Halifax & District Schools Rugby League Association Under 11 Team
Steven Mullaney Memorial Match
Wembley 1991

The Halifax & District School Rugby League Association (HDSRLA) has been growing throughout the 1980’s and was spurred on by the success of Halifax RLFC winning the First Division Championship and RFL Challenge Cup.

Under the Chairmanship of Steve Box, the HDSRLA was selected by the Yorkshire and Humberside School League to play  in the Wembley Challenge Cup Final curtain raiser in the Steven Mullaney Memorial Match.  Their opposition of the day were Runcorn Schoolboys.

Kevin McCallion, Head of P.E. at Exley, explained ,

“there was a year to build up to the final. The was fundraising and traing preparation and selecting a side”.

There was certainly a lot of organising to be done to make the trip a reality and a special occasion for lads playing. The first order of the day was to raise funds for the trip which, in total,  would eventually cost around £25,000 .

Kevin was one of the team of people who made the trip happen, This group included Albert Didgiunartis, Simon Bromley, Andy Smith and Dylwyn Lewis.  They assembled a squad of 22 players from a dozen schools.

Mike Rowley, whose son Richard was in the team, vividly remembers the Wembley weekend.

“There were seven King Cross (JARLFC) players in the squad and the team captain was Scott Melnyk.  The party went down on the Friday and stayed at the hotel for 2 nights.  The party went to Starlight Express on the Friday evening and to an ice hockey game on the Saturday evening.  Teachers Simon Bromley and Kevin McCallion together with Andy Smith were in charge”.

All the Halifax lads were kitted out with track suits and leisurewear plus a full kit including boots and kit bag. Richard Rowley models the kit prior to travelling down to Wembley.

For the record, Halifax Schoolboys won the game and Ian Gilmour scored two tries.

The performance of the Halifax lads both on and off the pitch was complimented by non-other than the Challenge Cup Final referee of the day, Gerry Kershaw.

“I had the pleasure of staying in the same hotel as the boys and the accompanying adults. ..They were a credit to themselves, their families, their schools and their town”

News of the game even reached Parliament. There was an  Early Day Motion in House of Commons put down by Halifax M.P. Alice Mahon, which read:

“That this House congratulates the Halifax Schools Junior Rugby League team and their supporters on their magnificent victory at Wembley on 27th April; further congratulates the gallant losers, Runcorn, on their excellent performance; and notes that both teams brought great credit to the superb game of Rugby League.”

Recognition indeed.