Featherstone Rovers 1908 to 1921

The History of Featherstone Rovers 1908 to 1921

by Irvin Saxton

The exact date on which the present Featherstone Rovers RLFC was reformed is probably lost for ever, but there is no doubt that it was towards the end of 1908.  The first game recorded in the Pontefract & Castleford Express is a friendly played against Hunslet Albion on 26^th December 1908, on the Athletic Grounds in Post Office Road.

George Johnson was elected the club’s chairman, as he had been in the previous period 1902 yo 1906, and his experience was to prove invaluable.  It failed, however, to keep the Rovers out of trouble in their very first game of organised rugby.

The Rovers committee had intimated that they would apply to the Dewsbury, Wakefield and District league for admission to the 1909-10 league fixtures, and as an act of goodwill the League allowed the Rovers to enter the 1909 league cup competition.  There were only 13 clubs in the competition and Rovers drew a bye in the first round.  Normanton were beaten in the second round, and Rovers were in the semi-final.  But it was not to be.   

The Normanton club objected to the result on the grounds that the Rovers had played three ineligible players: Sam Goodwin, Alf Pawson and W.Taylor.  At a meeting of the league committee the Rovers were exonerated regarding Goodwin and Taylor, but because of an error by Rovers Secretary, Mr Brown, the objection was upheld.

Each club secretary had to send to the league a list of registered players.  Mr Brown had sent his list but had not included Alf Pawson on it and so he was not eligible for the cup-ties.  The game had to be replayed, and Rovers lost – an unfortunate end to their first effort to win a cup.

In June 1909, the Rovers applied for admission to the Dewsbury, Wakefield and District league and were duly admitted.

SEASON 1909-10

During the 1909 close season another new club was formed as a rival to Rovers, and it was given the unusual name of Purston White Horse.  That the rivalry was keen was shown by the fact that Edgar Woolley signed registration forms for both clubs, an action which earned him a two months’ suspension.  That it was amicable was shown by the fact the season opened with a friendly game between the two clubs.

The two clubs met again in the first qualifying round of the Northern Union Cup.  After a 3 – 3 draw Purston won the replay.  A local press report said: “It was a typical cup-tie struggle and served to show the amount of gruelling colliers can stand.”

In February 1910, Edgar Woolley established the first Rovers record by scoring 5 tries against Lofthouse.  A short while later he was transferred to Halifax for £20.

The Rovers won through to the Yorkshire Junior Cup Final, and had to play Normanton at Belle Vue, Wakefield.  The first meeting was a 12 – 12 draw, and before the replay the Rovers survived an objection by Normanton who claimed Sam Southall was really a Cutsyke F.A. player.

The replay was a “rough house” all through, and before the end of normal time, when the score was 2 – 2, C.Arundel of the Rovers and E.Dooler and E.Green of Normanton had been sent off.  When the referee blew for time the Normanton players left the field but the Rovers players stayed, and there was an argument about playing extra time.  The referee received instructions to continue the game from county officials in the stand, but the Normanton players protested about playing any longer.  

Eventually some of them returned to the field, and when the game restarted, J.Hufton scored a try for the Rovers.  A Normanton player kicked the ball out of the playing area, and upon its return he kicked it out again: so the referee immediately ended the game.  A large crowd gathered in front of the stand, but no presentation was made.

The day of reckoning cam at the next meeting of the Yorkshire County committee.  It was decided that the cup should be awarded to Featherstone Rovers, but no runners-up medals were given to the Normanton players.  The suspensions given were E.Dooler sine die, R.Ward (Normanton) until 30 September, E,Green and C.Arundel until the end of the season.

In between all these cup games, the Rovers were sweeping all before them in the league and they finished at the top of the table, losing only two league fixtures. At the last home league game the club was presented with the Yorkshire Junior Cup.

Many of the clubs in the league failed to complete their fixtures: so the league committee decided that the top four clubs should play off for the championship trophy.  The Rovers had to play Purston White Horse in the semi-final, and this was the sixth meeting of these two clubs during the season.  The Rovers won this match but lost to Normanton St Johns in the final, which brought the season to a close.

