Clubs > Elland > The “A” Team and “B” Team and “C” Team
The “A” Team and “B” Team and “C” Team
The 1980-81 season also saw the introduction of Elland’s “A” team from the first time. Starting a fresh in Pennine League Division 7, the newly formed team managed to win four of their 16 league games in a division which included Driglington, Milnrow and Sedburgh first teams as well as Park Amateurs “A”.
The Elland “A” team remained in division 7 for 1981-82 but this division now included new teams Stainland Stags, Bury, Shipley Britannia and Brighouse “A” in what had become a thirteen-team division. Elland “A” played 24 league games. There were 21 wins and one draw leaving Elland “A” as Champions on 41 points just one ahead of Shaw “A”.
Promotion saw Elland “A” in Division 6 for the 1982-83 season and their success continued with a very successful season where they won 17 of their 20 games to be promoted once again.
In the mid-1980’s, the “A” team played well in the Pennine League with promotion up to Division 3, via a title winning season in 1984-85 (17/20). On the reorganisation of the Pennine League for the 1991-92 season Elland “A” were placed in Alliance 1.
The “A” team had success in the Halifax Supplementary Cup lifting the trophy in both 2004 and 2009 and being runners up in 1987, 1991(to Ovenden) and 2006.
League success came for the “A” team in 1993-94 when they were Pennine League Alliance 1 champions.
Elland “B” team was introduced in the 1982-3 season to enable everyone in their growing player pool to get a game as well as to support the “A” and first teams.
In the 1985-86 season club presentations, the Third (B) Team Player of the Year Award went to Craig Bannister who just pipped father, Tony, who was runner-up! For the record, Craig also won the team’s Players’ Player of the Year award.
The “B” team were in Pennine League Division 7 during the mid-eighties when the first team were sweeping all before them. They finished each season mid-table and general won more games than they lost.
By the mid-1990’s, the Pennine League was littered with “A” and “B” team derbies. Elland “B” were playing in Pennine League Alliance 2 and had some great tussles with local sides in great local derbies including one memorable, tight game where they beat Ovenden “B” by 16-13.
Many of the players who would feature in successful Elland sides of the 1990’s started their open age careers in the “A” and ”B” teams during the 1980’s.
Another milestone for Elland was in 1991-92 when they became the first Pennine League, and indeed first BARLA club, ever to field four open age team on a Saturday afternoon! Elland “C” was launched. The fourth team entered the Pennine League Alliance Division 3. The team struggled and finished 8th with only a single win from their 21 games. At the end of the season, the “C” was disbanded and sadly, became just a distant memory.
By 1995, the ”B” team itself was disbanded and would be followed by the “A” team in the early years of the 2010’s.