Recent Club History
The club hit the doldrums in the 1980's when having a team comprising mainly junior players we were relegated to Divison 3, and sank to the bottom. We were a laughing stock. The butt of many jokes. Yet as the youngsters were told " your time will come, things will alter".
The 1990's commenced the change in the clubs fortunes with the arrival of some older,sorry,more mature players. T.Mason,(a superb wicket keeper), K.Whitehead ( a refugee opening batsman from the Huddersfield League) and K.Perry ( opening batsman, motivator and political thinker). Thier wealth of experience blended with the existing youthful exuberance to bring the club out of the dark ages.
We were promoted in 1990 from Division 3 and moved through the ranks to become Division 1 champions in 1998.
The major building development of the 1990's was the revamping of the pavillion and the bar extension, which came about when we secured a Sports England award of £90,000. It was constructed by R.Ward and Son through the bitter winter of 1997-8, and completed for the start of the playing season '98'. The official opening was performed by the Rt. Hon. G. Lofthouse M.P. on a beautiful summer afternoon in July '98'.
The creation of the bar was not a unanimously approved committee decision. Several not wanting alcohol to be sold on the premises. Paradoxically it is the objectors who are now doing most of the bar duties. The early enthusiast having left the scene.
The Golden playing period for the club coincided with the arrival of our present club captain Richard Vigars (R.V.), R.V. convinced both Richard Wild (REV) and Brian " the Gloves" Howard to join with him 1998.
I remember standing in the bare shell of the extension with R.V. trying to persude a young blonde warrior to join the club. I wonder whether Richard Wild could see in his mind's eye what i envisaged. I dont know but he was to become a major force in the clubs success.
The squad continued to grow through the following years as we welcomed N.Toplis, M.Roberts,S.Batty,D.Hyde,P.Langley,A.Boyer,C.Tennant,I.Lloyd,R.Sykes,G.Bright,B.Percy and S.Bellwood to the club.
Recent years have been remarkably successful:
1998 DYSON-SKIDMORE TROPHY WINNERS
1999 DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS 2008 DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS
