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Rebirth of Elland Rugby League

Despite this illustrious history, it was over 30 years before a Rugby League club returned to the town.

In 1978, a group of Rugby League enthusiasts including Les Coulter, employed at Portland Engineering, entered a team in the local Workshops competition under the name of their parent-firm, Ogden Engineering, who were also the team sponsor. The name remained throughout their first season in the Pennine League which they had joined in Division 5.

Elland played on a  field belonging to Brooksbank School to start with, then at Hammerstones Lane before moving on to the Goldfields ground behind the Greetland Community Centre.

The team’s headquarters for the first three years was at the Travellers public house, run by Halifax’s Derek Turnbull. The years after this the club had a nomadic existence moving first to the Church Tavern, then to Greetland Cricket Club and  then to the Dyers at West Vale which became Elland Supporter club.

The team’s name was changed to Elland ARLFC on their promotion to Division 4 in time for the 1979-80 season. This was a good season for Elland in Division 4 where they won 17 of 18 games scoring 415 points and conceding only 91 once gaining promotion, this time to Division 3.