Season 1927/28

Victory over Leeds in Championship semi-final at Headingley

What a great season. Rovers played consistently well all year and finished third in the league with a team of primarily local lads on modest wages, in a town being battered by lay-offs in the local collieries. In the first half of the season form was good but after xmas it was very good, with a run of 7 straight victories in January and February, and a 9 match unbeaten run in March and April. The result was a Championship semi-final away at Leeds, a side who had already beaten Rovers 3 times this season. Jimmy Williams and Jack Hirst starred behind a dominant pack, delivering a 15-12 victory.  The final was played at Oldham where unfortunately Rovers produced a below-par performance as Swinton won 11 – 0 to complete an “all four cups” season.

Performances were helped by a low level of injuries and no major player sales, which allowed a consistency of selection.  Tommy Askin’s form was such that he was picked for the 1928 GB tour becoming Rovers first ever tourist.  The rest of the back division the Dentons, Hirst, Taylor Whittaker, Rudd and Williams delivered the goods behind a formidable pack – Barraclough, Hall, Wooley, Ashton, Morgan and Smith.