Clubs > Greetland All Rounders > The 1960’s
The 1960’s
By 1960-1 there were only four open-age teams operating in Halifax – Siddal, Ovenden, Greetland and Hebden Bridge. For more fixtures, Ovenden and Siddal also joined the Huddersfield League while Greetland together with Hebden Bridge played in the Oldham League. Such additional matches were not always popular as players were reluctant to travel greater distances, and despite best intentions this did create problems with fixture clashes.
The establishment of the new Halifax and Huddersfield Joint League very quickly solved the fixture problem and became a real success story. Clubs now had plenty of fixtures in a decent-sized, competitive league format. Ovenden, Siddal, Greetland, Hebden Bridge, Illingworth, South Ward (from South ward Working Men’s Club and playing at Roils Head), and the new St Mary’s side were the Halifax teams in the open-age section.
The 1960-61 season also saw the introduction of Greetland’s first junior side with an Under 19’s team being entered into the Halifax and District league alongside Siddal, Sowerby Bridge YMCA, Luddenden. Queens Road and Asquiths. Jim Smith, who would go on to be a senior Rugby League referee, played in that team and recalls that the club worked with Park Coaches to put on busses from Halifax to training nights! It should be mentioned that Jim says he only got into to playing Rugby League due to persuasion.
“ Local character, Arnold Barny Horsfall (also an all-in wrestler) was running Greetland All Rounders and when I was 16, I eventually succumbed to his constant mythering to play and I turned up for training.”
The U19’s would continue for a total of five seasons.
The following 1961-62 season saw a very significant landmark in the history of the All Rounders as a young hooker called Barry Dyson made his open age debut for the club having previously played U19’s at Siddal. Barry was to be a pivotal player and character around the All Rounders for decades to come.
There were to be further exciting developments off the pitch at Greetland. Back in 1958, the committee had drawn up plans for the building of a pavilion. This was to replace the changing facilities at the Sportsman public house. Former Hebden Bridge player, Barry Farrar, remembers these changing facilities well.
“there was an old bath in the yard with a hose pipe of cold water to warm you up after a cold game”.
On Saturday the 26th August 1962, the All Rounders staged a game to mark the formal opening of the new “Club Pavillion”. The game was between Greetland All Rounders and a Halifax and District Representative Team made up of players from Hebden Bridge, Siddal, Ovenden, Queens Road and Illingworth.
Their first season in their new Pavillion was crowned by success in the 1962-63 Halifax Cup Final at Thrum Hall and their U19’s team was made up almost exclusively of local lads promising good times ahead including the young Jim Smith who made his first team debut in 1963 as a 19-year-old. He recalled,
“I made my Greetland open age debut at 19 years old when club stalwart Don Sutherland, who was a service engineer at Butlers, had to work Saturdays. I was drafted in to cover at hooker!”
The All Rounders continued with their new Pavillion and their open age and junior team throughout the remainder of the 1960’s. By 1965-66 season, the U19 players had graduated up to the open age and a new U17’s team was entered into the Halifax League.
1967 saw another highlight for the club as they made it through to the Halifax Cup Final at Thrum Hall to face Ovenden. The Greetland side that day included some of their top players of the era including ex-Swinton forward Eric Glover and Dave Parkinson in the second row. Captain and second rower, Barry Dyson, was unable to play in the final due to a broken ankle but the All Rounders were victorious against a strong Ovenden team and raised the trophy for the second time in four years. It would, however, be the last time for over 25 years!