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The Rams

A number of lads working at Ram International, a kitchen company from Sowerby Bridge, decided to enter a team in the1989 Halifax Workshops competition in the wake of the fervour in Halifax and Calderdale for Rugby League. Most of the team worked at Ram Kitchens. Andy Parker and Mark Dinsmore were instrumental in the formation of the club from the very beginning. Their early efforts looked likely to fail as not enough players turned up but with the help of a few lads from Greetland All Rounders joining they manage to assemble a team.

One of the players, new to Rugby League, who the club attracted was footballer Alan Rivers. Alan, thirty years of age at the time, joined in training simply to keep fit and went on to either play, coach and be Secretary at the club throughout it is existence. Amongst the younger players was Jason McDonald. Jason played junior Rugby League at Ovenden and bumped into Mark Dismore who convinced him to play for the team in the Workshops. Jason stayed was also present throughout the club’s history.

The team trained and played for months building up to the Workshops and their eventual entry to the Pennine League. President , Russ Tofts, worked hard and the team were well established when they took the plunge into the Pennine League. By this time, the team has played 22 games and won 12 of them. They even played two games as curtain raisers at Thrum Hall: firstly, against a team from the Colourell Company winning 68-6 and then against West Yorkshire Police losing 29-10. As they prepared for the Pennine League, ex- Keighley and Mixenden scrum half Colin Hardcastle arrived as coach and Mick Donachie as his assistant and physio. At once period there were three Hardcastles, Craig, Darren and Gary, all playing for the team.

After less than 12 months, the Ram Kitchens team joined the Pennine League Division 8 for the 1989-89 season and played their home games at Savile Park. Their headquarters was in Upper Washer Lane at The Folly public house (which was later renamed The Royal and is now the Wainhouse Tavern). Their first season was a successful one. They played 16 games and won 10 of them to gain promotion.

Success continued in following seasons as the club climbed up the Pennine League divisions.

In the 1990-91 season playing in Division 7, Ram Kitchens fought their way to a second place finish after winning 12 of their 14 games. Jason McDonald recalls the season well especially the final game of the season against Smallbridge to determine the league winners.

“We were level at the top of the league. In the last minute of the game, Smallbridge kicked through, the ball went over the goal line but Gary Hardcastle had it covered. All he had to do was kick the ball dead. He took a good swing (at the ball) and missed. Smallbridge scored. They won the league. And they won the boat race afterwards!”

Although the Pennine League reorganised to include Alliance divisions, the team continued its rise and featured in Division 4 in 1991-92.
By this time, the club had changed its name to Cook Street Rams following a sponsorship deal with the Rochdale pallet company, Cook Street. Once again the team finished in second place losing only two of their 20 games.

The team was making a name for themselves as in 1992 they played in the Halifax Cup up at Greetland All Rounders. The Greetland team were in the National Conference League and were expected to beat Pennine League Division 3 Rams with ease. The Rams had other ideas and the final score of 10-2 reflected a very close game in which Greetland secured their victory only in the last quarter of the game.

Player numbers began to grow and by the start of the 1992-93 season, there were sufficient numbers to form an “A” team. So, the club began the season for the very first time with two teams. The first team continued their rise up the Pennine League divisions with a solid season in Division 3 finishing a creditable 7th place. The “A” team completed their initial season in Alliance Division 3 with 5 victories from 18 games.