1960’s
Ovenden continued to grow as a club playing in the Halifax and District then later in the newly created Halifax and Huddersfield Joint Rugby League. In 1961, they also asked for permission to join the Leeds and District League to give them additional fixtures.
Their success continued as the 1960’s began, winning the Championship again in 1960-61 and again in 1961-62 defeating first Hebden Bridge and then Greetland All Rounders in the Championship Finals at Thrum Hall.
For the rest of the decade Ovenden ARLFC was a key member of the Halifax and District Rugby League although success evaded them. One high point is recorded when they were the highest finishing Halifax team in the Halifax and Huddersfield Joint League in 1963-4 season.
Although the Ovenden club had often had junior teams, it was in the mid 1960’s that the U17 side was put together after an advertisement in the Halifax Courier. The team, coached by Brian Howarth, was very successful with no less than 12 players going on the form the backbone of a remarkably successful open age team in the next decade. Brian was seen as a “father figure to the players,” He, along with Alan Wright, engendered a true team spirit.
The team had a feared front row including open side prop, Dave “Hump” Humpleby, who at 23 stones was a giant and a good off-loader of the ball. Owen Howard would join Hump at hooker (he later was signed by Halifax) and Kevin Sharkey at blind side prop. Bob English recalls
“ .. my first ever game was at loose forward. Brian Howarth took me to one side and taught me what to do around the scrum.”
The U17 side progressed to the U19 competition and were strengthen as Stuart Gott arrived from West Bowling, Bradford. Bob explained.
“..he arrived with hair slicked back and always had his socks rolled right down.”
The U19 team had some talented players and on one occasion several of the best players had been taken by the Halifax and District U19 team leaving Ovenden with only 10 players to make the difficult trip to Hebden Bridge. With a 3-man scrum, Ovenden still managed to scrape a victory!