The 1990’s

Clubs > King Cross Park > The 1990’s

Park Amateurs were going well on the field as we moved into the 1990’s. They had the Halifax Cup and Championship Trophy in their hands and the juniors were playing well. John Dunne explained that many of the

“generation of the 1990’s, George Parkinson, Richard Hellowell, Simon Lumb and Lee Gill, came through the junior ranks of the club”.

“There were also players who moved up from the second and third teams”.

he added.

However, off the pitch things were not going so well, The club’s headquarters in Hanson Lane was burgled several times in the first half of 1990. Thousands of pounds of damage was done and the committee finally accepted that they would have to find a new home. Thieves took not only stock from behind the bar, televisions and cash but also charity boxes!

Back on the pitch, Park Amateurs were continuing their form from the previous season into the 1990-91 season in the Pennine Premier Division, they won 10 of 18 games to finish in 2^nd place in the league.

Once again they won their way through to both Halifax & District Finals. And once again it was Elland who were opponents in both the Championship and the Cup Final, However, the season ended on a disappointing note as Elland won both trophies: 14-8 in the Championship and 26-4 in the Cup. One bright note was that John Dunne was voted Man of the Match in the Halifax Cup Final.

Park Amateurs were highlighted twice at the Halifax & District Annual Awards. John Moore was voted Most Promising Young Player of the Year and Nigel Aston picked up the Most Sporting Player Award.

Park’s league form was carried over to the 1991-92 season as they continued winning games and proving their pedigree in the Pennine Premier Division. The season ended with Park in third place winning ten of their 16 league games.

Away from the pitch, there was, in the 1990’s, a range of professional sports club supporters group who produced a “fanzine”. These unofficial and generally irreverent publications were really all the rage. Rugby League club supporters groups publishing these included at Wakefield Trinity “Wally Lewis is Coming” and Blackpool Borough “Tangerine Dream”. So, a certain John Dunne decided Park Amateurs should not be left out! The Park Amateurs mag “On the Park” came into being. There are very few examples still in existence but they appeared periodically for a few years especially around Christmas time.

Park were also entered again in the Yorkshire Cup. They progressed well through the opening rounds and found themselves against Hull giants West Hull in the semi-final in a very tight game.

John Dunne, who played in the game, explained,

“the scores were level at full time and extra time was needed. With game played in December, it was pitch black . Dave Roberts went for a drop goal from the halfway line. It went in the direction of the posts. All the Park lads and crowd cheered and the referee blew the whistle. Park had won.”

Lea Roberts also remembers the day well.

“They were filming the game stood on the top of a Transit van. The game went to extra time in the fog and gloom. Dave kicked a drop goal on second tackle to win it!”

The scene was now set for the final later in December 1991 against another Hull giant, Hull Dockers, who were the continuation of the NDLB club who had knocked Park out of the same Yorkshire Cup in the 4^th round in 1984-85. The Final took place at Hull FC’s Boulevard ground and attracted a good crowd. Park Amateurs Yorkshire Cup dream was sadly not to be. The Dockers were just too strong for the Park side, lacking the injured John Dunne. Dockers won the final by 41 points to 8.

Halifax Championship Final that season once again pitted Park Amateurs v Elland at Thrum Hall. The game showed the best and worst of amateur Rugby League. There was some excellent play from both teams but a 26-man brawl on the 15 minute mark led to referee Alan Reid sending both teams to the changing rooms to calm down. When the game resumed, Elland took the lead. After an hour Park were reduced to 12 men when John Dunne was sent off leaving his teammates 20-6 in arrears. The remaining lads played out of their skins with Widdop, Moore and Wardle scoring tries and Gary Widdop failing with the last kick of the game to convert and tie the game. Park had narrowly lost to Elland by 20-18.

During September 1992, Park Amateurs left their headquarters in Raglan Street and moved to the Pavillion of the Halifax Cricket Club at Thrum Hall where they would remain for several years.

The highlight of the first season at the Cricket Club was the appearance in the final of the Handicap Cup after beating both Greetland All Rounders and Elland on the way. In the semi against Elland, Scott Rawlinson, now back with the club, was in tremendous form including scoring a try . It was stated that Elland “could not control him”. The final was a disappointment for Park as Brighouse Celtic, an offshoot of Brighouse Rangers, with 60 points handicap start, won the trophy even though Park won the game on the field by 50-18. Despite a star-studded team including man of the match, Lea Roberts who had signed for Park Amateurs in August 1992, Scott Rawlinson, Lee Grey and Dave Roberts, Park were unable overcome the handicap.