The Rovers team was entertained to a supper at the clubs headquarters, the Railway Hotel.  The host was Mr C. Umpleby, the owner of the Rovers ground and landlord of the Railway Hotel.  Mr Sam Goodall, in his secretary’s annual report, said that the club was in a sound financial position and that was every prospect of a successful time next season.

SEASON 1910-11

Mr Goodall resigned before the season got under way, and Mr George Brearley was appointed secretary.  The club was admitted to the Yorkshire Combination, which contained the A teams of all the local senior teams.  They proved too good for the Rovers who won only four games out of sixteen in this league.  Things were not much better in the Dewsbury, Wakefield and District league, for out of eighteen games only eight were won.

December 1910 was a particularly bad month, for all the six games were lost, and one Rovers player received a four-months suspension for striking the referee. For the fixture against Outwood Church only six of the visiting team turned up. Seven Rovers players made up the Outwood team and Outwood won!

The season ended on a much happier note.  The last six games were all won, including the local leagues cup final.  Bill Clay had a season’s total of 106 points in league and cup football.  The local league championship final was held on Rovers ground and attracted a record 3,000 spectators.

SEASON 1911-12

Just before the start of the new season, another club was formed which had close connections to Featherstone Main colliery.  It was simply named Featherstone Northern Union F.C.  A number of Rovers players left to join this new club, including Bill Clay and Walter Walker, and Featherstone was a thorn in Rovers side all season.

Apart from two league encounters, the clubs met in the Northern Union Cup and the Dewsbury, Wakefield and District cup, and Featherstone won every game.  After the Rovers v Featherstone league game, the referee complained to the league committee about the betting which took place during the game.  He claimed hundreds of pounds changed hands, a sum others thought considerably exaggerated!

The Rovers won through to the League cup semi-final, and were due to meet Pontefract Victoria at Pontefract on 5^th April 1912.  The crowd rushed the gates, and so many gained admittance without paying that it was decided to play a friendly game only.  At the league meeting it was explained that 3,000 spectators had watched the game, and with a 4d. admission fee the receipts should have been about £50 but in actual fact were only £5. 

The Pontefract club was criticised for failing to employ any policemen.  Mr Chadwick, the Rovers representative, said that Featherstone Rovers had only been allowed 4d. per player travelling expenses and it had cost the 8d. per player for the wagonette.  The league committee agreed to allow the Rovers 8d. per player.

Once again the Rovers had had an indifferent season as far as leagues were concerned, but they just managed to scrape into the top four for the Dewsbury, Wakefield and District league play off.  After a hard struggle against Wakefield Trinity reserves in the semi-final, the final was (almost inevitably) played against Featherstone.  This time the Rovers won and were presented with the cup by Cr. Holiday, the Chairman of Featherstone Council.  He also gave a sovereign so the cup could be suitably filled.

This victory left relations between the clubs somewhat strained.  Featherstone objected to the result on the grounds that Rovers played four men who had not appeared in the necessary six league games. At a league meeting Mr Jordan, Featherstone’s league representative, requested a tabulated list of appearances from the Rovers.  Mr Chadwick replied that he could not be compelled to do this, and he defied anyone to prove that these four men were not eligible.  The objection failed because of lack of evidence.

All was forgiven a few weeks later when the Rovers committee was informed that the Railway Hotel and the athletic grounds would no longer be available to the club.  Featherstone N.U. club decided to let bygones be bygones and offered to amalgamate with the Rovers and to use the Featherstone Hotel as headquarters.  They further offered to retain the name “Featherstone Rovers” and to allow George Johnson to continue as chairman.  All these offers were gratefully accepted.

SEASON 1912-13

The new committee decided that the club was now strong enough to play in higher company, and it was decided to withdraw from the Dewsbury, Wakefield and District league and join the newly formed Northern Union Combination.  It was also decided to run an intermediate team (under 21’s) in the Wakefield and District Intermediate league, and a number of young players were signed from North Featherstone intermediates and Featherstone Trinity.

