. We won.

The earliest teams I can remember featured Johnny Bullock. Ken Bosworth, Geoff Popplewell and the Callaghan brothers. Then came the Brearley Bailey era, moving through players like Alvin Newall and Mick Sullivan alongside all the young local talent, culminating in the great championship side, which sadly Mr Bailey never got to see.

Yes, great memories indeed. I could go on for hours, but won't. I just hope that there will soon be more great moments to come. 

[Keep The Faith]

On 11/09/2024 at 16:12, Blind side johnny said:

I know that we had all remembered that today marks the 30th anniversary of our first game at Owl Lane, more than 3 years after leaving Crown Flatt. I recall being ever so impressed with our facilities having had 3 years as guests of Batley. Mount Pleasant was an uncomfortable stay, mostly because it wasn't home and also thanks to a long uphill slog from wherever I had parked my car. We were eternally grateful to them for helping us out, which has been reciprocated over and over since by handing them regular victories.

Like many I remain nostalgic for Crown Flatt, yet would be the first to admit that it was a dump. Had the fire not forced us out I suspect that economic forces would have meant that we would have had to leave eventually.

I still hold many happy memories of the place however. {Raises glass in toast}

 

 

I recall the first Boxing Day game at the new ground it wouldn’t of been on today… puddles everywhere and players from both teams had infections from the pitch

even injections happened so they could be cleared 

The following summer it was sorted until the badgers turned up 

[STEVE P]

9 minutes ago, Keep The Faith said:

I recall the first Boxing Day game at the new ground it wouldn’t of been on today… puddles everywhere and players from both teams had infections from the pitch

even injections happened so they could be cleared 

The following summer it was sorted until the badgers turned up 

I'd forgotten about the pitch problems. When we played Cas in some cup competition or other Dean Sampson was steadily sinking into the mire whilst he was waiting for Dewsbury to kick off. We were shouting at him to keep his feet moving or risk disappearing all together. He had a bit of a laugh with us

 

[Reverend Ram]

Reminiscences give us comfort after such a desperate season - cold comfort that my broken ankle has kept me away from watching the ailing team. But where do we start? I have a vague memory of us losing to Huddersfield at Crown Flatt in ‘69 but how many of us remember the Australians winning 17-3 at CF in 1973-4? The grand nine oil and (usually) Nigel Stephenson perfecting the ball roll back to the chagrin of many a full back; the 13-13 draw with Hull in our promotion season in 77-78, the 1-0 victory over York, Harry Beverley’s knees, Eddie Rombo and Dennis Bailey on the wings, the only barrel roof stand in RL (unless someone tells me differently!) I don’t think it was a dump really - it was home. It took a while to get to the new ground but we’re accumulating fresh memories too but for some reason they don’t seem to have the same lasting resonance. But for now I remember that cup tie v Widnes where we kicked no less than 7 40/20’s in a 27-26 win (I think - no doubt other old timers will put me right if not!). Best stop rambling now and simply re- live the memories and give thanks for the pleasure supporting my home team has given me for many years.

[Keep The Faith]

14 hours ago, Reverend Ram said:

Reminiscences give us comfort after such a desperate season - cold comfort that my broken ankle has kept me away from watching the ailing team. But where do we start? I have a vague memory of us losing to Huddersfield at Crown Flatt in ‘69 but how many of us remember the Australians winning 17-3 at CF in 1973-4? The grand nine oil and (usually) Nigel Stephenson perfecting the ball roll back to the chagrin of many a full back; the 13-13 draw with Hull in our promotion season in 77-78, the 1-0 victory over York, Harry Beverley’s knees, Eddie Rombo and Dennis Bailey on the wings, the only barrel roof stand in RL (unless someone tells me differently!) I don’t think it was a dump really - it was home. It took a while to get to the new ground but we’re accumulating fresh memories too but for some reason they don’t seem to have the same lasting resonance. But for now I remember that cup tie v Widnes where we kicked no less than 7 40/20’s in a 27-26 win (I think - no doubt other old timers will put me right if not!). Best stop rambling now and simply re- live the memories and give thanks for the pleasure supporting my home team has given me for many years.

Eddie Rombo was good but he never played against or for dewsbury at the old ground… 

[Keep The Faith]

17 hours ago, STEVE P said:

I'd forgotten about the pitch problems. When we played Cas in some cup competition or other Dean Sampson was steadily sinking into the mire whilst he was waiting for Dewsbury to kick off. We were shouting at him to keep his feet moving or risk disappearing all together. He had a bit of a laugh with us

 

It would been the regal trophy 

And It’s little things like that you remember 

[Wakefield Ram]

18 hours ago, STEVE P said:

I'd forgotten about the pitch problems. When we played Cas in some cup competition or other Dean Sampson was steadily sinking into the mire whilst he was waiting for Dewsbury to kick off. We were shouting at him to keep his feet moving or risk disappearing all together. He had a bit of a laugh with us

 

Yes forgotten about the pitch. I'm sure one game it looked more like a beach than a pitch there was so much sand on it 

Great playing surface now.

[Wakefield Ram]

1977? We beat Wakefield 5-2 in Challenge Cup and lost in quarter finals to St Helens , the biggest crowd I ever saw at CF 10,000.

The game I wish I'd seen was Dewsbury v Australia - shame it was not filmed. I know one of the touch judges and he said it was the most brutal game of RL he ever saw. 

[Therein73]

Biggest crowd I can recall at CF was the '73 Challenge Cup Quarter Final v Wakefield and I think we won 15-4..... Seem to remember the crowd being given as over 15,000 .........

The Aussie game was awesome..... I don't recall how 'brutal' it might have been but I do know our lads didn't give an inch all afternoon....... Remember Stevo doing the kick-off.

Someone mentioned Trevor Rhodes on another thread and I clearly remember his 'over the shoulder' try against Featherstone on a midweek night ...we beat them something like 40-0 but they did have a Yorkshire Cup Semi to play shortly after.

I have a very vague recollection of a Dewsbury-Batley game on a Christmas Day - but that is a dim and distant one.

The game against Hull at CF when my younger brother and I were saved the trek up Leeds Road when Brian Firth and Kevin Osbourne gave us a lift with them.......apart from losing, that's all I remember.

Jeff Grayshon's first game in the second row when we played St Helens, we were down to the bare bones for a team and gave them a real run for their money, losing narrowly with a patched-up side against a strong Saints line up.

So many more ........ and I was there for the last one against Barrow.... sad day but it needed to happen.

[Keep The Faith]

4 hours ago, Wakefield Ram said:

Yes forgotten about the pitch. I'm sure one game it looked more like a beach than a pitch there was so much sand on it 

Great playing surface now.

Plenty of fields always were in the winter just remember some teams had 3 games a weekend sometimes 5-6 

[STEVE P]

On 12/09/2024 at 09:08, muddyfunster said:

..........Never been to a game before and I was hooked from that momenton, (good job he and his dad didn't go to mount unpleasant every week, otherwise I might have been a Batley fan )

 

Then you would have had to marry somebody else. Jenny's dad would never have condoned a mixed marriage.

 

[Lupset Ram]

Dewsbury Moor v Mirfield in the Heavy Woollen Sunday morning cup, on Easter Sunday 1980, was the first game that I saw at the old ground. 

Dewsbury v Warrington in the Challenge Cup in 1981 was the first time I saw pro Rugby at the ground. 

May 1988 was the first time that I played there in the H V Smith 7 a side tournament. 

The changing rooms were shocking!