Clubs > Boothtown Terriers > Earlier Teams
Earlier Teams
The first mention of a Rugby League team in Boothtown was called Boothtown Victoria and formed for the 1909-1910 season. Nothing is known of this team except they played their home games at Shibden and lasted only one season. Another one season Boothtown team played during the 1944-45 season.
The Boothtown club which was founded in 1964 lasted somewhat longer. The Boothtown club ran an open age team starting in the1964-65 season with a sound squad of 20 plus players who lived in various parts of North Halifax which expanded to 30 players for the next season. They played their home games mainly up at Swales Moor, up by the old mink farm. A location to experience the best and worst of the Yorkshire weather, often playing games in low cloud and snow! The club had a pitch by the Starving Rascal Pub.
The 1965-66 season saw the introduction of the Under 17’s team with a squad of 18 players including L. Hinchcliffe, K. Mount and G. Simpson.
Back Row: Arnie Phillips: unknown: Pete Woodhead: Laurie Hinchcliffe: Paul Ashton: unknown
Front Row: Unknown: George Simpson: Kevin Mount: unknown: Brian Stone: Mick Cowley
Standing to right of the team is Ken Mount, father of player, Keven Mount. Ken ran the team and did all the off the field tasks.
Boothtown U17 v Mixenden U17 in 1965 showing Laurie Hinchcliffe passing to George Simpson
George Simpson remembers his time playing for the U17 very well.
“The changing facilities were in an old outbuilding next to the pub. There was an old wood boiler stove to heat the water and a tin bath outside.”
The club headquarters was at the Friendly Inn at Boothtown.
The U17’s was a very good side and had future professional players such Laurie Hinchcliffe, who signed for Bradford Northern in 1967, in their ranks. Laurie would play for the U17’s and open age teams at the weekends starting when he was 15 years old! In their most successful season, the Boothtown U17’s won every game except the U17 Halifax Cup Final which they lost to Siddal.
George Simpson recalls
“we played Halifax Supporters U17’s up at Roils Head and every player on the team (Boothtown’s U17’s) scored a try!”
Sadly, in 1968, the club folded with both Open age and U17 and successor U19’s disappearing.
It was almost two decades before Rugby League reappeared in the mid-1980’s when a team called Boothtown Rangers made an appearance. The founders were former Mixenden teammates, Michael Donnachie and Colin Hardcastle.
Colin explained that
“we rented the Serbian Orthodox Club in Boothtown for the social side of the club”.
Colin went on to say
“Mal Siddall led the team’s old guard”
A pitch opposite the club in Grantham Road (the current home of Boothtown Terriers Junior ARLFC) would have been ideal, but they had to settle on a pitch down in Halifax on Savile Park. Their playing record in the Pennine League Division 6 from 1984 to 1987 shows that they finished 6th in their first season winning 7 of their 20 games and 8th in their second season winning only 4 of their 18 games to end in 8th position.
Once again, rosy prospects for a Boothtown club came to nothing when Boothtown Rangers folded.