Heworth, who are celebrating their centenary, have produced a sumptuous 40-page booklet marking the club’s illustrious history.
The York outfit are renowned as one of the most hospitable of amateur clubs – and a first winners of the National Conference League (then known as the National League) in 1986/7, when the side went close to pulling off a memorable cup & league ‘double’, Thatto Heath being party-poopers in the BARLA National Cup Final.
The Villagers have, other than for a short spell several seasons ago, been leading members of the NCL ever since, having set the template for on and off-field conduct many years before the flagship league was even envisaged.
Heworth’s proud history, however, stretches back to over six decades before the National Conference League was formed. Launched following a meeting at the Britannia Inn, whose landlord was Septimus Flower, the Villagers’ secretary from 1922 to 1946 was Walter Dale, of the famous Dale family; Walter’s father Harry was the inaugural president.
Layerthorpe Adult School, it is understood, provided the first opposition, the game at Beeswing Lane taking place on 7 April 1923. During the 1920s and 1930s Heworth produced a number of players for the professional ranks, notably George Dennis, who picked up a Challenge Cup winners’ medal with Hunslet in 1934. Eddie Burrows, Gus Tindall, Cyril Dale and Albert Taylor joined York, E Flowers was signed by Wakefield Trinity and Kelly Dale was captured by Huddersfield.
After having played mainly in the York area prior to, and in the immediate aftermath of, World War Two, Heworth joined the Leeds & District Open Age and Under 19s leagues in the late 1950s (the Under 17s following suit in 1962) on the back of sustained success in the previous decade, with the Under 21s having beaten Lock Lane in the 1951/52 and 1952/53 Yorkshire Cup Finals.
The club moved to its present base at Elm Park Way in 1970 after having had – by comparison with the last half-century – something of a nomadic existence up to then. Noted for playing expansive football, and for their sporting approach to opposing sides, the Villagers, with long-term stalwart Barry Jackson an exemplary driving force, graced the Yorkshire League during that decade, going on to be leading lights in the fledgling National League, and strong members over most of the ensuing decades, despite the fluctuating fortunes that most clubs inevitable experience.
Kenny Sykes, who with the likes of Barry Jackson and David Ward has given Heworth superb service over many years, initially as a youth player, has been the Open Age team’s secretary for many years. He played for Hunslet (of whom he is now chairman) for over a decade from the early 1970s before returning, at the veteran stage, to his junior club and played a full part in that glorious 1986/87 campaign.
Heworth have also nurtured many other fine players who, as with Messrs Dennis & Co of the 1920s and 1930s, have lit up Rugby League’s great occasions. Ray Batten featured with Leeds in the 1967/68 and 1971/72 Challenge Cup Finals and Ted Barnard played for the Loiners at Wembley in the 1970/71; both had been teammates in the Villagers Under 17s side of 1962/63.
Notable old boys include, in addition, Jim and Des Drake, Jack and David Watkinson, Ken Bowman, Geoff Wriglesworth, Colin Forsyth and Gary Divorty.
‘The Villagers – 100 years of Rugby League at Heworth ARLFC’ has been superbly and loving compiled by Peter Ulliott and costs just £13 (including post and packaging). Copies can be purchased from Peter at 51 Westlands Grove, Heworth, York YO31 1EG (cheques payable to Heworth ARLFC).
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Reigning champions Wales have confirmed their eleven-player squad ahead of the 2022 Wheelchair Celtic Cup, which is taking place at the Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, Wrexham, on Saturday 7 May.
Head coach Stephen Jones has selected Alan Caron, Gary Preece (both Hereford Harriers), Jodie Boyd-Ward (Leeds Rhinos), Mason Baker, Ricki Davies, Stephen Halsey, Harry Jones, Lucie Roberts, Scott Trigg-Turner, Stuart Williams (captain) (all North Wales Crusaders) and Mark Williams (Wigan Warriors/Hereford Harriers).
Record test cap holder Alan Caron, with 36 to his name, is back in the party after having missed last autumn’s friendly with Scotland. Captain Stuart Williams, who last featured in 2021 – in the Celtic Cup – also returns, as does Scott Trigg-Turner.
Jones said: “This year will see us defending the Celtic Cup with the opportunity of winning the trophy for a sixth time. To say we are looking forward to this is an understatement and to be hosting this year’s tournament will make it extra special.
“With the autumn’s World Cup in mind, we aim to make the most out of the Celtic Cup and have named a mixed squad of youth and experience.”
He added: “It will be a bittersweet tournament for us, no matter the outcome, as we will be saying goodbye to our assistant coach Lyndon Price, who is stepping down after the competition. However it will also give our new assistant coach Gary Taylor the opportunity to be part of the team for his first internationals as a coach rather than, as previously, being involved as a player.”
Jones concluded: “This year should be a great tournament, with Scotland under new management and Ireland once again out to prove that they belong on the international stage for Wheelchair Rugby League.”
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Easter Sunday’s traditional Women’s Finals double-header at Featherstone once again didn’t disappoint, with Featherstone Lionesses beating West Leeds in the Challenge Cup Final, and Leeds University accounting for Liverpool University in the Plate decider.
The Plate Final attracted plenty of interest, not least because it involved student sides – with extra lustre added through two sisters going head-to-head, with Liverpool’s Rachel Grady facing Leeds’ Becky Grady.