Charlie Dutton was one of these, but he went straight into the first team and put his name in the Rovers record book by scoring tries in his first nine games from 21^st September to 16^th November 1912.

For the first time Rovers reached the first round of the Northern Union Cup but were drawn at Rochdale where they lost 3-15.  They had a more successful time in the Yorkshire Junior Cup, which was won for the second time.  As with the first final this was another “rough house” and the referee stopped the game 10 minutes early because it was getting out of hand.  The result was Rovers 14 Castleford 2.  The attendance (at Belle Vue, Wakefield) was a record for the final at 5,000, and the receipts were £87, out of which Rovers received £5.

SEASON 1913-14

For the new season the Rovers returned to the Athletic Grounds, but it was not a triumphant return.  For the first time since 1909 the Rovers failed to win a cup, although they did reach the final of the Leeds and District Cup.

The poor playing record was reflected in the gate receipts, and in January, Charles Dutton and Benny Bradley were transferred to Hull KR. To ease the financial situation.  In that same month the club suffered a further loss in the death of Albert Chadwick, who had been the club’s representative on the league committees since 1909.

The Rovers were exempt from the Northern Union Cup qualifying rounds, and by beating Elland in the first round proper became the only juniors in the second round.  Once again senior opposition proved too much and the Rovers lost against Hull. 

SEASON 1914-15

At the request of the Leeds club the league fixture at Headingley was brought forward to 1^st September to enable Leeds to give some of their first-team players a game before the official start to the season.  The Rovers lost – but then proceeded to win 12 games in succession.  Such was their form that a member of the Rovers committee was heard to boast that any team would be beaten at Featherstone. 

A local councillor, Mr Edwards took up the challenge and offered to bring a team to beat Rovers.  The match was arranged for 30^th November in aid of the Belgian Relief Fund, and Mr Edwards brought a strong team which included six of the Huddersfield “team of all talents”.  The Rovers lost but the match was made memorable by a penalty goal by Longstaff of Huddersfield, which was reputed to be an eighty yard kick.

The Rovers suffered a blow in February when the Northern Rugby League committee decided that because a large number of clubs were withdrawing from the N.U. Combination there would be no championship play off.  At the time Rovers were second in the table and had high hopes of winning the championship.  The club was particularly upset because all possible fixtures has been fulfilled.

SEASON 1915-16

In June 1915 the Northern Rugby Union decided that all competitions and professional football would stop until the end of the war.  A number of senior clubs decided to continue playing friendly games, and agreed to allow fixtures with the Rovers.  So, after seven years, the Rovers were in senior company at last but hardly in circumstances they would have wished for. 

All gate receipts were shared 50-50, and it was only this that kept Rovers going, because home attendances were pitifully small.  The season did have its compensations, for Charlie Smith kicked 7 goals in one game (another Rovers record), and a number of past players turned out for Rovers, including Edgar Woolley (Wakefield Trinity), John Higson (Huddersfield) and Joe Lyman (Dewsbury).

War work had to take precedence over sport, and the Rovers found it increasingly difficult to field a decent side, and for one game only nine players turned up.  In March 1916 the Rovers committee announced that in view of the fact that the Featherstone public had little desire for football matches no home games would be played.

Only one more away game was played, and then the club decided to discontinue playing until the end of the war.  Out of fifteen games against senior opposition the Rovers had won five and drawn one.

SEASON 1918-19

It was January 1919 before conditions were considered right for restarting football, but the Rovers committee were unable to obtain a ground. Agreement was finally reached for the Rovers to use Featherstone Main Athletic Club’s ground, although as it turned out it was only required for practice.  The only two games played were a friendly at York and a Yorkshire Cup game at Wakefield.   

SEASON 1919-20

For the first proper season after the war, the Rovers were back at Post Office Road.  It was decided to play in the Northern Combination, the Wakefield and District league and the Leeds and District league, which meant games against other teams in all three leagues were worth six points.

