Heckmondwike (rugby league)

Heckmondwike was a semi-professional rugby league club based in Heckmondwike in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England.

The club played semi-professional rugby league for a total of 4 seasons and spent each of the seasons in the Yorkshire Senior Competition. They first became members of the Northern Rugby Football Union (now Rugby Football League in 1896–97 and stayed for three seasons until 1898–99. After a two-year break, they returned to the Northern Rugby Football Union (now Rugby Football League in 1901–02 for a further single season

At the end of season 1901–02 the club left the league.

History

Early Days

Heckmondwike FC was formed as a rugby football club some time before 1895. They converted from the rugby union to rugby league in the summer of 1896, in time for the 1896–97 season.

During the early years the club had three prominent players who gained international caps: Richard "Dicky" Lockwood, Donald Jowett, and John William "Willie" or "J. W." Sutcliffe.

They joined the ranks of the semi-professionals when they became members of the Northern Union in its second season 1896–97 and played in the Yorkshire Senior Competition. At the end of this first season, 1896–97, Heckmondwike finished in bottom place out of the 16 clubs..

In the second season, 1897–98 the club did very little better, finishing 15th out of 16 clubs, despite the signing of the former England (RU) and Bradford F.C. Half-back, Horace Duckett. They slipped back to bottom position out of 16 in the third season, 1898–99. Heckmondwike dropped out of the league for the next two seasons. It is assumed that they played in the lower divisions as an amateur club.

Heckmondwike returned for the start of the 1901–02 and finished in 11th place out of 14 clubs

At the end of the 1901–02 season, the County Leagues elected 18 teams to join the new Division 2 (7 from Lancashire and 10 from Yorkshire and new member South Shields) with the existing second competition scrapped.[1]

Heckmondwike were one of the 4 Yorkshire (the others being Goole, Liversedge and Sowerby Bridge) and 2 Lancashire clubs (Altrincham and Radcliffe) not elected to the new Division 2, but it is unknown as to which route the club followed.

Heckmondwike dropped out of the league after the end of season 1901–02.

Club league record

The league positions for Heckmondwike for the three years in which they played semi-professional rugby league are given in the following table:[2]

Season Competition Pos Team Name Pl W D L PW PA Diff Pts % Pts No of teams in league Notes Ref
1896–97Yorks Sen Comp16Heckmondwike30342372308-2361016
1897–98Yorks Sen Comp15Heckmondwike309219148315-1672016
1898–99Yorks Sen Comp16Heckmondwike30442270343-2731216
Heckmondwike left the league for two seasons
1899–00 Heckmondwike not in semi-professional leagues.
1900–01 Heckmondwike not in semi-professional leagues.
Heckmondwike rejoined for start of season 1901–02.
1901–02Yorks Sen Comp11Heckmondwike1714[3]
Only limited County League information is available for this season.

Heading Abbreviations
RL = Single Division; Pl = Games Played: W = Win; D = Draw; L = Lose; PF = Points For; PA = Points Against; Diff = Points Difference (+ or -); Pts = League Points
% Pts = A percentage system was used to determine league positions due to clubs playing varying number of fixtures and against different opponents
League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0.

Several fixtures and results

The following are just a few of Heckmondwike fixtures during the three seasons (and other times) in which they played semi-professional rugby league

[3][4][5][6][7]
Season Date Competition Opponent Venue H/A Result Score Att Notes Ref
1896–97Sat 03-10-1896Yorks Sen CompOCHullThe BoulevardHLost0-17[4]
1896–97Mon 08–03-1897Yorks Sen CompOCHullHomeHLost0-5[4]
1897–98Sat 11-12-1897Yorks Sen CompOCHullThe BoulevardHLost6-26[4]
1897–98Mon 11–04-1898Yorks Sen CompOCHullHomeHLost3-5[4]
1898–99Sat 17–09-1898Yorks Sen CompOCHullHomeHWon10–0[4]
1898–99Mon 26-12-1898Yorks Sen CompOCHullThe BoulevardHLost2-28[4]
1900–0109–03-1901CC R2WarringtonWilderspoolHLost2-19[5]

Notable players

J. Bland of Heckmondwike played in The Rest's 5-7 defeat by Leeds in the 1901–02 Yorkshire Senior Competition Champions versus The Rest match at Headingley Stadium on Saturday 19 April 1902.[8]

See also

References
  1. J C Lindley with personal recollections by D W Armitage (1973). 100 Years of Rugby - The History of Wakefield Trinity Football Club. The Wakefield Trinity Centenary Committee. pp. 37 and 38.
  2. Jack Winstanley & Malcolm Ryding (1975). John Player Rugby League Yearbook 1975-76. Queen Anne Press.
  3. "Cherry and White".
  4. "Hull&Proud Fixtures & Results". Archived from the original on 2012-03-02.
  5. "Warrington Wolves results and archives". Archived from the original on 2011-12-21.
  6. "Saints Heritage Society".
  7. "Widnes Seasons in Review".
  8. Dalby, Ken (1955). The Headingley Story - 1890-1955 - Volume One - Rugby. The Leeds Cricket, Football & Athletic Co. Ltd ASIN: B0018JNGVM
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