The 1980’s
Although there was no cup success in 1980-981, the season was to be a successful one. Some excellent performances during the years meant that Siddal were crowned Division 1 Champions and promoted to the Premier Division for the next season joining local rivals Ovenden.
It was not going to be Siddal’s year in the Premier Division. They finished in 7th place, just above Ovenden, and both Halifax teams were relegated, Away from the league, Siddal ended the season with victory in the Halifax Cup for the fourth time.
It was in these early years of the 1980’s that a certain Paul McCormack – aka Stores – moved up to open age. This was the era of the Lewis brothers, Gary, Selwyn and Dilwyn. Rugby League was hard game in those days and brawls were not an unusual occurrence when games were tight and tempers flared. Stores recalled one game away at St Joseph’s (Huddersfield)
“it was the first game of the season. A brawl started. The referee eventually sorted it out. 3 were sent off from St Joseph’s and two from Siddal, including me. Selwyn(Lewis) argued with the ref that it was him not me, challenging the ref’s eyesight. Selwyn joined the joined the five sent off.”
Stores explained that in that era, players met at the Siddal club house at 12 noon on a Saturday.
“The teams, 1st and 2nd , were picked from those lads who turned up. The team who were away, generally travelled in an old coach driven by Eric Hirst and Ken Smith”.
The mid and late 1980’s saw Siddal for the most part in Pennine Division 1 usually finishing around the middle of the table. There were no more cup successes. The nearest they came was in 1984-85 season when they did reach the final of the Halifax Cup.
Stores recalled the game,
“we had a final against Elland at Thrum Hall. It had been a bad winter and the game was postponed and postponed. All the Fairbanks played for Elland and we lost 52-2”.
Graham Bradley remembers one great game.
“we were playing Littleborough in the very last game of the season. Whoever won the game stayed up. It was probably the best game of my life. We won and the team came of age.”
At open age, the 1980’s were relatively uneventful. It was a junior level that that the club was developing and setting the platform for their future success.
Siddal has always been fortunate to have a good number of enthusiastic volunteers helping out behind the scenes. One such person who started in the 1980’s was Carroll Willis who explained she was inviting to be fixture secretary which led to her
“working behind the bar, serving food, washing kit, attending meetings and everything else. It was a case of juggling fixtures for the various leagues, doing meetings and disciplinary”.
Carroll’s years of work were recognised in 2001when she was the first woman to be voted Secretary of the Year. And in three leagues, NCL. West Riding Youth League and the Pennine League.