Clubs > Greetland All Rounders > The 1930’s

The 1930’s

A meeting in 1933 under a gas light at Wells Hill top, Cross Hills, was the unusual forum for the establishment of a Rugby League club. But that is the origin of the Greetland club which would morph into the All Rounders.

A door-to-door collection had taken place around the village and had raised 24/= (twenty-four shillings). This enabled a rugby ball to be bought for cash. However,  it was reported that the purchase of the first set of shirts, in cherry and white, required Mr. Willie Lund to stand as guarantor!

The club headquarters was an old farm stable where there were “bathing facilities – 1 tin bath full of cold water in the year”. The pitch was on Moorbottom. The club played in the Under 21 league but the majority of players were aged between 13 and 16 and in their first season they did not win a single game.

For most of the seasons prior to the outbreak of World War 2, the team played on the Recreation Ground using changing facilities at the Conservative Club. Greetland held their own over the remainder of the 1930s, alongside Luddenden, Siddal, Halifax West End, Ripponden, Dean Clough, Mytholmroyd and local rivals Lindwell.

By 1937, they met Lindwell in the Courier Cup Final at Thrum Hall, although Lindwell won the derby 11-0 in that year, Greetland made up for it by winning the competition in 1938 and 1939, both finals against Elland.

One newspaper report from 1938 shows Greetland had a good win over Luddenden Foot.

After the declaration of war in August1939, Greetland lost practically all their players to military service and by December 1939 they disbanded. Their five remaining players hoped to register with Highroad Well (though they too were soon unable to continue) and Greetland’s their fixtures were taken over by Halifax Supporters.