Becky had the better of that particular clash, her five tries and five goals going a long way to a 46-20 result which may have pleased the watching Andrew Cudbertson who, wlth the legendary Cec Thompson, was instrumental in launching Rugby League – a men’s team, inevitably, at that time – at Leeds over 50 years ago.
Andrew, who has retained strong links with his Alma Mater, was at Featherstone and, ever active, took photos of the winning teams for League Express and others. And, deeply committed as he is to the development of Women’s Rugby League in our universities, he has some interesting observations to make.
He says: “Streamed live on OuRLeague, it was understandable there was a nervy start from both sides before they put on a highly entertaining contest with lots of skill and some spectacular tries.
“So why, in an era of hugely increased participation of women in sport, should women’s Rugby League be played in only three universities (Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester)? There must be huge untapped potential. Many girl students attending University will already be followers and even active supporters of the sport. And I expect some will have played League at school and college, where they have had the opportunity in the game’s heartlands.”
Cudbertson continues: “What seems to be happening is that when they reach University, they drift to the other code, or play different sports. I’ve seen at first hand the development of men’s student Rugby League from one team (ours, in Leeds, in 1967), to two (1968, Liverpool) and then a quite rapid spread thereafter as students followed their example in an expansion that took in the Midlands, Southern England and Wales.
“Could that be an inspiration for women students? There is a precedent. Around ten different universities had women rugby league teams at the end of the 1990s, thanks to the efforts of Niel Wood and colleagues from the Student Rugby League. Teams were based as far away as Luton, Coventry and Nottingham. Quite why that faded away, I’m not sure.
“However new clubs will not appear by magic. What it needs is a handful of students who are keen to play Rugby League to go through the procedure of applying to their Athletics or Sports Unions for recognition – and supplying evidence of support. Plenty of goodwill, help and encouragement is out there from within the sport. Furthermore, the three existing university teams have thriving social media platforms, so aspiring clubs should not be frightened to ask questions and seek advice.”
He stresses: “Whilst, on Easter Sunday, Leeds University had the outstanding talent of England student international Becky Grady in their ranks, it’s important that players new to the sport shouldn’t be deterred by their lack of experience. The overwhelming majority who featured at Featherstone had never played the game before going to university.
“For example, impressive for Leeds were the dummy half skills of Sophia Liu, the hard running of Dubai-raised second row Gayatri Gambhir, and all-action loose forward Hattie Wood who could be as good as she wants to be when she learns the game. Outstanding for Liverpool were the lightning-fast Amira Carew, powerful loose forward Amy Fitzpatrick and full back Eve Mullan, who hail from Kent, West Sussex and Ireland respectively. None had played Rugby League before University.
“Of course, good coaching is essential. Liverpool have been well served by Nick Moon, and Leeds by their coaching duo of Ellis Pascall and Conor Meese, who currently coach England Students. They have to start with the basics, even how to play the ball (though fortunately they are not being taught that particular skill by full time Super League players!). Meese, who will always remember his time coaching Leeds University, says: ‘There’s much more talent yet to be uncovered throughout the country and I hope that success like this will inspire more universities to be involved and that Rugby League will ultimately be recognised as a British Universities & Colleges Sport, as is the men’s game. Our England Students Squad have players from nine Universities with no RL team. We hope their high profiles will encourage others to try the sport’.”
Cudbertson concludes: “Student Rugby League is by definition an autumn-to-spring game, and all three university teams have been part of the Winter Amateur Rugby League, acknowledging that facing physically tough opposition has undoubtedly improved performance. Leeds may have endured a painful start, scoring just eight points and conceding 350 in their first six fixtures in 2018, but team spirit never ever wavered, so landing the Plate Trophy was a just reward for all the hard work that followed.”
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The 2022 President’s Cup reaches its second stage on Wednesday evening with a double-header at Lock Lane, Castleford.
England Universities meet Great Britain Police in the opening match, while Great Britain Teachers face reigning champions UK Armed Forces in the second game.
The Students beat the Teachers 32-12 last month at Saddleworth, when the Armed Forces accounted for the Police 52-0.
Leigh Miners Rangers will host the closing matches of the series, at the end of May.
Fixtures
Wednesday 27 April 2022
England Universities v GB Police (6.00pm); GB Teachers v UK Armed Forces (8.00pm). Both at Lock Lane.
Wednesday 25 May 2022
GB Police v GB Teachers (6.00pm); England Universities v UK Armed Forces (8.00pm). Both at Leigh Miners Rangers.
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Richard Knight took his place in the Siddal dugout for the first time last month, when the National Conference League bigwigs beat Great Britain Police in the first round of the Betfred Challenge Cup before accounting for Pilkington Recs on Saturday.
Knight has joined the Halifax outfit from neighbouring Underbank, who he guided through the NCL ranks and into last season’s Championship play-offs before Rangers opted to switch to the Yorkshire Men’s League. “For me this is the biggest coaching role outside of the professional game,” he said.
“Siddal is a club that you expect to see challenging near the top end of the NCL and I know there is a very talented group of players here, as well as a crop of exciting young talent in the Under 23s side that was crowned Yorkshire Men’s League champions in 2021.
“I’ve come here to test myself and I’m going to put my heart and soul into this great opportunity.”
Knight is pictured being welcomed by Siddal chair Paul Hirst.
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