Clubs > Stainland Stags > The beginning of the Stags
The beginning of the Stags
The origin of the Stainland Stags was a poster asking for expressions of interest in playing for a new Rugby League team in the village which went up in the Red Lion public house in 1980. The poster was put up by former Greetland and Elland player, Mick Agus, following a suggestion from his uncle, Jack.
A group of lads was assembled by Mick Agus and Trevor Murgatroyd and they began training and playing some friendlies under the watchful eye of coach Mick Agus between Christmas and July 1981. The first game was against Clayton “A” team from Bradford. The teams changed in the Duke of York public house, no showers were available and played on Stainland Rec.
The team then played in the Halifax Workshops competition as Duke of York in 1981 before entering the Pennine League Division 7 for the 1981-82 season. Ex-Ovenden Dave “Bucket” Sutcliffe had assumed the player/coach role. For a new team with some players new to Rugby League supported by some experience from players such as Castleford, Huddersfield and Dewsbury prop Gary Ellis, they fared well winning 15 of their 24 games that season. Gary explained.
“we had a good side. Wilf Baldwin and a few lads from Siddal as well as Bucket.”
A young 16-year-old, Colin Smith, was one of the youngsters in the Duke of York side who started in the Workshops . He recalls.
“Dave Sutcliffe look after me at Stainland. He taught me about playing in the front row.”
“We got changed in the Mechanics Hall which had two shower heads!”
Colin played every game of that inaugural Stainland Stags season at hooker before being signed by Halifax Colts.
The team was training and changing in the Mechanics Hall run by Roy “Rocky” Hollway who ran the Stainland Boxing Club and headquarters was at the Bull and Dog public house. Roy held the sum of £250 in Trust left over from the previous Stainland Rugby League club which had folded in 1960. This gave the new Stainland Rugby League club a starting fund as they began life of the Stainland Rec. where they had inherited the former Bondina football pitch.
The club has from day one been blessed with good support from local firms and the local community. Their first kit was a reversible green/blue kit but their first sponsored kit , a cotton black shirt with a gold V, was provided by Ken Robert’s who owned the “Crazy Horse Show Bar” in Halifax.
The name tag “Stags” was taken from the local deer farm a mile down the road at Holywell Brook, owned by then Halifax Town Chairman, Sam Rourke.
The following season, the season when club stalwart and President, John Sutcliffe, joined the club, the team had their own changing rooms, when a shed attached to the Bull and Dog came into use. The team continued to be mainly all from the local village and this made for a tight night atmosphere and great spirit for the players. They moved pitch to below the cricket field as their own pitch was being dug up. Famously, Mick Burke, the former Great Britain and Widnes player, turned out against Stainland on that pitch for Hollingwood. He lost and Stainland won the game!
The Stags were playing well and by the start of the 1984-85 season they were playing in Pennine League Division 5 having been promoted twice. They then began an extended stay in Division 5 which lasted until the Pennine League reorganisation in the early 1990’s. They finished each season in mid-table. From 1984 when they finished in 6th place with 9 wins from 20 games to 1989-90 when they again finished 6th this time with 9 wins from 22 games.
By this time, they were playing in their well-known red and white kit. Russ Holroyd who had in 1984 started to play as a 17-year-old lad recalls Trevor Murgatroyd’s logic for the colour change.
“He had decided that the winning teams of the day, Wigan and St Helens, playing in red and white and so should Stainland.”
Russ Holroyd had played U16’s at Elland but watching his local side Stainland Stags on a Saturday afternoon led to him signing on for them. It was to be the start of a very long stay at the Stags. It would Russ’ coaching in the annual Halifax Workshops competition with the Calder Trades team which brought a steady stream of new players to the club.