Explore the History and Heritage of Featherstone Rovers

Season 1973/74

Played Won Drew Lost F A League League Position
45 23 2 20 685 607 First Division 8th of 16 clubs

Highlight

Making the Challenge Cup final again with an injury hit squad


Leading Try Scorer   Leading Goal Kicker
Dave Hartley 19   Harold Box 92

Chairman   Club Captain
John Jepson   John Newlove

Season Summary

Rovers were the proverbial bridesmaids of the season.  Having started 1973/74 as Challenge Cup holders Featherstone came as near as possible to retaining it by reaching the final for a second successive year, only to fall to an Alex Murphy led Warrington side and a feeble referee.  The Wires also beat Rovers in Captain Morgan Trophy though Rovers had chances a plenty to win that game. In November, an injury hit Rovers gave the touring Australian team a real scare losing narrowly 18 – 13.

Injuries undermined the league form with Thompson, Nash, Newlove, Smith and Farrar all being affected.  Youngsters Box, Bray, Harris, Gibbins, Busfield, Bell, Dyas and Pete Smith all showed up well and gained first team experience.  Dave Hartley was the stand-out back topping the try scoring for the 4th time in five years and being muted for international selection. 

Off the field there were mutterings in the committee room.  A motion to remove Fox as coach was only defeated by the casting vote of Chairman John Jepson.  When they subsequently decided not to offer Fox a new contract at the end of the season – he resigned.   


Dream Team


             
  Full Back  
  Harold Box  
 
Winger   Centre   Centre   Winger
Paul Coventry   John Newlove   Dave Hartley   Graham Bray
 
  Stand Off   Scrum Half  
  Mel Mason   Steve Nash  
 
  Prop   Hooker   Prop  
  Les Tonks   Keith Bridges   Billy Harris  
 
  Second Row   Second Row  
  Alan Rhodes   Mick Gibbins  
 
  Loose Forward  
  Charlie Stone  
 


Matches

Date Venue Competition Opponents Result Points For Points Against Match Link
18 August 1973 Crown Flatt Division One Dewsbury L 14 19 View
25 August 1973 Post Office Road Division One Hull Kingston Rovers W 41 13 View
27 August 1973 Craven Park Hull Division One Hull Kingston Rovers L 20 25 View
02 September 1973 McClaren Field Yorkshire Cup Bramley W 19 4 View
07 September 1973 The Willows Division One Salford L 4 34 View
09 September 1973 Odsal Yorkshire Cup Bradford Northern L 14 27 View
15 September 1973 Knowsley Road John Player Trophy St Helens L 16 34 View
23 September 1973 Post Office Road Division One Wigan W 14 13 View
07 October 1973 Post Office Road Division One Warrington W 18 8 View
13 October 1973 Recreation Ground Division One Whitehaven W 14 5 View
28 October 1973 Post Office Road Captain Morgan Trophy Keighley W 27 8 View
04 November 1973 Post Office Road Division One Whitehaven W 31 17 View
07 November 1973 Watersheddings Division One Oldham L 12 14 View
11 November 1973 Belle Vue Division One Wakefield Trinity W 17 13 View
18 November 1973 Post Office Road Tour Match Australia L 13 18 View
25 November 1973 Post Office Road Captain Morgan Trophy Wakefield Trinity W 20 14 View
09 December 1973 Post Office Road Captain Morgan Trophy Workington Town W 37 18 View
15 December 1973 Post Office Road Division One Oldham L 10 19 View
22 December 1973 Post Office Road Division One St Helens W 13 8 View
26 December 1973 Post Office Road Division One Castleford W 10 6 View
29 December 1973 Central Park Division One Wigan L 10 12 View
06 January 1974 Naughton Park Division One Widnes L 8 14 View
13 January 1974 Post Office Road Division One Rochdale Hornets D 17 17 View
19 January 1974 McClaren Field Division One Bramley W 16 15 View
26 January 1974 The Willows Captain Morgan Trophy Warrington L 0 4 View
02 February 1974 Craven Park Barrow Challenge Cup Barrow W 11 3 View
10 February 1974 Knowsley Road Division One St Helens L 0 8 View
16 February 1974 Post Office Road Division One Bramley W 31 13 View
24 February 1974 Craven Park Hull Challenge Cup Hull Kingston Rovers W 12 9 View
03 March 1974 Post Office Road Division One Widnes L 2 5 View
09 March 1974 Odsal Challenge Cup Bradford Northern W 5 0 View
17 March 1974 Hilton Park Division One Leigh L 14 18 View
20 March 1974 Athletic Grounds Division One Rochdale Hornets W 7 0 View
23 March 1974 Headingley Division One Leeds L 3 26 View
25 March 1974 Post Office Road Division One Leeds L 7 16 View
30 March 1974 Headingley Challenge Cup Leigh W 21 14 View
31 March 1974 Post Office Road Division One Leigh W 46 7 View
03 April 1974 Wilderspool Division One Warrington L 7 9 View
07 April 1974 Post Office Road Division One Salford W 27 16 View
13 April 1974 Post Office Road Division One Dewsbury L 7 15 View
15 April 1974 Wheldon Road Division One Castleford D 4 4 View
16 April 1974 Post Office Road Division One Wakefield Trinity W 19 8 View
21 April 1974 Post Office Road Play-off Wigan W 22 14 View
28 April 1974 Post Office Road Play-off Wakefield Trinity L 16 19 View
11 May 1974 Wembley Challenge Cup Warrington L 9 24 View


Player Season Records

Individual player appearance and scoring records for the season can be found here.


Information

Currently no extra information to display.