Once gain Rovers were allowed to enter the Yorkshire Cup, and a new stand was erected in time for the first round game against Keighley.  A record crowd of 6,000 saw the Rovers win 15-14, but the second round at Batley was lost.

On Boxing Day the Rovers played a friendly game at York to maintain a tradition started in 1915.  After the game both teams were invited to a function at Ebor Hall, the home of Sir William Forster Todd, the president of the York club.

For the fourth consecutive year the Rovers reached the first round of the Northern Union Cup, this time without having a point scored against them.  The total score for the four qualifying rounds was 146 points, including 61-0 and 63-0 victories.  The first round was at home against Broughton Rangers, and for the second time a 6,000 crowd packed the ground, but the Rovers couldn’t overcome that first round hurdle.

As the end of the season approached, almost every game was a cup-tie, and the Rovers had the unique experience of playing in three cup finals in one week.  The Wakefield and District Championship had already been won, and on Monday 3^rd May 1920, the Rovers were due to play Hemsworth Colliery for the Wakefield and District Cup.  The Hemsworth Club said that they had no intention of playing on any day except Saturday.  The league committee replied that the game would be played on the appointed date and if Hemsworth did not turn up then a “Rest of the League” side would play.  Hemsworth failed to appear, so the “Rest” played – but the Rovers won, which saved any problems as to the destination of the cup if they had lost.

Two days later the Rovers won the Leeds and District championship, and followed this by winning the Leeds and District cup on the Saturday.  All these cup games had the obvious effect on the Rovers balance sheet, and for the first time there was a profit (£116).  Norman Reeves finished the season with a record 44 tries.

At the annual general meeting, Cr. Johnson had the honour of being the premier junior club in the Northern Union.  He was sorry Rovers had been left out of next season’s Yorkshire Cup draw, and he hoped next season would be just as successful to justify applying to join the Northern Rugby League.  There would then be no question about inclusion in the Yorkshire Cup.

SEASON 1920-21

Cr. George Johnson was a most capable chairman, but he met his first major setback in the first half of the 1920-21 season.  In the league game at Sharlston, Billy Clements received a broken nose.  Cr. Johnson complained about the rough treatment his team had received, and he said no more fixtures would be arranged at Sharlston.

A league enquiry into the game came to the unanimous conclusion that Rovers had no cause for complaint.  The Sharlston club then announced they would not play the return fixture at Featherstone unless Cr. Johnson apologised.  The game was due on 1^st January, and the Sharlston team arrived 30 minutes late still refusing to turn out.  Finally Cr. Johnson (no doubt with one eye on the gate which was a league record of £100) apologised at a private meeting, and the game began 50 minutes late.

In the early months of 1921 the Rovers staked a further claim to senior status by a remarkable run of eight games without a point being scored against them.  One of these was a 41-0 Northern Union Cup first-round victory against Pendlebury.  This was the fifth consecutive appearance in the first round proper, an all time record for a junior club.  The stand was enlarged for the home second-round tie against Dewsbury.  The Rovers lost but the attendance of 9,000 and receipts of £606 showed Rovers were worthy of improved status.

Once again the season ended with a glut of cup games.  The Yorkshire Junior Cup was won without a point scored against the Rovers, the combined scores for the five rounds being 98-0.  Other cups won were the Wakefield and District League Cup and Championship, and the Leeds and District Championship.  Because of the crowded fixture list the Rovers decided not to compete for the Leeds and District Cup.  In May 1921, the Rovers committee made a formal application to join the Northern Rugby League, the sponsors being York and Wakefield Trinity clubs.  The application was heard by the Northern Rugby League Management Committee on Tuesday 7^th June 1921.

Cr. Johnson said that the Featherstone Rovers Club had grown beyond the company it was keeping, and that there was a danger that interest would wane.  The Chairman of the management committee said that the Featherstone club was well backed by the local colliery company, and he had no doubt the club would make its way in the northern league.

There was no opposition and the application was passed unanimously, and Featherstone Rovers was no longer a junior club.