Bradshaw Juniors

A short-lived junior club in the village from the 1960’s which provided several players to Illingworth during that period.

There was a Bradshaw team, who played on the recreation ground beside the Bradshaw village bowling green on a council owned pitch, using Bradshaw Tavern as their headquarters.

The Bradshaw team was formed at U17’s for the 1966-1967 season by Tony Sutcliffe who had the fish and chip shop in Illingworth. Roy Watters played for the team and became the Halifax & District’s youngest club secretary. He recalled,

“ the lads in the village wanted somewhere local to play. We played for fun and it was enjoyable.”

Roy also described the changing facilities:

The changing room, and I do mean room, was in a building behind the pub but attached to it.”

Bradshaw played against teams such as Keighley Albion, Ovenden, Greetland, Odsal Sedburgh  and Mixenden.

Bradshaw would run Under 17 and Under 19 teams.

Siddal and Bradshaw had met in the 1966-7 Under-19 championship final at Thrum Hall, only for both teams to be found guilty of fielding over-age players and the competition declared null and void.

Bradshaw had a strong and young committee with the average age only 25. Indeed, the youngest member and only player on the committee was Roy Watters at 18! The club President was former Halifax star, Ken Dean. The committee shown below is:

back row  – Tony Hartley, Sam Illingworth, Colin Dean, Roy Watters

front row – Desmond Dyer, Malcolm Halliday, Tony Sutcliffe, John Anderson, Alan Ralph