Earlier Teams

Evie Godfrey

old Elland logo with red bands in a horse shoe shape with "Play up" in a yellow band across the bottom with illustrated characters in the middle

Clubs > Elland > Earlier Teams

Earlier Teams

The first references to a rugby team in Elland go back to in the 1878/79 season when Elland FC played in a red and amber strip against other local clubs. Their first home ground was the Elland Cricket Club where they stayed until 1890 when following a rent increase they moved to the Old Earth Ground, giving them their nickname as the ‘earthites’,

old Elland logo with red bands in a horse shoe shape with "Play up" in a yellow band across the bottom with illustrated characters in the middle The club continued to play games without any outstanding success until they reached the final of the Halifax Charity Cup in the 1896/97 season going down 14-9 to Mytholmroyd, at Sowerby Bridge.

The club took the decision in the summer of 1988 to switch to Northern Union. For the 1898/99 season, Elland FC became a founder member of the 20 team Yorkshire Second Competition and played in the Western Division. Elland FC finished 4th in the division and 9th in 1899-1900, which was to be their last season.

 

 

However, Elland FC were not the only team in the town. Elland Victoria played in the 1897-1901 seasons at their Jepson Lane ground and Elland Juniors had played from 1892-94. But it was Elland Free Wanderers who began playing in 1884 who were the dominant force locally. The Free Wanderers joined the Northern Union and the Halifax & Brighouse League for the 1896/97 season although they then spent the three years between 1899-1902 in Huddersfield League.

Following the demise of Elland FC several players moved to the Free Wanderers who won the Halifax Charity Cup defeating Halifax ‘A’ in an exciting final at Brighouse on New Years’ Day 1901.

However, despite their success, in June of that year a meeting was held and the club folded due to financial difficulties.

With all the rugby history in the town, it is no surprise that another Elland rugby club was formed. Elland Wanderers started life in the 1907/08 season playing a series of friendlies before its competitive debut in the Halifax Intermediate League for the 1908/09 season.

It was not too long before the Wanderers were in a final. Sadly, it was not a great day for the club as their players were subsequently banned sine die for their violent conduct during the League Cup Final on Saturday 6th May 1911 against league champions Catherine Slack from Queensbury who won the final by 13 points to 8.

However, the Wanderers reached the league final at the end of the following season, 1911-12 but again were defeated this time by six points to five by the unbeaten Rastrick FC side. The Wanderers were also runner’s up Rastrick again in 1912-13. They were however more successful in the Halifax Cup Final as it was their captain, J. Birheld, who lifted the trophy.

The club reached in the Halifax league final on the next occasion in the 1914/15 season, but again lost the game by a close score, this time 5 points – 2 to Wyke. Wyke also defeated them in the Halifax Cup final that season. The Wanderers run of losing in the League final continued in the 1915-16 season. This time they lost to Pineberry.

They did fare better in the immediate post-World War 1 years having moved back into the Old Earth ground and winning in the 1918-19 season against Halifax “A”. They won again in the 1920-21 season defeating Rastrick. In 1923-24 they were again in the Halifax League Final this time coming up against Calder Valley.

Black and white paper cutting with photo of the 1920s Captain being handed the Junior CupPerhaps, their proudest day was winning the Yorkshire Junior League Final at the Boulevard, Hull, defeating B.O.C.M. by 7 points to 3 on Easter Tuesday of 1920.

Despite the successes on the pitch, the Elland Wanderers club struggled financially for several years before the club was sadly disbanded at a meeting held at the Savile Arms Hotel, Elland, on Wednesday 16th September 1926.

A reborn Elland Wanderers team emerged in 1930 again playing at the Old Earth ground but it survived for only two years.

A totally new Elland club made its debut in the 1937 season playing home games firstly at Hullen Edge Recreation Ground and then at Spa Well, on Dewsbury Road. They were successful from the outset playing and winning the Courier Cup finals 1937-38 and 1938-39 both against Greetland.

This version of Elland Rugby League, however, played several seasons in the Huddersfield League through the Second World War during which there was also an Elland A.T.C. (Air Training Corps) wartime team in the Halifax League from 1943-45.

Elland joined the Halifax and District League for the 1951/52 season and played for a total of four seasons before calling it a day in 1955.

black and white photo of Jack Fairbanks touching the ruby ball down mid-play on the fieldAmongst their star players was a certain Jack Fairbank who, via Huddersfield at Fartown, went onto play for Leeds in the 1961 Championship Final. Jack was the second generation of the Fairbank family to play Rugby League as his father, Frank, had played for Calder Valley in the 1930’s. The Fairbanks family will go on to play a pivotal role in the formation and success of a new Elland club formed in the 1980’s. And the dynasty continues to this day!