The mid seasons of the 1990’s were good years for the Park Amateurs club. They were doing well gradually improving their position in the Pennine League regularly winning over half their games.

After a couple of seasons of consistent improvement, the 1994-95 Pennine League Premier Division title was there for Park to win. One crucial game late in the season was predictably against Elland: a game played in a down pour and on a pitch ankle deep in mud. Park won the game by 20 points. So, it was down to a game with West Bowling. Park were finally crowned Pennine League Premier Division Champions for the first time in the club’s history after an incredible 8-8 draw with West Bowling.

They had some high points in the knockout competitions. In 1993-94, the Halifax Championship Final rounded off Park’s season and it was another close game. It was however Ovenden who took the trophy with a 14-12 win. Park played well with Martin and Michael Hellowell and Simon Lumb being reported as outstanding.

In the 1995 Halifax Cup Final Park beat Ovenden 21-8 at Thrum Hall ( almost a home fixture as they were running from Halifax Cricket Club!) Not a good game to watch apparently as both teams cancelled each other out. It was maintained that it was the Park forwards who were the reason for Park’s win.

In Halifax Championship (top 4) Final, Ovenden halted Park’s quest for a double with a 14-8 victory in what was described in reports from the time as a poor final to watch.

In the 1995-96 season Park were drawn up in Cumbria for the Regal Trophy first round against professional outfit, Barrow Braves. A week before the trip up to Cumbria, Park defeated Underbank by 26-10 as they warmed up for Barrow. Allegedly Park players took the following week’s game at Barrow so seriously that they didn’t drink on way back from Underbank!. At Craven Park, where a deluge of points for Barrow was expected, Park refused to lay down. A try scoring performance by Simon Lumb led the way for Park supported by Dave and Lea Roberts. The final score, a 29-11 loss, was not as important as the performance put in by the Park players.

Eric Roberts admitted after the game,

“ when we were coming up on the bus, we were saying that if we keep Barrow down to 40 points, we would have done well.”

First team continued their march forward in the Premier Division with great wins at Keighley Albion, at Siddal in a gale and downpour by 15-14. And at home against Worth Village 44-0 and Littleborough 30-8.

In Halifax Cup rounds, Park beat Stainland at theirs by 42-0. Dave Roberts was accurate with the boot kicking eight goals.

Park were on track to secure another Premier Division title as April 1996 arrived. But the first set back was their 14-2 defeat to Siddal at the Barracks which was a real battle. The Halifax Courier described it as “ a rough and tumble game which started and ended with players punching and confronting each other.” Four players were sent to the sinbin, one was sent off, Glen Roberts was blood binned twice, Michael Hellowell and Martin Lewis were carried off! A week later it was confirmed that West Bowling were Premier Division Champions when they defeated a depleted Park team with only 7 first teamers in the side by 30 points to 14.

There was to be no silverware for Park’s first team in 1995-96 as they were runners up in the Halifax Cup Final against Siddal by 28-8 despite outstanding performances from Martin Hellowell and Lea Roberts at Thrum Hall.

As the 1995-96 season came to a close Park’s first team had played well over 30 games!

The Park coaching team of Eric Roberts and Peter Collins took their side in the 1996-97 Premier Division campaign. It was a notable season as Danny Marshall made his debut as 15-year-old initially in the “A” team and then a week later in the first team.

It was reported that Park Amateurs with their three open age teams were looking to join the National Conference League using Thrum Hall as their home ground which is where they had their club house in the Thrum Hall Cricket Pavillion. Sadly, this never happened.

The end of season Halifax Championship (Top 4) Final was played on Park’s doorstep at Thrum Hall and Siddal were Park Amateurs opponents. It turned out to be night where their hospitality obviously overflowed as Siddal ran out 24-16 winners.

In November 1997, Park moved their headquarter to the Horse and Jockey public house which is well remembered by John Dunne

“ we had some great times there. Everyone enjoyed it. We were well looked after!”

