Mixed fortunes of a club which switched codes
THE early years of Brighouse Rangers saw many highs and not too many lows, it was the most successful team we had in Brighouse. It all started in 1879 with the club's pinnacle moment coming in 1895 when it won the Yorkshire Cup at Headingley beating Morley 16-4.
It was at the end of the 19th century when rugby went through a crisis culminating with the formation of the Northern Union in 1898, which gave official blessing to the recruitment of professionals. The Northern Union later became the Northern League and eventually the Rugby League.
This was a catastrophe for the smaller clubs who could not afford the 'big names' which led to standard of the games going down. By 1902 Rangers were struggling and by 1904 the club was in the second division and the attendance gates were abysmal. It was a far cry from the crowds seen in the club's hey day – in 1889 over 5,000 spectators watched Rangers play Kendal Hornets at the Waterloo Road pitch.
In 1906 the Northern Union reduced the number of players from 15 to 13 with a hope this could help the smaller poorer clubs. It was too late for Rangers and in August of that year the club was almost bankrupt, professionalism had seen it off. The club's few assets were sold; 24 pairs of shin-pads 1/6d; 9 ear caps 1/-; 13 pairs of boots 3/6d and a collection of balls 6/-. The total raised from the sale was 110 which was all there was to pay the creditors.
Even after the club had gone, the great days of the past were relived every week in the pubs around town and among the devotees of the game.
In 1911 efforts to start the club again came to nothing but two years later it was once again up and running and playing fairly with some favourable results. But it all came crashing down in 1915, the club was in debt to the tune of 150. With so many men away in the war it was not always possible to raise a team and by the end of the war Brighouse Rangers had once again faded into the history books.
As rugby faded generally, it was being replaced by football, with many teams being connected to churches and chapels. By 1922 thoughts of resurrecting the club was the talk of the town. At a meeting in the September it was decided good class rugby league could not thrive in such a small town and the switch should be made to rugby union. The first season was described as being successful, so much so that as the season passed by in 1928 the club built a new pavilion at Lane Head.
In 1935 Rangers fought a long hard battle in the mud at Ovenden Park in Halifax in the final of the Yorkshire Rugby Union Shield and defeated a strong Cleckheaton side by five points to three.
On January 28, 1939, Rangers was once again in the final – this time it was against the holders Goole Grammar School Old Boys. The final was to be played at Cleckheaton's Moorend ground. Was it a foregone conclusion that after a winning streak of 13 in a row Rangers would win? Well, you can't guarantee these things, not in a cup final.
Rangers had a tough run into the final, winning games against Halifax Vandals and the Leeds-based Old Leodiensians, then held Old Bramley to a replay. Playing at Lane Head with home advantage Rangers stormed into the next round against Hull Ionians at its Selby ground.
When Rangers had previously won the cup in 1935 the team was Jack Vickers; Harold Morris; G. T. Tillotson; Herbert Eastwood; F. Eastwood; W. Crossley; E.B.A.Hoyle; J. Hanson; T. Jackson; J. Farrar; P. Marshall; G. Burch; H. Green; W. Barker and Captain H. Wilson. From that team only two survived to play in the 1940 final, Jack Vickers and Herbert Eastwood.
The 1940 team included Jim Lomas, aged 26, who had served in the RAF and previously played with the service team before joining Rangers in 1938; Harold Ainley, 23, another Huddersfield-based player who had played 12 months for Rangers; Ronnie Pogson, aged 22, a third Huddersfield- based player and had joined at the same time as Harold Ainley.
Herbert Eastwood, 23, was a Rastrick lad born and bred. As a school boy he was also a fine football player having scored 85 goals in one season while playing for New Road.
Cyril Ely was only 18, he was the baby of the team and had only been with the club for a year, but struggled with injuries. He was not just a rugby player but also a keen swimmer and cricketer.
Jack Gargrave, 23, was into his fourth season as a member of the club. George Lister, 24, was another local lad, coming from Hipperholme, he had been with the team three years. From his first day with the club he was a permanent feature of the first team.
Reggie Coldwell, 22, was the team's scrum half, and another workshop cricket player. Johnny Rae, 18, was an Elland lad and recognised as a future scrum half, and someone who was equally at home as a gymnast or a swimmer. Jack Hirst, 23, a potential for the county team, was a member of the Brighouse Swimming Club Water Polo team. He was another of Rangers' team who also played for the local workshop cricket teams.
