Clubs > Greetland All Rounders > The 1970’s
The 1970’s
The decade began with Greetland All Rounders playing in the Halifax and Huddersfield Joint Rugby League. By this time, they could field two open age teams. The first team was in Division 2 and the “A” team in Division 3. The club was also fielding an Under 18 team coached by George McDonald and Roy Mitchell. Club stalwart Arnold Horsfall provided refreshments for the lads after training and games.
This junior saw the debut of a club legend, David “Bomber” Beaumont. He played his first game for the All Rounders in 1972. Bomber has fond memories of his early days.
“Arthur Riley was one of the main men up there and his son Mark played in the juniors. I started with my two brothers, John and Andrew.”
It was at the end of that season that “Bomber” made his first team debut.
With the advent of the Pennine League for the 1973-74 season Greetland’s first team was placed in Division 2 where they finished in a creditable 6th place winning 13 of their 24 games. The “A” team, now in Pennine Division 3, completed a season of 26 games although they only won five. Good news for the club was that they were able to run an U18 and an U16 team as well as the open age teams.
The open age had some good players, Barry Dyson was still playing, Dave Parkinson was a strong runner, Paul Turner at captain and played for Gret Britain Amateurs and Andy Rylands who was a tackling machine at loose forward. “Bomber” is positive about his favourite player of the era,
“My hero was fullback, hardest man I’ve ever known, Malcolm Sutcliffe. He looked after the young ones. Remember one of opposition punched me. And he didn’t like ‘em pinching 17-year-olds, so he came and knocked him out!”
After another mid table finish in 1975-76, where they won 12 of their 22 games, the first team had a good run of results in the 1976-77 season in a tough division which included Siddal, Mixenden, Illingworth and Park. The All Rounders won 15 of their 22 games to finish in 3rd position just out of the promotion places. The first team also reached the semi final of the Halifax Cup.
There followed two average seasons for the All Rounders in Division 2 where they finished in 7th and 9th place. One highlight was the Pennine League 7’s Competition of 1978 which was played at Thrum Hall. Greetland was the only Halifax club to enter and they made it all the way to the semi-final. It was apparently a good day out!
During this period, the “A” team continued to play and to support the first team. They had been relegated at the end of the 1974-75 season and started life in Division 4 where they remained for three seasons. The 1976-77 season was their best when they won 10 games to finish in 9th place. Sadly, the following season they won only 4 of their 22 games and were duly relegated for the second time in four years. They did hold their own in Division 5 for the 1978-79 season finishing in 11th place winning 9 of their 28 games.
Another former player with fond memory of his time at Greetland is Andrew Hardcastle, now Halifax Rugby League historian, author and RFL Timekeeper. Andrew had also previously played for the Halifax Supporters junior Rugby League team.
Andrew explained.
“I played mostly in the second team. I gave a few players a lift to training in the day. Ken Dean was coach and “Bomber (Beaumont) was first team winger. I was speedy and “Bomber” would ask ‘ How can I get as fast as you?’”
“Dave Parkinson was Greetland’s captain and leader and an ex-GB international. He looked after the young players. ‘If you get any strife, don’t worry. I’ll be there’ he would say.”