Clubs > Siddal > The New Century
The New Century
The start of Siddal’s golden era had already started and the first team were performing well in NCL Division 1.
In the local competitions, it was Siddal A who played in the Halifax Cup. It is unclear whether this is to reduce fixture congestion or because as NCL member teams were excluded. In Halifax Championship, it was the first team who entered this competition to be the top team in Halifax. Siddal won the Halifax Championship four years running from 2000 to 2003.
Siddal had developed into not only the best team in Halifax but also one of the best in the whole country. Siddal had been promoted in 2000-01 and were entering the NCL Premier Division. Forward, Mick Shaw was voted National Conference Division 1 Player of the Year. The first year in the Premier Division went well with the team finishing in mid-table. Gay Lewis was ever present in that season and was a real work horse for the team. Daz Philips, Nicky Smith and the Blackburn brothers were also standout performers.
Off the field, with the junior section growing, the committee realised that a larger clubhouse was needed. This began 5 years of searching for grants and funding. Eventually the club secured a grant from “Action Halifax” and others followed. This together with together with the sale of the old clubhouse and a significant amount of fundraising by club members, the club was able to turn dreams into reality and build a new clubhouse at Chevinedge. More about the Siddal clubhouses later.
Siddal were now a permanent fixture in the NCL Premier Division, supported by their two other open age sides and a flourishing junior section. They were to become National Conference Champions in both 2003 and 2004, then again in 2009 and 2016, and were runners-up in 2010 and 2011.
For the first couple of seasons, the team was full of good Rugby League players. Martin Scrimshaw, Damien Pickles, Mick Shaw, Matt Smith, Simione Hoyle, Shaun Blackburn and Nicky Smith plus Mark Sutcliffe who had moved across from Ovenden.
However, by the start of the 2002-03 season, a few experienced players were not available to new coach, Johnny Lawless. He would be without Mick Shaw ( joined the Army), Gareth Walters ( in Australia) and Simione Hoyle who had signed professional forms. But the team would be able to include Scott Grix, back from Halifax Academy and former Halifax and Huddersfield centre, Richard Pearson.
Siddal celebrated in 2003 and they had every reason to do so. They were up against West Hull. Siddal had played and beaten their final opponents in the Qualifying semi-final as part of the play-off system. In addition, West Hull won the Grand Final for the previous 4 seasons and 5 out of the previous 6. It was a big task for Siddal and the players put on their best performances to secure a win. And when a Challenge Cup tie at Hull KR is thrown in to the picture, it was a very good season!
The new clubhouse was opened in 2008 and the club was on an upward trajectory.
Having their own brand-new top-class facilities obviously spurred the players to great things. All the work to get the new clubhouse, all the work through the years with junior team and the work by the players and coaching staff we rewarded in 2008-9.
Siddal won a treble. They were National Conference League Premier Division leaders and Grand Final winners. They added this to the BARLA National Cup where they beat Wigan St Cuthberts 38-14 in the final. With this victory Siddal became the first Halifax club to win the National Cup and the first to reach the final since Elland 21 years earlier. There is a full report at https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/siddal-win-barla-national-cup
In the Yorkshire Cup, Elland reached three finals between 2002 and 2005, beating Sharlston Rovers in 2002 and Queens in 2004, but losing to Drighlington in 2005.
Siddal continued their presence in the NCL Premier Division and continued to be a competitive team and have consistently challenged for honours. Their record in the NCL Grand Finals is testament to this with wins in 2003, 2004, 2009 and 2016.
Their record in the NCL Premier Division is amongst the best. Over the last 15 seasons, going back to 2009, Siddal has been in the top half of the Premier Division in every season. They have finished the season as League Leaguers (Minor Premiers) on 3 occasions in 2016, 2017 and 2024, They also finished in top spot in the restricted Covid season of 2021 when they finished top of League D. Even in the abandoned 2020 season, again due to Covid, they won their two games played!
As the country came out of Covid, Siddal were still innovating and improving the facilities at Chevinedge. The latest was a brand new pitch.
The Courier article is available via the link
Siddal were to win the BARLA National Cup once again in 2022-3, this time against Haresfinch (St Helens)by a margin of 30-10.
By 2024, just Siddal remained as the Halifax representative in the BARLA Yorkshire Cup and the BARLA National Cup.
Siddal also has a long history and tradition of providing players for the professional game. Paul Hirst has done a sterling job of listing all these players from the very first through the likes of Mick Scott and Johnny Lawless and onto the more recent players such as Kruise Leeming, Matty Nicholson and Morgan Smithies. A full list can be found on the Siddal RL Heritage Project Facebook page via the link,
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18PGjScaBP/
Siddal ARLFC has become and remains one of the top community Rugby League clubs in the country. This has been achieved not only by players on the pitch but also with the back up of the coaching staff and the amazing volunteers at Chevinedge.
And in 2025, Sam Walsh scores a try for Siddal.
Long may it continue.