Clubs > King Cross Park > The “A” and “B” teams
The “A” and “B” teams
Park Amateurs “A” Team
The origins of the “A” go back to the St Mary’s days of the early 1970’s. However, it was in 1980-81 season which saw Park Amateurs turn out an “A” team for the first time, playing in Pennine Division 7.
They had a good start with a 4th place finish. On the back of this performance, they were promoted and played the 1982-83 season in Division 6 and once again finished in 4th place winning 11 of their twenty games. And they were promoted once again. The “A” team continued to do well in Division 5 in 1984-5 winning 12 out of 20 games to finish 5th ahead of Halifax rivals Stainland (first team) and Siddal “A”. Their stay in Division 5 stretched into 1985-86 where they won half their 18 games to take 6th place. Their final season in Division 5 was the very successful 1986-87 season where they finished in 2nd place after winning all but 2 of their 16 league games.
Park Amateurs “A” team’s early seasons proved successful ones in the Supplementary Cup which itself was introduced in the 1980-81 season was the Halifax competition for teams below first team and for teams in their first competitive season. Park Amateurs “A” entered the Supplementary Cup in their first season and duly won the trophy. As first ever winners of the trophy they went on to defend it successfully in the following three seasons. They beat Illingworth “A” and Siddal “A” in the following two finals. Success came again in the 1983-4 Supplementary Cup where they again faced Illingworth in the Final at Thrum Hall. Park Amateurs “A” won by 23-10 . So, it was not until the 1984-5 season that that they lost their first Supplementary Cup game. Fittingly, it was the team who they had beaten in two finals which knocked them out was Illingworth “A” in a close game which finished 18-16.
They were back in the Supplementary Cup Final again in 1988 when they defeated the new Calder Valley side by 30-16 in the final at Thrum Hall and again in 1989 where they were runners up in a very tight game with Siddal “A”. Final score showed the closeness of the game as Siddal “A” took the trophy by 16-15.
1991-92 saw the Pennine league reorganise and introduce a section for teams below the first team. So, the “A” “B” and “C” teams had divisions to find their level and to give each team a competitive group of teams to play against. Park’s “A” team were in Alliance Division 1 alongside other Halifax clubs, Ovenden, Elland, Siddal and Illingworth. Park “A” finished in 4th position winning 11 of 18 games.
The Pennine Shipley Trophy final of 1993 pitted two local Halifax rivals in Park Amateur “A” and Ovenden “A” at Thrum Hall. In a very close game, it was Ovenden “A” who came out winners by 6-4.
In the 1993 Supplementary Cup, the “A” team reached the Final but came up second after a good performance from Ovenden “A” by 22-8.
The 1990’s were seasons of progression for the Park Amateurs “A” team. They were promoted as runners up from Alliance 1 to Pennine Division 4 along with champions Elland “A”. The team continued to play some excellent Rugby League and won the majority of their games. They were promoted for the next two season so when Phil Lee, Paul Martin and Stuart Hainsworth took the coaching reigns for the “A” team in 1996-97 the “A” team were playing in Division 2. It took only two seasons to secure promotion once more and by 1998-99, the “A” were in Pennine Division 1.
They remained there through the next 3 seasons. Paul Hemmings took over coaching the “A” team in 2001 for the forthcoming season in Pennine Division 1 and they had a challenging task ahead. They finished in the bottom half of the division and were relegated.
For the 2002-03 season, Park “A” were playing their games in Division 3. They had some great victories , a great draw 38-38 away at Ovenden after being 34-10 in arrears at one stage, and they had some thumping defeats such as 62-12 at home to Illingworth ”A” and 50-2 at home to Siddal “A”. On Valentine’s Day 2003 when the first team was beating Ovenden at Four Fields, the “A” team could not match this as they went down 62-6 at home.
The move to Crossleyan’s was complete for the 2003-04 season and the Park “A” were now in Pennine Division 4 and started their campaign over at Littleborough. They were overwhelmed by a lively home side and lost their first match of the new era by 44-6. Their season didn’t get a lot better.
