Post World War II Years

Evie Godfrey

sepia photo of Siddal team in 1951, platers are in two rows, wearing stripey kits and there is a person either side wearing a dark suit, and one sat in the middle holding the trophy cup

Clubs > Siddal > Post World War II Years

Post World War II Years

Following the end of World War Two, Siddal immediately joined the U18 and U16 leagues although it was a few years before they had an open age side.

When it was revived, the open age side did well and in the 1948-49 season made it through to the Halifax Championship Final but they fell short being defeated by Ovenden. The following season they again made the Halifax Championship Final this time losing to Greetland All Rounders.

sepia photo of Siddal team in 1951, platers are in two rows, wearing stripey kits and there is a person either side wearing a dark suit, and one sat in the middle holding the trophy cup

By 1951, Siddal had an open age team playing in the Halifax and District Rugby League. The squad of 20 at the beginning of the season was supplemented by players coming in from Pellon and Claremount Rangers.  They made the Halifax Championship play off in each season from 1949 to 1954.

The main source for players remained Siddal with seven of the team living on one street,  Backhold Drive!  Siddal also had a solid U 18 squad with of over 30 players.

Siddal continued to field both open age and Under 18’s in the first half of the 1950’s  but the Under 18 team fell by the wayside in 1954 only to be revived again in 1959. The Open Age team continued to play throughout the 1950’s.

scan of the cover of halifax charity cup final programme- Siddal v Hebden Bridge, the cover shows lots of text about the match on a plain white backgroundThe 1952-53 season saw Siddal’s first major trophy as they won the Halifax Cup at Thrum Hall beating Hebden Bridge in the final.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

old black and white photo of the Siddal team, in two rows outside a building, wearing their kits, a few people are standing and sitting either side wearing suits

Siddal played mainly at Chevinedge with the changing accommodation being below the pitch in an old summerhouse – in fact, an Edwardian Tea Room  –  which was once part of the Halifax Zoo. There was still the raised banking on the site which was a remnant of a miniature train track! There were also games played up the hill at the field termed “Over the Moon” where the club had played in the inter-war years. Andy Foster recalls players still being ferried up from the Siddal Place public house in his Dad’s A35 in the 1960’s.

colour photo of a black vintage a35 car

As the 1950’s came to a close Siddal had a good Open Age side and some younger players coming through from the U19’s and, in 1959, the new U 17’s.

 

 

 

 

 

scan of a news paper clipping, titled ''From the first minute"

During the 1950’s, Siddal’s U18’s team produced  three famous players who achieved great things . Jack Wilkinson–  the first player to play at Wembley 5 times, twice with Halifax and three times with Wakefield Trinity, He also played for Great Britain. MilanKosanovic the first Yugoslav to play for Great Britain and Bradford and Shirley Crabtree played for Siddal before turning to wrestling as “Big Daddy”.