Herbert Richards, 23, was a regular with the team for three years and lived in Siddal. Ted Smith 29, didn't start playing rugby until he was 27 and was described as a 'splendid prop' and the old man of the team. Les Travis, 26, was another Huddersfield-based player. Raymond Dyson, 24, was always referred to as 'Ginger' because of his unmistakable hair colouring. Joe Carter, 27, was another cricketer when not playing at Rangers and Ronnie Turner, 22, was a swimmer and a keen motorcyclist. Jack Vickers was the team's captain and it was only his second season in that role and finally, Arthur Hanson, 23, was enjoying his second season at Rangers.
At the game itself things didn't go well for Rangers. As much as they tried they could not get on the score sheet. As the referee blew the whistle the final score was 6-0 in Goole's favour. The game had been a tense affair with Rangers failing to take the scoring opportunities they created.
But no soon was this game over the club was once again on borrowed time – the financial nightmare which had dogged the club for over 20 years returned. By 1942 the club could not pay its ground rent to the council which resulted in the Education Committee taking over the ground for educational purposes.
I am sure many readers particularly those who were students at St Martin's Secondary Modern School will remember having games lessons on the old Rangers' field and using its old pavilion as class changing rooms.
Rangers have reformed numerous times since, but it was not until the mid-1970s that Brighouse developed into what it is today. It was Jeff Greenwood and the late John Chase who decided to resurrect the club in the rugby league code.
This week's faded photographs take us back to the game with Goole – the Brighouse team line-up for the match photograph and some of the club's faithful travelling spectators at the match. Playing at Lane Head with home advantage Rangers stormed into the next round against Hull Ionians at its Selby ground.
When Rangers had previously won the cup in 1935 the team was Jack Vickers; Harold Morris; G. T. Tillotson; Herbert Eastwood; F. Eastwood; W. Crossley; E.B.A.Hoyle; J. Hanson; T. Jackson; J. Farrar; P. Marshall; G. Burch; H. Green; W. Barker and Captain H. Wilson. From that team only two survived to play in the 1940 final, Jack Vickers and Herbert Eastwood.
The 1940 team included Jim Lomas, aged 26, who had served in the RAF and previously played with the service team before joining Rangers in 1938; Harold Ainley, 23, another Huddersfield-based player who had played 12 months for Rangers; Ronnie Pogson, aged 22, a third Huddersfield- based player and had joined at the same time as Harold Ainley.
Herbert Eastwood, 23, was a Rastrick lad born and bred. As a school boy he was also a fine football player having scored 85 goals in one season while playing for New Road.
Cyril Ely was only 18, he was the baby of the team and had only been with the club for a year, but struggled with injuries. He was not just a rugby player but also a keen swimmer and cricketer.
Jack Gargrave, 23, was into his fourth season as a member of the club. George Lister, 24, was another local lad, coming from Hipperholme, he had been with the team three years. From his first day with the club he was a permanent feature of the first team.
Reggie Coldwell, 22, was the team’s scrum half, and another workshop cricket player. Johnny Rae, 18, was an Elland lad and recognised as a future scrum half, and someone who was equally at home as a gymnast or a swimmer. Jack Hirst, 23, a potential for the county team, was a member of the Brighouse Swimming Club Water Polo team. He was another of Rangers’ team who also played for the local workshop cricket teams.
Herbert Richards, 23, was a regular with the team for three years and lived in Siddal. Ted Smith 29, didn’t start playing rugby until he was 27 and was described as a ‘splendid prop’ and the old man of the team. Les Travis, 26, was another Huddersfield-based player. Raymond Dyson, 24, was always referred to as ‘Ginger’ because of his unmistakable hair colouring. Joe Carter, 27, was another cricketer when not playing at Rangers and Ronnie Turner, 22, was a swimmer and a keen motorcyclist. Jack Vickers was the team’s captain and it was only his second season in that role and finally, Arthur Hanson, 23, was enjoying his second season at Rangers.
At the game itself things didn’t go well for Rangers. As much as they tried they could not get on the score sheet. As the referee blew the whistle the final score was 6-0 in Goole’s favour. The game had been a tense affair with Rangers failing to take the scoring opportunities they created.
But no soon was this game over the club was once again on borrowed time – the financial nightmare which had dogged the club for over 20 years returned. By 1942 the club could not pay its ground rent to the council which resulted in the Education Committee taking over the ground for educational purposes.
I am sure many readers particularly those who were students at St Martin’s Secondary Modern School will remember having games lessons on the old Rangers’ field and using its old pavilion as class changing rooms.
Rangers have reformed numerous times since, but it was not until the mid-1970s that Brighouse developed into what it is today. It was Jeff Greenwood and the late John Chase who decided to resurrect the club in the rugby league code.
This week’s faded photographs take us back to the game with Goole – the Brighouse team line-up for the match photograph and some of the club’s faithful travelling spectators at the match.
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Weather for Halifax
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
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