After an indifferent season, Park “A” were playing the 2005-05 season in Division 5. They kicked off with a try-fest against Dudley Hill winning by 46-40. Their good formed continued with great home wins against Cowling Harlequins (56-6) and against Wetherby (72-4). Their 22-18 win at Guisley Rangers marked the end of era as it marked the last game for coach, Paul Hemmings, who was emigrating to New Zealand. The team continued to compete even though many of the players were at the veteran stage and in several games they were unable to field 13 players. Despite lack of numbers, it was reported that the players always gave good account of themselves.
After relegation in successive seasons, the “A” team started the new season in Division 6. The “A” just seemed to be getting older. In November 2006, the pack who played against Shefield Hillsborough had an average of over 50! They did however win some games including a 38-20 over at Guiseley when veteran winger Andy Binns scored 4 tries!
By the end of that season, the “A” had come to an end as players retired and as numbers of players generally dropped.
It would be several years before what had become King Cross Park in 2007 fielded another team alongside their first team. The King Cross Park “A” played in the Pennine League Division 7 during 2014.
Following the covid pandemic in 2020 when there was no Rugby League played at community level, King Cross Park reintroduced a second team for the 2021 season. This was called the King Cross Park Academy and was placed in YML Division 5 West where they finished in 4th place (8/15).
Fortunes for the second string fluctuated over the next seasons. A 3rd place finish in YML Division 7b in 2002 lead to promotion and a season in YML Division 5 where they won only 2 games all season. They faired a little better in 2024 playing in Division 6 and won 5 of their 13 games.
Park Amateurs “B” Team
With a growing number of players wanting to play for Park Amateurs including junior players moving up to Open Age, it was decided to enter a “B” team in the Pennine League.
The “B” team started life in the 8th Division of the Pennine league and despite some big losses they won 13 of their 24 games to finish 5th. This was good enough to gain promotion.
The 1987-88 season saw the “B” team playing in Pennine Division 7 and in the opening game of that season, away to Underbank “A”, they fielded three 16-year-olds, Jonathan Griffiths, J, King and George Parkinson. This brought together father and son, Dennis and George Parkinson in the same team! For the record George scored a try and kicked five goals.
From 1988 to 1991 the “B” team enjoyed life in Division 6. The team was a good mixture of young lads and seasoned veteran and some players completely new to Rugby League. They may not have won many games in the period but there were some great games; against Elland “B” in 1988-89 the game finished a 4-4 draw with just a penalty and drop goal each. And some notable victories, such as the 42-0 against Milnrow/Newhey “A” in 1991.
1991-92 Pennine league had reorganised to have a section for “A” “B” and “C” teams. The Park “B” were placed in Alliance Division 2. They had a good season winning 12 of 22 games and finishing in 6th place.
There were more notable wins as the team improved. In 1993-94 Park “B” beat Todmorden “A” by 66 points to 4 in Pennine Alliance 2. They finished a very creditable 2nd place wining 15 of their 20 games and were duly promoted to Alliance 1 for the 1995-96 season.
The 1995-96 season was a difficult one for the “B” team, It was not until mid-February that they were able to field a full team! They were still in Alliance 1 and had a young team with the odd experience veteran to help out. Paul Martin and Tony Pickering playing their part with Paul Dunne as they defeated Ovenden “B.” 22-16 in February 1996.
Phil Walsh and Mike Wolfenden make up the “B” teams coaching team’s coaching set up for the 1996-97 season with the team continuing in Alliance Division 1. They obviously worked well as the team won there first three games of the season.
The end of the 1996-97 season saw Park “B” playing over at Underbank B with the home team taking the game 8-0. A close, exciting game, where Paul Dunne, Danny Marshall and Toni Parkinson were outstanding with the other 14 players not far behind.
.Graham Hellowell had taken over as “B” team coach by 1998-99 and took the team into the Pennine Division 5. There were some good performances from the team even in defeat. Graham complimented the players after their 58-6 defeat against a very experienced Siddal B. “They gave their all” he said.
It was a very young “B” which took to the field for start of the 1999-2000 in Division 6.
And that is where the story of Park Amateurs “B” comes to a close.