However, the season began with a more unusual event, when the Park Amateurs club took the local professional club, Halifax, to court claiming return of, or payment for, a playing kit which Halifax had borrowed and failed to return. The season also a new “Roberts” take over the coaching role: Eric’s son, Lea, took over as first team coach and in September 1998.

The Park club always had a family reputation. Eric Roberts explained back in 1998 that :

“The whole club is family orientated. We encourage wives, girlfriends and parents.” He continued “the side of our pitch on matchdays looks like a creche with so many pushchairs.”

Lea Roberts enjoyed the “family culture” which his Dad encouraged at the club.

“it was a club for all the family”.

The photograph shows Lea Roberts holding a very young Joe Wardle who went on to play professional Rugby League in England and Australia as well as making six appearances for Scotland.

And the club roster over the years would bear this out family feeling with Roberts, Martin’s, Dunne’s and Hellowell’s across the club.

Tim Gilligan, who joined Park Amateurs in the 1990’s after 10 seasons with rivals Illingworth, and 5 seasons before that with Sowerby Spartans, echoed the family sentiment saying.

“Park was a club of families”.

Tim, played against former club Illingworth, and said.

“victory over them was always bitter-sweet,”

He also recalled battles with Ovenden including one relegation battle..

“when Park had to win. And we won by 8 points to 4!”

Park reached the final of the Halifax Championship once again in 1998 and once came up against a lively Elland side. The Park victory by 28-18 was hard fought and they had to play for the whole 80 minutes. Lea and Dave Roberts along with Simon Lumb were pulling all the strings as Park had to work hard after Elland took an 8-10 half time lead.

As 1998-99 season began, Lea Roberts took over the first team coaching reigns. Park continued to attract players, including King Cross Park’s current Chairman, Andy Binns, the former Calder Valley and Hunslet player. Andy went straight to the first team and quickly showed his worth with his last minute try in the Halifax Cup second round tie to defeat Elland by 17-12.

With Andy in the team, Park saw off his former team, Calder Valley, in the Halifax Cup semi-final by 20-6 and of course Andy had to score a try.

The Pennine League campaign was an up and down one for Park. There were some great win and close games especially the 24-24 draw with perennial rivals at the top of divisions West Bowling. However, the week after that draw, Park had only 11 first teamers for the National Cup trip to Thatto Heath where they lost 46-4.

They rescued the season and finished up as Division 1 Champions just pipping West Bowling at the top of the division.

Park returned to Thrum Hall for the 1999 Halifax Cup Final trying to add this trophy to the Pennine Division I Championship in the club cabinet. Their opponents in the Final were Todmorden and they finish with a comfortable win by 50-16. Man of the match was Dave Roberts although it was John Gilligan who scored two tries.

The final game of the season was again at Thrum Hall when Park won through to the Halifax Championship Final, having defeated Ovenden 44-12 in the semi. Unfortunately, Elland were opponents in the final and they had no intention of allowing Park a treble. The margin of victory was so small with Elland, a team including both Junaid Malik and Adam Olroyd, winning by 18-17. It was perhaps just one game too far for Park.

So, for the 1999 2000, Park were in the Pennine Premier Division where they started well with three victories out of their first five games. The league season was one of consolidation and it was once again the cup campaigns which were the season highlights,

The club tried their luck again in the Yorkshire Cup and beat Batley Victoria over in Batley. Lea and Dave Roberts brought the team home with a 30-4 victory. They were back in Kirklees for the next round but failed to match an impressive Dewsbury Celtic who took the game 28-14.

They also reached the 4^th round of the BARLA National Cup having notably seen off Cumbrians, Ulveston 22-2 as well as a victory away at NCL Division 2 team, Keighley Albion , by 26-18. The next challenge was away to Castleford side Townville. Sadly, Park turned up with only 12 players for the game in Castleford, conceded 11 tries and were thrashed 64-4 by a very good Townville team.

The Halifax Cup semi-final was a classic game of Rugby League with both teams in with a great chance of victory and the game flowing from end to end. Park edge the game by 14-6. George Parkinson put in an outstanding shift.

The Cup final now at the Shay Stadium was against new opponents. Calder Valley were making their first (and only) appearance in the final. This was to be Valley’s Adam Greenwood’s last appearance after an 11-year career at Calder Valley and Bradford Northern and Rochdale. The experienced Park side was however far too strong and clever for a hard-working Valley with Park’s Andy Binns again tormenting his former club.